7 Quick Recipes Using Hard-Boiled Eggs

Think hard-boiled eggs are boring? Think again — from grab-n-go breakfasts and party appetizers to protein-packed lunches, these seven easy hard-boiled egg recipes are bound to keep your meals egg-citing! Not to mention, precooked hard-boiled eggs are lifesavers for hectic weekdays — they’re delicious at any meal, and they provide essential nutrients and protein. Prep a dozen at the beginning of your workweek; they last 1 1/2 weeks in the shell or 3–5 days peeled. Still short on time? Find them precooked next to the eggs in most supermarkets.

1. Jalapeño Popper Eggs | Closet Cooking
Bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers meet deviled eggs for an irresistibly delicious snack or appetizer — perfect for holiday spreads, game days or any day you crave cheesy, bacon-y goodness. Instead of bringing crudités to your next get-together, spice it up with this high-protein, low-carb dish. Don’t be surprised by how instantaneous these devilish bites disappear! Recipe makes 6 servings at 2 deviled eggs each.

Nutrition (per serving using 2% Greek yogurt, reduced-fat cheddar and medium eggs): Calories: 116; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 172mg; Sodium: 246mg; Carbohydrate: 1g; Dietary Fiber: 0g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 11g

2. Low Carb BLT Wraps | MyFitnessPal’s Original Recipe
Enjoy the flavors of a BLT sans bun with our lettuce wrap version, which encases savory bacon in a refreshing blanket of lettuce and tomatoes. A smear of lemon aioli escalates these lettuce wraps. Add a hard-boiled egg for more calories and protein. Recipe makes 2 servings at 2 lettuce wraps each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 280; Total Fat: 16g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 207mg; Sodium: 464mg; Carbohydrate: 12g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 12g

3. Breakfast Quesadillas with Smashed Avocado, Eggs and Spinach | The Perfect Pantry
Workday breakfasts should be quick, filling and tasty — but oftentimes, we disregard at least one of the other factors due to time constraints. This egg and spinach quesadilla achieves the trifecta: It cooks in 10 minutes or less (thank you, hard-boiled eggs!), contains 16 grams of fiber and 28 grams of protein per serving, and includes the rich creaminess of avocado! Recipe makes 2 servings at 2 lettuce wraps each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 384; Total Fat: 24g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Monounsaturated Fat: 11g; Cholesterol: 210mg; Sodium: 806mg; Carbohydrate: 24g; Dietary Fiber: 16g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 28g

4. Egg Salad Sandwich with Bacon and Sriracha | Cooking Light
Everything is better with bacon. Everything is insanely better with bacon and sriracha, especially this creamy egg salad sandwich. This savory and spicy masterpiece is so healthy and easy, but most importantly, it’s  darn tasty! Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 sandwich each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 326; Total Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 286mg; Sodium: 571mg; Carbohydrate: 25g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 18g

5. Tuna Avocado Egg Salad | Kim’s Cravings
High in lean protein and healthy fats, this creamy tuna avocado egg salad from Kim’s Cravings gets rolled into a whole-grain wrap. It’s o-fish-ially good for you. This recipe is so simple, it has just three steps: mix, wrap, enjoy! Recipe makes 5 servings at 1 wrap each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 226; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 101mg; Sodium: 557mg; Carbohydrate: 24g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 15g

6. Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad with Buffalo Deviled Eggs | Iowa Girl Eats
The tangy, hot flavor traditionally associated with wings finds itself paired with salad and deviled eggs in this refreshing recipe. Enjoy the same bold, spicy taste without all the calories and fat. Even better, the Buffalo deviled eggs contains only three ingredients — hurrah for simplicity! Recipe makes 4 servings.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 325; Total Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 234mg; Sodium: 632mg; Carbohydrate: 10g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 26g

7. Egg Salad Burritos | Taste of Home
The Mexican-inspired flavors of tomatillos and limes give this egg salad a tangy punch. What’s more, this burrito is ready to go in only 15 minutes — and with pre-cooked hard-boiled eggs, it’ll take no more than three minutes. That’s efficiency at its best! Spice up your burrito with a pinch of cayenne if you want. Recipe makes 2 servings at 1 burrito each.

