Tips that have more than a slim chance of working

Australian dietary researchers tell of four food mistakes to avoid if you are trying to lose weight

MANY people wonder why they’re not losing weight when they follow a strict diet and exercise routine, Yasmine Probst and Vivienne Guan have the answers.

Losing weight is largely about tipping the balance of kilojoules in and out. If you’re trying to lose weight or simply seeking a healthier lifestyle, here are four common traps that might be hindering you. “All salads are good for you” Vegetables are good for you, absolutely. But salads often include other ingredients, which will hike up your kilojoule (kj) count.

A Caesar salad looks green and leafy but is filled with hidden fats from the bacon (8g* fat; 360kj), parmesan cheese (6g fat; 340kj) and creamy salad dressing lathered over the top (20g fat; 770kj). Even the croutons are fried for added crunch. So a Caesar salad gives you 70%* of your total daily fat intake for an average adult in one meal.

On par with this is a creamy pasta salad, often seen at family braais. A side serve of this comes in at almost 920 kilojoules.

Fats provide the highest kilojoules from food (followed closely by alcohol). So be wary of dressings, sauces, gravies and highfat foods adding kilojoules to your meal.

“I don’t eat junk food, just ‘healthy’ snacks”

Australians consume more than 30% of their kilojoules from discretionary or “junk” foods, such as biscuits, chips and chocolate. None of these provide vital nutrients.

Many people make the mistake of swapping junk food for seemingly “healthy snacks”, such as muesli bars and protein balls. While these can claim to be healthy and organic, they’re often processed and high in kilojoules.

A yoghurt, fruit and nut bar can contain up to 4.6 teaspoons of sugar.

Next time you feel like a snack, why not substitute your muesli bar with a handful of nuts and seeds. This will provide you with useful vitamins and minerals – minus the sugar.

“Natural sweeteners are not better”

There’s recently been a shift towards more natural forms of added sugar, but they contain no additional nutrients and no fewer kilojoules. Adding honey or agave syrup to your dish does not differ nutritionally from adding sugar to the same dish.

Next time you feel like something sweet, try adding some fruit instead. It has a natural sweetness and will give you extra vitamins and minerals.

“Anything fruit-based must be healthy”

Think of the humble banana, mashed up into banana bread. This is not a bread at all, but a cake that contains butter and sugar.

Meanwhile, fruit drinks generally contain only 25% fruit juice and are very high in sugar. Even when drinking 100% fruit juice, you’re missing out on the important fibre that comes naturally from fruit and helps your body recognise that it feels full. So whole fruit is best.

A final word

Probably the most common food mistake when trying to lose weight is eating too much. We need to choose the right foods, but the amount is also important.

We need to listen to the signals our bodies send when we’re getting full, to stop eating. The best way to do this is to eat slowly, chewing carefully. By slowing our eating, we are more likely to be sent the sign of fullness before feeling it at our waistbands.

Yasmine Probst, Senior lecturer, School of Medicine, University of Wollongong. Vivienne Guan, PHD Candidate, University of Wollongong

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