Some people seem to just get it right fast and easy. They take a diet and workout program and presto! They get into shape almost in no time. While the rest seem to suffer from weight gain no matter how sophisticated their diets and workouts are. They manage to shed off some pounds now but take in a ton a few days after.
What’s the secret to a more lasting weight loss program? How can you keep lost weight from coming back and doubling in the process? Many have testified how weight lost can come back to you with a vengeance which, to most trying-hard weight loss aficionados, seems like a curse. How do you reverse the spell? How do you stop weight gain?
It’s in Your Food Intake
Weight gain comes from food you eat. That’s a fact. And stubborn weight that keeps coming back comes mostly from meals eaten in restaurants and other eateries. It’s always tempting to eat more when we eat out, and the problem with that is, we easily fall prey to food rich in fats and calories when we do that. Remember that the food business is more lucrative if diners eat more. Naturally, food establishments would make their food dishes tastier. And tastier often means more fats and calories.
A study done at the University of Texas showed how female diners ate some 253 more calories plus 16 grams of fat when they ate in restaurants. Moreover, eating out with friends tends to make us unmindful about how and what we eat. We’re apt to keep nibbling as we eat and chat with friends. The result: unbelievable weight gain. Even with our sophisticated and vigorous workouts and diet programs, we find it difficult to lose weight considerably and continuously. Worse, the lost weight seems to keep coming back fast.
In addition, eating in restaurants often makes us “polish off” each bite, says Dr. Brian Wansink, Cornell University Food and Brand Lac director in New York and “Mindless Eating” author. Most people feel obligated to wipe out everything on the plate rather than being sensitive to how their tummies signal that they are full, Wansink adds.
Healthy Eating Management Skills
However, another study said eating out is not a problem as long as you have healthy eating management skills. A test done at the University of Texas in Austin showed how 35 women with ages from 40 to 59 could eat in restaurants within a 6-week period and not have any problems with weight gain. In fact, the subjects were even observed to lose weight.
The secret was in healthy eating management skills. Eat healthy foods all you want and stay away from foods high in fats and calories. This takes discipline and determination. The reward is continuous enjoyment of eating out in restaurants with families and friends while losing weight. But this doesn’t change the picture: food from restaurants is where weight gain often comes from.