Nutrition (per serving prepared with reduced-fat mayonnaise): Calories: 327; Total Fat: 20g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 372mg; Sodium: 447mg; Carbohydrate: 26g; Dietary Fiber: 13g; Sugar: 2g; Protein: 19g

Aside from these tasty recipes, you can eat a hard-boiled egg as is for a nutritious snack!

The post 7 Quick Recipes Using Hard-Boiled Eggs appeared first on Hello Healthy.

from Hello Healthy http://ift.tt/29u4ywv
via

Ask the Dietitian: Is Sugar Addictive?

By now most of us know too much sugar isn’t good for us and that overdoing it on the sweet stuff is linked to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic disease, fatty liver and other chronic health conditions. For whatever reason though, most of us still find it hard to resist sweet treats, beverages and snacks.

I’m willing to bet many of us have experienced intense sugar cravings or have binged on sweets before — experiences that leave us feeling powerless in the presence of certain foods and questioning whether we have a sugar dependency. But is sugar addiction even real? This is one of the most common questions I hear as a dietitian — the answer to which boils down to whether sugar is an addictive substance or not.

Is sugar addictive?
Despite many similarities in addiction characteristics — like bingeing, tolerance and withdrawal — the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the manual by which mental-health professionals classify mental disorders in the United States, does not currently contain a clinical diagnosis specifically for sugar or food addiction. This is largely because there is little clinical research in humans to substantiate the idea that food or sugar addictions are real.

But just because we lack a diagnosis for sugar addiction doesn’t mean that sugar isn’t addictive.

Eric Stice, PhD, a neuroscientist who has extensively studied sugar’s effects on the brain, says consuming highly palatable foods — like those containing high amounts of sugar — activates the same key reward regions of the brain that are triggered when a person does drugs like cocaine. Biologically this makes sense since, back in our hunting and gathering days, sugar was a rare and valuable source of energy. Back then, a strong reward response to sugar was beneficial since it sent us seeking more. This also explains how the human body has adapted to almost effortlessly convert sugar into fat.

In addition to brain-imaging studies in humans, there is strong animal research to support the legitimacy of sugar addiction. “In regards to animal data, I can be a little more assured about a true addiction with intermittent sugar intake, which has been proven in animal models,” says Dr. James DiNicolantonio, a doctor of pharmacy. “Not because sugar activates similar neurochemical pathways but because rats fed intermittent sugar intake go through druglike withdrawals when sugar is removed from their diets. Not only that, giving rats who are consuming an intermittent sugar intake regime naloxone, an opiate antagonist, also produces withdrawals — the same withdrawals experienced if hooked on morphine or cocaine.”

When asked whether he thought sugar addiction was real, Dr. Robert Lustig, a childhood obesity expert and leading obesity researcher, said it certainly is in animals.“According to the DSM-5 criteria, sugar is addictive,” he says. “We have the data mechanistically in animals, we have the correlative data in humans and we certainly see this empirically in our patients.”

In practice, doctors and dietitians often look for addiction characteristics in a patient’s eating habits to determine whether food or sugar addiction may be present. Of those, bingeing and withdrawal are the easiest to identify, but Stice has found that people who consume high amounts of sugar can indeed develop tolerance, which further supports the notion that sugar is addictive.

What about sugar withdrawal?
Ask anyone who’s slashed added sugar from their diet cold turkey, and they’ll likely tell you sugar withdrawal is real. As is common with caffeine, nicotine and other addictive substances, people withdrawing from sugar typically feel pretty lousy during the process. The most common symptoms include irritability, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, cravings, malaise and feeling “foggy.” Of course, symptoms vary greatly and will depend upon regular sugar intake, individual physiology and whether you’re going cold turkey or using a tapering approach. If you happen to be the unfortunate person who experiences all of these symptoms simultaneously, know that it is temporary. Based on Lustig’s observations, sugar withdrawal usually lasts 4–5 days — after which patients generally report major improvements in both mood and energy levels.

5 Tips to Beat Sugar Addiction

1. Commit to cut back, and pick the approach that’ll work for you.
Leslie Lee, MS, RD, recommends abstinence and moderation as approaches to limiting sugar. Both approaches can work, but one might be better suited to your personality, eating habits and lifestyle. Quitting cold turkey requires more preparation up-front, Lee says, since you’ll have to “be prepared to manage the withdrawal symptoms, and pragmatically, one has to be prepared to eat in an entirely different manner.”

