Hidden diet busters: five foods that can derail nutritional goals
The usual suspects behind diet sabotage are well documented: candy, soda, sugary cereal, any food item with the word “lard” posted as one of the ingredients.
However, there’s a group of foods deceptive enough to twilight as innocent additions to a diet program, but moonlight as unwanted add-ons to a waistline. Yep, these diet busters will put a bulge where you’d rather see a divot.
To identify these foods and learn how they may secretly be ruining your diet, we’ve solicited the help of nutritionist Hany Rambod, a leading authority in the industry when it comes to the dos and don’ts of contest prep, and FLEX Senior Science Editor Dr. Jim Stoppani.
BUSTER #1
SUGAR-FREE GUM
Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but just because the label says “sugar free” doesn’t mean it’s a green light to chew gum all day, every day. Popping in a piece or two won’t hurt you, but at day’s end, if empty packs end up in the trash bin, it’s time to break the habit.
WHY IT’S BAD: Sugarless gums use artificial sweeteners that act exactly like sugars when too much has been ingested.
HOW IT’S BAD: Synthetic sweeteners include sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol, which can hinder digestion, cause bloating and prevent fat burning when you’re trying to reduce bodyfat to the low single digits.
AVOID THE BUST: Look for gums made with stevia, a nonsynthetic, zero-calorie substance, instead of artificial sweeteners.
RAMBOD SAYS:
“Gum that is sweetened with stevia–instead of sorbitol, maltitol or xylitol–doesn’t lead to stomach pain that other fake sugars can cause–namely, gastric distress and bloating. [Stevia] is becoming very popular and is going to replace the stuff made with Splenda.”
SUGAR-FREE FACTS
- Stevia is a natural sweetener that can be up to 300 times sweeter than sugar.
- NutraSweet and Equal brands contain aspartame; Splenda is sucralose based; Sweet’N Low brand is made with saccharin.
STOPPANI SAYS:
“Chewing calorie-free gum has its benefits. Research shows it can help you control your food intake, enhance dental health and even boost brain power.”
NO-BUST TIP
Don’t grab the sugar-free mints; they can pose the same threat as gum. Instead, try chewing mint sprigs. Along with being a digestive aid, mint can also help in another important way: “It helps freshen breath,” Rambod says. “Halitosis definitely kicks in after eating fish and chicken all day.”
BUSTER #2
FRUIT
When the endgame is fat loss, the sugar in fruit can thwart the plan. It might be natural, but that doesn’t mean it can be considered a free-for-all food while dieting.
WHY IT’S BAD: Fruits contain the natural sugar fructose, which can become another hurdle to burning off bodyfat if eaten without restraint.
HOW IT’S BAD: Fructose cannot be used directly by the body for fuel. It must first go to the liver and be converted to glucose. That is one reason why fruit is usually a low-glycemic carb that does not rapidly raise blood glucose and insulin levels. However, if the liver is already full of glycogen (the storage form of glucose), it will not convert fructose into glucose; instead, it will convert it into fat!
AVOID THE BUST: There is no substitute for fresh produce, so do not purchase processed, packaged or canned fruit instead. These products are typically saturated with even more sugar and should–along with fruit juices–be avoided.
STOPPANI SAYS:
“Depending on the glycemic index of the fruit, it can be a great pre- or postworkout carb. Choose low-glycemic fruits, such as apples, oranges or berries, before workouts. Those types provide longer-lasting energy and won’t spike insulin, which means you’ll burn more fat during workouts. Choose higher glycemic fruits, such as watermelon, dates or canteloupe, after workouts. Those fruits spike insulin when you need it high to boost recovery and muscle growth.”
FRUIT FACTS
- The glycemic index is a good resource for selecting fruits. It’s an inverse property: the lower the Gl, the higher the fruit should rate in your diet.
- Low-GI foods register 55 and below; don’t choose fruits with a value of 70 or higher, except for after workouts.
- Low-GI carbs produce small fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels.
