When you’re on a weight loss spree, even the most ordinary habit can derail your diet. There are numerous unhealthy habits that sneak into your routine without even realizing it and the best way to tackle them is through identification. Here we discuss the most common eating habits that can sabotage your weight loss efforts:
- Don’t mix different types of carbs
Having the right combination of foods is just as important as choosing the right items to eat, especially if your priority is weight loss. Avoid combining different carbs such as roti and rice, noodles and rice etc. Such ‘combinations’ can lead to unwanted weight gain. You must try to stick to a single carbohydrate in one meal as combining different carbs can lead to overeating.
- Avoid extras
Anything in excess is bad for you. Many people make the common mistake of assuming that pulses, curd and vegetables are healthy, no matter what quantity you consume them in. While these items are definitely good for your health, mixing them together in excessive quantity can end up being harmful. Extra calorie intake invariably leads to weight gain. As per experts, when you’re trying to shed kilos, try to eat only one thing along with rice/ roti.
- Keep post-meal indulgence in check
We love ending a good meal with a dessert or something sweet. However, this one mistake can entirely ruin your diet plan. Most desserts contain a minimum of 300-400 calories, which in many cases may be more than your main course meal itself. Incase you have a strong sweet tooth and cannot compromise on dessert,then you can always eat dessert as a meal itself. You can switch dessert for a small piece of jaggery at the end of your meal – a great alternative to eating an entire post-meal dessert.
- Time your tea
As a rule of thumb, always avoid drinking tea immediately after your meal. Beverages including tea, coffee or green tea contain caffeine, which can hamper how food is absorbed in your body. Ideally, maintain a gap of at least 45 minutes before consuming any form of liquid after your meal. However, this is not to say that tea is bad for you. Experts would speak in favour of having tea with whole wheat rusks, especially when you maintain long breaks between major meals. While the caffeine will help suppress hunger, calories in rusk are relatively lower than other filling snacks.
- Water is your best friend
In many cases, what we perceive as hunger is simply thirst. Before you reach out for a glass of juice or coffee, have a glass of water. This will instantly satiate your craving and help keep a check on your calorie intake as well. Another tip is to have a glass of water before eating – this helps trick your stomach into believing that it is full.
Your battle against weight loss can become a lot easier if you make the right lifestyle choices. How you schedule and combine your food is just as important as what you decide to keep in your diet.