“If you’re just someone who thinks they might be overdoing it on sugar, then perhaps a gradual reduction is doable and can be accomplished with relative ease,” she adds.

Regardless of your approach, Lustig and the American Heart Association recommend a maximum of 100 calories (25 grams) of added sugar per day for women and 150 calories (37.5 grams) for men.

2. Keep your eye on the Nutrition Facts label and ingredient lists.
Being aware of hidden sources of added sugar is half the battle here. Soon Nutrition Facts labels will have to show the amount of sugar added to the packaged foods you buy, not just the total amount. That’s good news for those who may not know all of the nicknames for added sugar and have a hard time spotting it in the ingredient list.

3. Eat high-quality carbohydrates in place of added sugar.
Yes, you read that right! Love ’em or hate ’em, carbohydrates are not created equal. A diet low in added sugar doesn’t have to be low-carbohydrate, which is good news for those of us in the carb-lovers camp. A recent study led by Lustig showed that simply removing fructose (from added sugar) from the diet for just 10 days reduced liver fat, an indicator of metabolic disease, by nearly 30%. Wholesome carbohydrates to consider include sweet potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal and whole-grain bread made without added sugar.

4. Replace sugary treats with nonfood rewards.
If your idea of a reward is frozen yogurt topped with cookie crumbles and chocolate sauce, consider nonfood rewards instead. Treat yourself to a special group workout class, a manicure, a movie, even a lazy morning in bed. If you want a sweet treat, go for something nutritious and low-glycemic that won’t trigger a binge. Berries, kiwi and oranges (whole, not juiced) are great options.

5. Find better ways to manage stress
For many of us, eating palatable foods, like those high in sugar, is how we cope with stress. That’s because stress primes brain for addictive eating patterns and can create cravings for sugar, says Elissa Epel, PhD, an expert on the impact of stress on food intake and obesity. Some of her research at the University of California, San Francisco, also shows that sugar dampens the stress response — which can be a pretty powerful reinforcement to keep eating the sweet stuff when times get tense.

Instead of turning to sugar for solace, explore other ways to manage stress, like yoga, meditation, running or journaling.

Want more tips? Here are 15 simple hacks for eating less sugar.

The post Ask the Dietitian: Is Sugar Addictive? appeared first on Hello Healthy.

from Hello Healthy http://ift.tt/29oSBHi
via

Cucumber, Avocado, and Strawberry Salsa

Who says salsa has to have perfectly diced ingredients? Not those of us who are “Inspiralized”! It’s time to transform your salsas by using cucumber “noodles.” Bring this fresh snack to a potluck, barbecue or sporting event, where you know healthy foods will be scarce. Not only is it fun to eat, but it’s also a conversation starter. (If you don’t have a spiralizer, slice your cucumber in half lengthwise and then into half-moons.)

Cucumber, Avocado, and Strawberry Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 large seedless cucumber
• 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 medium lime, juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Slice the cucumber lengthwise halfway through. Spiralize using a linguine blade. Pat the cucumber noodles with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber noodles, strawberries, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño and onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the cucumber mixture, and toss to combine. Serve with chips or crudités.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1 cup

Per serving: Calories: 99; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 79mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 1g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 397mg; Iron: 4%; Vitamin A: 3%; Vitamin C: 80%; Calcium: 3% 

Ali Maffucci is the founder of Inspiralized.com, the only blog dedicated to cooking creatively and nutritiously with a spiralizer. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling cookbook Inspiralized. Hew new cookbook, Inspiralize Everything: An Apples-to-Zucchini Encyclopedia of Spiralizing, will be published by Clarkson Potter this August.

The post Cucumber, Avocado, and Strawberry Salsa appeared first on Hello Healthy.

from Hello Healthy http://ift.tt/29dISzU
via

Here’s Exactly What To Do If You Only Have 15 Minutes To Work Out

A bodyweight workout is the perfect option when you’re short on time. It’s an anywhere, anytime type of routine: No gym, no weights, all you.