RAMBOD SAYS:
“If you have to toss away the skin, as with bananas, mangos, pineapples–pretty much anything with a rind–stay away from it. Those tropical fruits are high in sugar, that’s why they’re so sweet. Stick with pithy fruits, such as peaches, apricots and nectarines. Berries are also normally good, but eat them early in the day.”
NO-BUST TIP
Give yourself a one-cup-per-day fruit allowance, then cut it off. However, “If you hit a fat-burning plateau,” Rambod says, “the low-GI fruits will have to go, as well.”
BUSTER #3
BARBECUE SAUCE
The potential of leaving a Texas-sized brown stain on your pants aside, this syrupy substance also has the ability to muck you up when it’s time to sport the posing trunks.
WHY IT’S BAD: Barbecue sauces contain sugar or molasses. When looking to get leaner, a little is OK, but not when dieting for competition.
HOW IT’S BAD: Sugar from molasses or high-fructose corn syrup while dieting causes an insulin spike, triggering the body to power down its fat-burning engine.
AVOID THE BUST: Hit the sauce – the hot sauce, that is. Hot sauces are normally vinegar-based and there’s no need to monitor intake as closely.
CONDIMENT FACTS
- Barbecue sauce, mayonnaise and soy sauce–avoid this gang of condiment misfits.
- Flashback to Bodybuilding 101: fat-heavy mayo should be treated as an enemy combatant.
- Soy sauce is high in sodium and if you’re trying to peak for a show, that could cause you to hold water, so avoid this condiment, or reach for a low-sodium version.
RAMBOD SAYS:
“If you’re a hardcore bodybuilder dieting for competition–and you’re not a genetic freak like Ronnie Coleman, who used to use KC Masterpiece–chances are you shouldn’t be using this condiment.”
STOPPANI SAYS:
“The capsaicin from the peppers in hot sauce can actually help to increase fat burning.”
NO-BUST TIP
If barbecue sauce is a must have, limit yourself to a maximum of 1 tablespoon. Any more and you’re treading into dangerous territory.
BUSTER #4
DIET SODA
When it comes to soft drinks–even “no calorie” diet sodas with the words “zero” and “light” attached to the brand name–it’s best to kick the can. Too much will cause your diet to fizzle.
WHY ITS BAD: Mimicking the taste of sugar with lab-created sweeteners might fool your palate, but it won’t fool your diet, and it still has the capability to impede fat loss.
HOW IT’S BAD: The “diet” formula contains non-nutritive sweeteners, such as aspartame, which can lead to serious health-related issues, according to Rambod.
AVOID THE BUST: Fill up the Brita and pour a glass of water.
SODA FACTS
- On the bright side, diet soda can be the lesser of two evils if it’s a life-or-death choice between that or a candy bar. In that case, go with the pop.
- Infrequently sipping on carbonated drinks can help curb hunger cravings, but it can also cause gas and bloating.
- The U.S. government is currently considering slapping a sales tax on soda and other sugary drinks in hopes of fighting obesity.
RAMBOD SAYS:
“Studies are coming out that show aspartame can cause bone loss, excess inflammation and symptoms similar to autoimmune disease. Plus, the chemicals used to sweeten diet colas can also hamper fat loss.”
STOPPANI SAYS:
“Pour a glass of unsweetened, iced green tea. Along with a host of other benefits, the catechins it contains can boost your metabolic rate to help you melt the fat off. Add some fresh lemon, or take it with 500-1,000 milligrams of vitamin C to boost the effectiveness of the catechins.”
NO-BUST TIP
When trying to break plateaus or in the final stages of a competition diet, don’t go soft when it comes to soft drinks–abstain.
BUSTER # 5
PEANUT BUTTER
Despite being a good source of protein and monounsaturated fat–the “good” fat–peanut butter can still put your diet in a sticky situation, especially if you’re eating the wrong types.
WHY IT’S BAD: Processed peanut butter adds extra sugar and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (trans fats) to improve flavor and make it easier to spread on sandwiches. Unfortunately, what ends up getting smothered along with the bread is the nutritional value.
