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Having a few drinksPalumbo says many people, especially women,tend to overlook calories that come from alcohol.Alcoholic drinks “can be a double-edged sword,”Palumbo says. “Because after you’ve had one ortwo, you lose inhibitions and end up eating more,too.” Escape route Omit alcohol all together orlimit yourself to only one drink.

TRAP #4 Going with ‘lean’ meatsWhen fat is removed from meat, juiciness tends togo with it. So some manufacturers add an un-healthy solution of water, salt and nutrients to themeat that add flavor. Escape route Zinczenko andGoulding advise sticking with regular turkey andother naturally lean meats, while paying attentionto portion size. “All you need is one or two paper-thin slices to satisfy your taste buds,” the authorssay. And if a package says “enhanced,” pass it by.

Getting stuffed on saladsDespite its healthy reputation, restaurant salad has become the perfect hiding place for fat. Themajority of today’s choices have startling amountsof fat, causing dieters with the best intentions tofall off the wagon. Escape route The authors of“Eat This, Not That!” encourage dieters to put to-gether salads carefully. Avoid the delicious tempta-tion of versions boasting crumbled cheese, baconor oily dressings.

TRAP #6 Sneaking snacks“Women oftentimes eat the equivalent of a fullmeal if they taste while cooking or finish kids’ left-

TRAP #1 Neglecting sleepDon’t sabotage your diet with insufficient shut-eye.Sleep deprivation results in a higher amount of ghre-lin, the hormone that leaves us feeling hungry, andlower amounts of leptin, the hormone that makes usfeel full. Lack of sleep also leads to more mindlesseating. Escape route Christine M. Palumbo, a regis-tered dietician in suburban Chicago, advises clientsto make the time for sleep, just like you would for anyother important part of your life. For most people,that means finding seven and a half to eight and ahalf hours of dreamtime each day.

TRAP #2 Skimping on breakfastFor the vast majority of people, breakfast typicallyconsists of carbs, fats and little protein, even thoughstudies show that people who eat more nutritiouscalories weigh less. Escape route Don’t derail dietplans before the day gets started. Palumbo urges

clients to enjoy a breakfast containing at leastone ounce of protein, one to two whole

grains and around 300 calories.

TEN WAYS TO SAVE YOURWEIGHT-LOSS PLANBY MOLLY LOGAN ANDERSON

Any time of year is the right time totake inventory of eating patterns andhealth goals. Make sure you’re on

track by brushing up on the most commondiet mistakes and misunderstandings. Nutri-tion experts offer advice on spotting trapsand, more importantly, putting an escaperoute into action.

ESCAPEDIET TRAPS

Restaurant sal-ads are not ashealthy as you

may think.

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overs,” Palumbo says. They also tend to snack whilechildren nap or while winding down at the end of along day. Escape route As cumbersome as itseems, consider tracking your eating patterns for afew days to highlight problem areas. Not only willunnecessary calories become apparent, but prob-lems like inadequate fruits and veggies will standout as well.

Trusting the labelClaims on food products often tell a story of health-ier options, but that’s not always truthful, accordingto “Eat This, Not That!”the food industry tell-all book by authorsDavid Zinczenko andMatt Goulding. Don’tfall for claims like “33percent less fat perserving” before com-paring serving sizesand considering howmuch sugar a low-fatoption contains. Es-cape route Focus onsnack items thatpack at least 3 gramsof fiber per serving.This will leave youmore full and able tohold off longer be-fore snacking again.

TRAP #8 Overdoing energy drinks“Most Americans are already consuming too muchenergy, which is why there’s an obesity problem,”Zinczenko and Goulding say. Adding to your dailycalories via drinks with sugar and “energy” doesn’tmake a lot of sense. Escape route For a boost,grab an unsweetened caffeinated beverage likeblack coffee. For the 146 grams of caffeine in-cluded, you’ll only add 20 calories to your dailytotal — a real bargain.

TRAP #9 Giving in to cravings“No craving is an emergency!” Palumbo says. “Don’treact to them as if they are.” Escape route There aremany ways to ride out a craving, such as waiting 15to 20 minutes, taking a brisk walk or drinking a tallglass of water. If cravings persist, arm yourself withsugar-free soda, super-minty gum or small portionsof nutritionally sound snacks.

TRAP #10 Increasing portion sizes Palumbo says restaurants are responsible for someof this, as they’ve trained us to seek out and eat asif we were farmhands. This restaurant behavior hasleaked into our home lives, where portion size isalso on the rise. Escape route “Relearn what a por-tion size really is and serve it to yourself at home,”says Palumbo. “Use small plates to make portionsizes look bigger.”

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WEIGHT-LOSS TIPSMake a commitment Makesure you’re ready to make per-manent changes and a life-long commitment. Focus isimperative for success.Get emotional supportDon’t try to go it alone;seek support from familyand friends.Set a realistic goal Set“process goals” (regularexercise) instead of“outcome goals” (lose50 pounds). Enjoy healthier foodsEat a variety of deli-cious lower-caloriefruits, vegetables andwhole grains.Get active, stay ac-tive The best way to burnbody fat is through steadyaerobic exercise. Lifestylechanges help, too, like usingthe stairs and parking fartherfrom the door.SOURCE: WWW.MAYOCLINIC.COM

“WEIGHT LOSS: 6 STRATEGIES FOR SUC-

CESS” BY MAYO CLINIC STAFF

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