You're looking great - you're sticking to a low-fat diet, balanced with plenty of complex carbohydrates, fruits, veggies and lean protein. And then it happens. You stumble, fall and commit a dietary blunder. With the day nearly complete, you find yourself suddenly pulling into the nearest fast-food joint ready to scarf down a large combo: fries, the greasy burger, the drink big enough to throw blood-sugar levels into a tailspin.
You're distraught and filled with guilt as the drama continues. "Heck, I've already blown my diet. I might as well really blow it," you reason. With a defeated attitude, you speed home and indulge in the best of Ben & Jerry's, with maybe a Ding Dong or two for good measure. Still, you look for hope. "Tomorrow's another day," you think. "I'll go right back to my super-strict diet." Sound familiar ?
With the desire and pressure to look great, people tend to follow an absolute path. We try for complete nutrition perfection. Problem is, we're human - we can't be perfect all the time. An important part of looking perfect - okay, at least near-perfect - is understanding the burdens of striving for that head-turning physique. Check out the common dietary pitfalls below. We'll show you how to make the very best of potentially disastrous situations.
Sin #1 Trigger Foods
The principle of moderation is the key to a successful diet. Some dieters put certain foods completely off-limits, claiming calorie-dense foods like pizza, ice cream or cake lead to all-out gluttony. They believe that a single slice of pizza can trigger the consumption of the entire pie. Therefore, some dieters practice abstinence. No pizza, no desserts. Ever.
This strict strategy can be counterproductive, according to Suzanne Girard Eberle, MS, RD, and author of Endurance Sports Nutrition (Human Kinetics, 2000). "Every binge is preceded by a strict diet," she notes.
Instead, Eberle advises a moderate approach to leaning down, complete with foods that might fall into the trigger category. Instead of doing without your favorite foods, she recommends responsible moderation: "Set yourself up for success. Eat less of your trigger foods, but don't eliminate them."