Rebecca Kennedy, NYC-based trainer, shared her go-to 15-minute bodyweight workout with SELF—use it to kick things into high gear the next time you feel like playing workout hooky because you don’t have time. You’ll check the cardio box by taking minimal rest to jack up your heart rate while doing strength moves, too. Here’s how your 15 minutes will break down:

Start with a quick three-minute dynamic warm-up.

Yes, even if you only have 15 minutes, you still need to do a proper warm-up. This will help prepare your muscles for harder work and increase your range of motion so you can make the most out of each exercise in the following section. Don’t slack off during these three minutes, ease into the movements then begin to pick up the pace to get that heart rate rising.

1. 90 Seconds: Spider Lunge With Twist + Jumping Jacks

• Start standing tall, then fold forward.
• Walk your hands out to a high plank, then bring your right foot and set it on the floor on the outside of your right hand.
• Reach your right arm to the ceiling and twist your torso to the right. Return your arm back to the ground and step your right foot back so that you’re in high plank. Repeat on the left side.
• Then walk your hands back to your feet and roll up to stand. Do 10 jumping jacks, and start again from the beginning. Continue for 90 seconds.

2. 45 Seconds: Squat To Front Lunge

• Start standing with feet hip-distance apart. Shift your weight into your heels and sit back to perform a squat, bending your knees to 90 degrees without letting them go beyond the toes.
• Push through your heels to return to standing and now take a step forward with your right leg, and bend both knees so that you’re in a lunge position.
• Step back to standing and repeat, starting with a squat, but now stepping forward with your left leg. Continue alternating for 45 seconds.

3. 45 Seconds: Reverse Lunge To Straight-Leg Front Kick

• Start standing with feet hip-distance apart. Step your right leg back and lower into a lunge, aiming for a 90-degree bend in both knees.
• As you return to standing, sweep your right leg forward into a front kick, keeping the leg straight.
  Repeat on the left side and continue alternating for 45 seconds.

Then you’ll do a 12-minute total-body routine.

This is where the real work comes in. Ready? Repeat the three bodyweight exercises below for 30 seconds each. After you’ve completed all three moves you should take a 30-second rest. You’ll repeat this circuit for six rounds total, and on the last round, skip the rest—you’ve got a bonus move to do!

1. 30 Seconds: 8 High Knees + 2 Drop Squats

• Perform eight high knees in place, driving elbows back. (It’s like an exaggerated running in place where you’re trying to lift your knees to your hips.)
• Then, jump out into a squat with feet parallel, tapping your right hand on the ground between your feet. Jump back together and repeat, tapping your left hand to floor. Repeat for 30 seconds.

2. 30 Seconds: Break Dancers

• Start on all fours with your hands and toes on the ground and your feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart.
• Lift your right hand towards the ceiling and kick your left leg through, twisting your body to face the right.
• Come back to start and repeat on the opposite side. Continue for 30 seconds.

3. 30 Seconds: Burpee Push-Up Broad Jump

• Start in a high plank and perform a push-up, bringing your chest as close to the floor as you can.
• Jump your feet to the outsides of your hands. Start to stand up and instead of jumping up, jump forward (distance is the goal).
• Now jump up and turn around 180 degrees.
• Place your hands back on the floor and jump feet back to high plank and start from the beginning.
• Repeat for 30 seconds.

Now rest for 30 seconds before starting the next round. Except on round six when you get a ~special~ cardio exercise to finish with:

Tuck Jumps: Start standing tall. Jump up and bring your knees to your chest in the air. Land softly (stick it!). To modify, bring your feet to your butt instead.

And don’t forget to cool-down.

No need to spend any of your 15 minutes on a cool-down (sorry!), just incorporate one into whatever you’re doing next. “Walk whenever you’re going, or stretch at your desk. Even better—right before bed! Netflix and stretch.” Yes, please.

Related: The 10-Minute Workout You Should Do Before Breakfast

You may also like: 13 incredible bodyweight exercises you can do at home

The post Here’s Exactly What To Do If You Only Have 15 Minutes To Work Out appeared first on Hello Healthy.

from Hello Healthy http://ift.tt/299Ysw0
via

Soft Baked Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

With chocolate chunks in every bite, Love and Zest’s soft-baked oatmeal chewy bars are irresistible! Using wholesome ingredients like almond butter, pecans and coconut flakes, these bad boys are healthy enough for breakfast or a snack any time of the day. Satisfy your sweet tooth with these energizing homemade bars instead of chomping on packaged foods, which are often lacking in nutrients and laden with excess sugars.