HOW IT’S BAD: Too much peanut butter will trigger the body to burn the monounsaturated fat instead of bodyfat.
AVOID THE BUST: Go straight to the source – peanuts. Grab a package of almonds or unsalted peanuts and enjoy a different, crunchier texture while reaping the same nutritional benefits natural and organic peanut butter can offer.
RAMBOD SAYS:
“Peanut butter can be a double-edged sword: it can help with energy levels, but you have to watch the amount. When they’re dieting, I usually tell people to stay away from the brands with too much sodium, and avoid eating peanut butter during carb meals.”
STOPPANI SAYS:
“When you need a sweet treat, peanut butter is a good choice, since the monounsaturated fats are readily burned during exercise and not stored as bodyfat.”
PEANUT BUTTER FACTS
- The ingredients should read: peanuts and salt. That’s it. Anything else is unnecessary.
- “Reduced fat” can often mean added sugar.
- The Peter Pan brand offers no natural alternative; Jif and Skippy do.
NO-BUST TIP
Consume peanut butter in the afternoon if you’re beginning the day by eating carbs. This should help boost energy during low-carb periods.
Credits:
- COPYRIGHT 2010 Weider Publications
- COPYRIGHT 2009 Gale, Cengage Learning
Categories: Featured, Nutrition Tags: BARBECUE SAUCE, diet busters, diet soda, foods, fruit, goals, peanut butter
Why Some People Quit And Some People NEVER Give Up
Throughout my 18 years in the fitness industry as a trainer, nutrition consultant and motivational coach, I have noticed that some people who start a nutrition and exercise program give up very easily after hitting the first obstacle they encounter. If they feel the slightest bit of discouragement or frustration, they will abandon even their biggest goals and dreams.
On the other hand, I noticed that some people simply NEVER give up. They have ferocious persistence and they never let go of their goals. These people are like the bulldog that refuses to release its teeth-hold on a bone. The harder you try to pull the bone out of his mouth, the harder the dog chomps down with a vice-like grip.
What’s the difference between these two types of people? Psychologists say there is an answer.
An extremely important guideline for achieving fitness success is the concept that, “There is no failure; only feedback. You don’t “fail”, you only get results.”
This is a foundational principle from the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), and the first time I ever heard it was from peak performance expert Anthony Robbins back in the late 1980′s. It’s a principle that stuck with me ever since, because it’s a very, very powerful shift in mindset.
A lot of people will second-guess themselves and they’ll bail out and quit, just because what they try at first doesn’t work. They consider it a permanent failure, but all they need is a little attitude change, a mindset change, or what we call a “reframe.”
Instead of saying, “This is failure” they can say to themselves, “I produced a result” and “This is only temporary.” This change in perspective is going to change the way that they feel and how they mentally process and explain the experience. It turns into a learning opportunity and valuable feedback for a course correction instead of a failure, and that drives continued action and forward movement.
It’s all about your results and your interpretation of those results
Dr Martin Seligman, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, did some incredible research on this subject and wrote about it in his book, Learned Optimism. Dr. Seligman noticed that the difference between people who give up and people who persist and never quit is what he referred to as “explanatory style.” He said that explanatory style is the way we explain or interpret bad events or failures.
People who habitually give up have an explanatory style of permanence. For example, they hit a plateau in their progress and explain it by saying, “diets never work” or “I have bad genetics so I’ll always be fat.” These explanations imply permanence.
Other people hit the same plateaus and encounter the same challenges, but explain them differently. They say things such as, “I ate too many cheat meals this week,” or “I haven’t found the right diet for my body type yet.” These explanations of the results imply being temporary.
People who see negative results as permanent failure are the ones who give up easily and often generalize their “failure” into other areas of their lives and even into their own sense of self. It’s one thing to say, “I ate poorly this past week because I was traveling,” (a belief about temporary behavior and environment), and to say, “I am a fat person because of my genetics” (a belief about identity with a sense of permanence). Remember, body fat is a temporary condition, not a person!
