You aren't getting enough calories istock/monticellloWait, isn't the point of a diet that you are supposed to cut calories? Yes, but according to registered dietitian and author of Belly Fat for Dummies Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, it's only a piece of the puzzle. "A calorie is not just a calorie," she says. "Depending on what you consume, calories from nutrients such as protein and unsaturated fat keep you full for an extended period, whereas calories from simple sugars digest rapidly." If you're cutting calories but not getting the proper vitamins, protein, and fiber you need, your weight loss plan is not going to work. According to a study from Japan, calorie restriction leads to slower metabolic rate, which means without enough calories, your body goes into survival mode, slowing down your metabolism to conserve energy and prevent weight loss. "Focus on improving the nutritional quality of your diet rather than your calorie intake for improved body weight and health," Palinski-Wade says. Doctors wish you'd stop following these weight loss "tips." You're skipping meals istock/_thesomegirlAs with cutting calories, cutting meals isn't effective for healthy weight loss. Being overly hungry throws off the balance in your body, as Laura Moore, RD, director of the dietetic internship program at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, explains. "Energy intake, or what's consumed, and expenditure, or what's burned, is coordinated by signals from several systems, including the endocrine, adipose tissue, neurologic, and gastrointestinal systems," she says. Chemical signals that increase and decrease appetite are sent to the brain. "This weight regulation system helps maintain a healthy weight for most people by modifying hunger, activity, and metabolism to keep the body weight within a target," Moore says. "Moving below this target, or set point, by skipping meals can be challenging because the brain's energy-balance system goes into action, pushing the weight back to its set point or even above." That means you're basically fighting with your body over where your weight should be. Instead, Moore recommends listening to your body's signals, eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full. Here's what happens to your body when you skip breakfast. You're not mindful when you eat istock/Eva-KatalinBut if your goal is to eat less, how can you still satisfy your body's hunger signals? The trick may be in changing how you eat as well as what you eat. Moore recommends "mindful eating," which means being acutely aware of everything you put into your mouth. "Take small bites of food and chew it slowly, stopping two or three times during a meal to determine if you are hungry or if you feel satisfied," she says. Reexamine your potions based on how big your plates areaccording to research from Cornell, serving food on bigger plates has a direct effect on how much is consumed. Be mindful of other triggers that promote overeating like noshing directly from a package, buffet meals, and food advertisements. And if you're paying attention, you'll be less likely to finish off those extra bites of mac and cheese from your kid's plate. Also, Moore says to eliminate distractions while eating. "Are you watching television, working through lunch, eating at your desk, or while driving in your car?" she says. "It is important to disengage and focus on the meal, which will allow a person to experience hunger and satiety." Read about the healthiest foods from every color of the rainbow.
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10 Hidden Reasons Your Diet Isn't Working - Reader's Digest
