5 Common Summer Dieting Mistakes
April Daniels Hussar,SELF magazine
Given that most of us spend the summer inshort shorts and bikinis, you'd think it would be easier than usual to stick to a healthy diet, right? Not necessarily!
Jim White, registered dietitian, personal trainer and spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, gave us the skinny on the most common summer dieting pitfalls -- and how you can avoid them.
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1. Drinking too many cold calories.
Swapping your morning coffee for a cold smoothie? "Smoothies can be healthy and a good on-the-go option, but they contain many more calories than that skinny latte you buy every morning," says White. "Liquids are not as filling as food, so we tend to consume more calories that way." Also packed with calories: most blended cocktails and coffee drinks, so read the labels if you're buying bottled drinks, opt for iced coffee rather than creamy blended drinks and make sure cocktail hour doesn't serve up a meal's worth of calories and fat. Here are four delicious, low-cal summer cocktails.
2. Assuming that cold meals (like salads) are always more slimming than hot ones.
"With mounting temps, you might opt for cooler meals like salads," says White. But even salads can be calorie pitfalls if you're not careful. "Be mindful of too much cheese, croutons and dressing," he says. Even cold soups can be calorie-filled if they're made with cream or other fattening ingredients. For some healthy, low-cal cold soup options, check out SELF's refreshing and easy no-cook soups.
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3. Going on a last-minute "bikini" diet.
"Crash diets never work," says White. "Starvation diets end up storing more fat, especially around your midsection -- never a good look for a bikini." White explains that crash diets also set up a cycle of starvation and overeating, which wreaks havoc on your metabolism and your psyche. Remember, he says, "Extreme and yo-yo dieting make it harder to keep weight off long term." For a better route to a great bikini bod, try this super-effective workout developed by Cat Deeley's trainer. Flat abs in 5 minutes!
4. Indulging in summery desserts.
"There's nothing wrong with finishing off dinner with a sweet treat," says White. "Just make sure it's the right kind." If you are going to have ice cream, he advises, choose the lighter option and make sure you stick to the serving size. "Just because it's 'lite' doesn't mean you can overindulge," he says. If that' s too much pressure, White says to freeze some fruit. "Frozen grapes are a wonderfully refreshing treat after a healthy dinner!" Another great option: Here's how you can save 711 calories on ice cream!
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5. Confusing sweating with calorie burning.
"Sweating is not an indicator of effort and calories burned," says White. "Just because you're sitting out on the beach in the sweltering heat and you are sweating, that doesn't mean you can skip your cardio session." Sweating is an inherent mechanism used to cool the body, he explains; some people sweat more than others, but that doesn't mean that they are any more fit or working any harder. In fact, he says, you can even work out totally sweat-free -- in the water! "Take a brisk walk in the water, go for a run, interval train with periods of walking and running or do some deep water running -- and combine your workout with a day at the beach."
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