Soft Baked Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 3/4 cup almond butter
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1 medium ripe banana, mashed
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup old fashioned oats, ground (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided (certified gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 8-inch square pan with small amount of coconut oil or cooking spray.

In large bowl, mix together coconut oil, almond butter, flaxseed, banana, and honey.

Stir in baking powder, salt, oats and 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.

Top with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips, pecans, tart cherries and shredded coconut.

Bake for 25 minutes, and allow to cool for 45 minutes before slicing into 16 bars.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 16 |  Serving Size: 1 bar

Per serving: Calories: 191; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 68mg; Carbohydrate: 17g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 9g; Protein: 4g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 62mg; Iron: 15%; Vitamin A: 0%; Vitamin C: 1%; Calcium: 5% 

Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD, LDN is a sports dietitian in Orlando, FL and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies. She writes the food and nutrition blog, Love & Zest, where she shares recipes, life, and nutrition. Connect with her outside of the blog on Pinterest,  Twitter and Instagram.

Photo courtesy of Kristina LaRue. Original recipe published on Love & Zest.

The post Soft Baked Oatmeal Chocolate Bars appeared first on Hello Healthy.

from Hello Healthy http://ift.tt/29BRBx3
via

Are Healthy Habits Actually Making You Gain Weight?

How familiar does the following scenario sound? You stick to your healthy eating goals all week, taking the time to make a green smoothie in the morning and ordering a kale salad over fries at lunch. By the time the weekend — and dessert — roll around, you’re ready to splurge on a whole pint of Ben & Jerry’s. You were good all week. You deserve it, right?

According to marketing researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, this tendency that leads you to make a pit stop in the ice-cream aisle after you’ve done your diligence in the produce section is called the “licensing effect,” and it can be seriously sabotaging your health goals.

The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Behavior, looked at the behavioral catch-22 we can fall into when we’re good: When we make healthy choices, we give ourselves license to make unhealthy ones. The researchers found that grocery store purchases in “virtue” categories (like fruits and veggies) improve a shopper’s self-concept and in turn increase the likelihood of a “vice” purchase (like that Snickers bar staring you down in the checkout line). Not good for our overall health goals.

So what can we do to avoid this unhealthy trick of the mind next time we go food shopping? According to Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Diet Change, your first line of defense begins before you even set foot in the store.

“Don’t go into a supermarket allowing yourself to be blindsided,” she says. “Create a shopping list, and then stick to it.” She also advises against going to the store hungry: “If you’re starved when you walk into the supermarket, everything is going to look good.”

Secondly, you have to have a strategy for coping with those moments of weakness. “Stop and take a deep breath, and realize what your goals are,” says Gans. “Unless your goal is to derail your healthy eating plan, it doesn’t fit.” In other words: Just because the ice-cream aisle is calling your name doesn’t mean you have to answer it.

And finally, knowing when to cut yourself a little slack can keep you from making big splurges. Gans calls these planned moments of giving into temptation, which allow us to retain control over our decision-making process. “No one is saying our shopping cart always has to be filled with produce,” she says. “We can keep ice cream in the house. We just have to make sure we’re not eating the whole pint, we’re eating a serving size.”

Ultimately, the cure for the licensing effect is a mindset shift. “We need to change the mentality that eating ‘good-for-me foods’ means we can eat ‘bad-for-me foods,’ ” says Gans. “Instead we need to be looking at the big picture, meaning all the nutrients that we’re choosing in a given day or week.”

She recommends applying the 80/20 rule to your diet — allow room for 20 percent of your food choices to be indulgences, and you won’t feel the need to go crazy in the dessert aisle.

The post Are Healthy Habits Actually Making You Gain Weight? appeared first on Hello Healthy.

from Hello Healthy http://ift.tt/2983YQ9
via

The 7 Biggest Weight-Loss Mistakes, According to Dietitians

Dietitians have seen it all when it comes to weight loss. From crazy fad diets to bulletproof coffee — while appealing, what sounds too good to be true usually is.

