Are diet foods making you fat?

Saturday, August 03, 2013 by: Catrell Cooney
Tags: diet foods, weight management, myths

(NaturalNews) You begin your day with yogurt and granola for breakfast followed by a wrap for lunch. You are able to work in an hour long fitness class after work then stop at a chain restaurant for a large salad for dinner. So why aren't you losing weight? Unfortunately, not all seemingly healthy foods are created equally.

Five common dieter mistakes:

Granola: Most people believe that this yummy cereal is diet friendly. However, few realize that in as little as one-half cup, more than 400 calories will be added to your bowl. How many people only eat a half-cup? Add yogurt and fresh fruit to your bowl and that just added another 200 calories, so you are starting your day with a 600 plus calorie breakfast. What can you do? Look for lower calorie versions of granola. Depending on the ingredients in each batch of granola, the calorie count can be dramatically different.

Muffins: They keep getting bigger and bigger just like all the other portions in our society. You know, the ones at the big box stores or at your favorite coffee shop. No matter if it's a large bran, blueberry, or banana nut muffin, they all pack a whopping 400 to 600 calories. What can you do? First, don't look at muffins as diet food. Second, if it is a large muffin, do not eat the whole muffin at one sitting.

Wraps: Trying to make a healthier carb choice, you order a wrap instead of a sandwich. Surprisingly, this can be the worst choice in some cases. Many of the wraps at popular deli's and restaurants are around 300 calories and that does not include its contents. Plus wraps have more surface area to spread on high calorie condiments. What can you do? First, make your own wrap at home using lower calorie wraps. There are some large wraps on the market that are only 50 calories. Secondly, when dining out split your wrap with a friend or take half of it home for the next day's lunch.

Dried Fruit: Dehydrated fruit doesn't mean lower calories. You could potentially triple or even quadruple your calorie intake by eating dried fried. For instance, one cup of fresh grapes is 70 calories versus one cup of raisins is 300 calories. What can you do? Whenever possible stick with fresh whole fruit over dried.

Salads: A dieter's go to food . . . right? Yes, the lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and other vegetables are all excellent choices, but it is the toppings that make salads a not-so-diet friendly option. Croutons, bacon bits, cheese, dried fruit and let's not forget the fat-laden dressing. It is not uncommon to order a large salad at one of the chain restaurants and end up consuming over 1,000 calories at one meal. What can you do? First, keep eating salads, but always ask for the dressing on the side so you can lightly dip your fork in with each bite. Second, ask for high calorie items to be left off the salad when ordering.

How can you avoid making other diet mistakes? One of the easiest ways is to learn to read food labels. Also, many restaurants list their menus online along with a calorie count. Still not sure how you can avoid the common diet pitfalls? Find a nutritionist or wellness coach in your area and work with them until you feel more comfortable. This does not mean you have to give up your favorite foods, but you can learn how to work these foods into your diet the right way.

Sources for this article:

http://www.businessweek.com

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

http://eatthis.menshealth.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Catrell Cooney is a holistic health coach, personal trainer, Zumba Instructor, world traveling vegetarian, and wellness travel specialist. On Catrell''s site The Wandering Coconut, she shares recipes, products reviews, travel and health tips. Her and her husband also own and operate their own travel agency at Cooney World Adventures specializes in wellness and adventure travel. Plus they assist individuals traveling with dietary restrictions.