People who see challenges and obstacles as temporary and as valuable learning experiences are the ones who never quit. If you learn from your experiences, not repeating what didn’t work in the past, and if you choose to never quit, your success is inevitable.
Author Bio: Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified personal trainer and freelance fitness writer. Tom is the author of “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using secrets of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com
Categories: Motivation Tags: beliefs, explanatory style, fitness, fitness goals, goals, learned optimism, martin seligman, Motivation, neuro linguistic programming, NLP, persistence, self image, weight loss
Count Down To Fitness Success And Keep Your Motivation Drive Alive
There are many fantastic ways to get focused and motivated to begin a diet or exercise program, but often the most difficult thing to do is keep that drive and ambition alive for more than a few weeks and see your goal through to completion.
Within just weeks of starting, many people have already hit their first snag or setback, and as a result, have slipped backwards in the mental focus and motivation department. Setting goals in writing is an essential step to success, but how do you stay focused on them? One technique I have used ever since my very first bodybuilding competition 18 years ago, is…
The “contest countdown calendar.”
I have used it ever since, through 28 competitions and it will work for you too, for any fitness goal.
I purchase a desk or wall calendar – the type that shows each week stretching horizontally across the page with an open block of space for each day.
After I set my goal and place a deadline on it, I do NOT stop there. I take out my calendar and start counting backwards from my target goal deadline to the present day.
T-minus 117 days….
T-minus 116 days…
T-minus 115 days….
I also fill in my workouts for the entire 3-4 month period, which is the typical length I allow for my mid-range goals like contest prep.
you would be shocked – pleasantly so – just how focused this keeps you. Even better still, you get MORE and MORE motivated with each passing day you countdown because the deadline is getting closer
Deadlines are absolutely critical to your success. Little gets done without deadlines.
There is a saying in management and psychology that “work will always expand to fill the time allowed for it’s completion.”
Remember term papers in school? when you were given a term paper assignment and you had the entire semeseter to do it, did you run home that first night and get crankin on it?
How about after a week? two weeks? A month? TWO MONTHS?
probably not, eh?
If youre like most people, you put it off until the last minute and you barely got it turned in on time. In fact, there are always a few people who pull all nighters the night before!
Alas, the power of the deadline!
In your fitness endeavors, if you dont have IMPENDING deadlines that give you that twinge in your stomach that says “take action now, or else!” then you find it very easy to say to yourself, ‘ I have plenty of time so this one cheat meal doesnt matter… it doesnt make much difference at this point if I skip this one workout… I have time to make it up…”
And then, just like the term paper, you are scrambling at the last minute to reach your weight goal. But in the case of a your body, the consequences are more severe and painful than just a bad grade or late penalty.
Inevitably, you succumb to crash dieting and overtraining or other unhealthy fast-weight-loss madness, which eats up your own muscle like a hungry cannibal and sends you spiraling into the dark pit of metabolic damage and the inevitable plateau and weight gain that follow.
But the solution is so simple: Count your way down to success!
Don’t stop with setting goals. Put your goal countdown on paper, review your goals every single day, AND know, every single day, how many days there are until your target goal date. You will stay more consciously focused and even better, your unconscious mind will go to work for you in keeping you motivated, on track, and on schedule. You’ll come in for a landing on your goal deadline date like an F-16 landing on an aircraft carrier.
I just did my countdown calendar earlier this week… T minus 117 days til my next bodybuilding competition, and thanks to this simple but powerful technique, I’m already focused like a laser beam and have been making steady progress without so much as a hiccup…
Don’t under-estimate this simple technique… Give it an honest test… because it’s often the simplest motivational techniques that are the most powerful of all!.
Author Bio: Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder and author of the #1 best selling e-book, “Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to burn fat without drugs or supplements using the little-known secrets of the world’s best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com.
Categories: Featured, Motivation Tags: goal-setting, goals, Motivation, tom venuto