We are all susceptible to the lure of the quick fix or thinking there’s one magic bullet to achieve ultimate weight-loss success. But this mindset often leads to mistakes that eventually get in the way of the long-term goals we’re trying to achieve.

Is it possible to avoid some of these pitfalls that inevitably occur on your weight-loss journey? Absolutely — but we must be able to recognize those pitfalls first. Below are the seven of the biggest and most common weight-loss mistakes dietitians see, with tips from real-life RD’s to help you stay on course.

1. Too Many Rules

Losing weight is hard enough without having to follow a bunch of strict rules. Melissa Rifkin, MS, RD, says not eating after 7 p.m. is a popular “rule” that may work against you if you work the night shift or wake up very early. If you want to curb nighttime noshing, she recommends you stop eating two hours before bedtime.

Elizabeth Ann Shaw, MS, RD, finds her clients often avoid anything containing a trace of sugar, no matter the source. She recommends using natural sugar sources to satisfy a sweet tooth, like a delicious potassium-packed frozen banana topped with a tablespoon of nut butter and a few shavings of dark chocolate.

2. Cheat Days

Employing cheat days as a way to stay motivated is a common tactic while on a strict diet. But Rifkin warns that entire cheat days can be a trigger to get (and stay) off track and derail healthy habits. She recommends a treat meal instead of a cheat day. It’s much easier to re-establish healthy eating habits after one meal versus an entire day of indulgent eating.

Another issue for many dieters is alcohol. Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, says her clients forget to count alcohol calories. “One glass of wine each night can supply an extra 100 calories per day (and 700 calories per week),” she says. “These calories add up over time and can slow weight loss.”

Instead, Rizzo recommends reducing your intake by half. If you drink wine every night, cut back to three nights per week. If it’s only one night per week, cut back to one night every other week.

3. Not Eating Enough

When dieting, many people think the less food you can eat, the better. (If you’re in the same camp, here’s more on why that approach doesn’t work). Rifkin says her clients skip meals because they’re too busy. Her answer? Find the time. “Wake up earlier, go to bed later, plan and prep your meals, bring workout clothes to work,” she says. “Do whatever it takes to keep your commitment to yourself and your health.”

Abbey Sharp, RD, couldn’t agree more. Instead of eating in an overly restricted manner, Sharp suggests focusing on choosing high-quality, nutrient-dense foods rather than just looking at the calories. By substituting high-protein, high-fiber options for high-sugar, high-fat snacks, you’ll naturally eat fewer calories without overdoing it or sacrificing nutrition, she says.

4. Thinking Short-Term

Angie Asche, MS, RD, says short-term cleanse diets are a huge mistake. “Weight regain is rapid after ending a seven- or 21-day cleanse, and fasting for too long can slow down metabolism, making it difficult to keep the weight off,” she says. Her advice: Don’t fall for the trendy diet fix or cleanse. Instead, stick to a diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy unsaturated fats. Drink plenty of water, cut back on alcohol and soda, and let your liver and kidneys do the cleansing!

5. Not Tracking Intake

Dietitians know that not keeping track of your intake is a common weight-loss downfall. As most of you MyFitnessPal users already know, keeping a food log will not only keep you honest, it also provides a realistic picture of your overall intake. “Journaling keeps you accountable,” says Sharon Palmer, RD. “It’s easy to dismiss all of the food you consume in a day.”

6. Overeating Healthy Foods

Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, says her clients think that as long as they eat “clean” or organic, the calories don’t count. “You can easily overdo healthy foods… nuts, seeds and dried fruit are all fantastic sources of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, but too many may equal too many pounds.” Harris-Pincus recommends measuring out portions every time until you can eyeball the appropriate amount.

7. Focusing Only On Weight

“One of the biggest mistakes my clients make is to measure success only by the numbers on the scale,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD. “Not everyone drops pounds quickly, and success comes in many forms. Cutting portions, not snacking throughout the day, learning to say ‘no, thank you’ without feeling deprived, learning to say, ‘yes, thank you’ without guilt, and balancing out meals are all measures of success that take a lot of work and deserve applause.” She says positive self-talk and consistency when making sensible food decisions can fuel weight loss and self-esteem.

The post The 7 Biggest Weight-Loss Mistakes, According to Dietitians appeared first on Hello Healthy.

from Hello Healthy http://ift.tt/29c8aQk
via