Diet Traps to Avoid
Adapted from Arthritis Today®*, the health magazine published by the Arthritis Foundation.
you know that excess weight puts strain on your joints, but you've been dieting for weeks and the scales are barely budging. or maybe your weight loss was going wonderfully at first and now you can't drop an ounce. what gives? weight loss can be stalled by some surprising culprits. make sure you haven't fallen prey to some of these common diet traps:
- skipping breakfast. though it may seem like a great way to reduce your daily calorie intake, skipping breakfast may make weight loss harder. how? if you're famished from missing your morning meal, you're likely to eat more throughout the day. also, missing breakfast actually slows down your metabolism, so you burn fewer calories throughout the day.
- cutting calories too fast. a drastic calorie reduction can throw your body into "starvation mode," where it holds onto fat and breaks down muscle tissue instead, lowering your metabolism. try cutting your calorie intake by just 200 to 500 calories per day, and add exercise to burn the rest.
- not drinking enough water. your body needs water to maintain a proper metabolism, so keeping well hydrated is important.
- relying on gimmick diets. the latest fad diet may be making headlines, but it may not make a pound of difference for you or, worse, it may harm your health. talk to a doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.
- not getting enough fiber. fiber-rich foods fill you up and curb the need for seconds and snacking.
- taking medications. some medicines, such as antidepressants and corticosteroids, can interfere with metabolism, slowing your weight loss (or even packing on new pounds). talk to your doctor if you suspect your medication may be a problem.
- not exercising. sure it can be hard to exercise when your joints are in pain, but appropriate exercise, along with healthy eating, is the best way to lose weight - plus studies show that endurance, strengthening and flexibility exercise eases arthritis pain. get a joint-safe exercise plan from a physical therapist.
