What are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting?

Hey everyone! This question (and their answer) came on the Hungry Girl e-zine recently. Their answer follows.... but I'd love to hear YOUR thoughts on the matter. Comment and let me know what YOU think. - Patti


Dear Hungry Girl,

What do you think are the biggest mistakes people make when dieting? Are there any secrets? I keep losing and gaining the same 20 lbs. Ugh!
Diet Diva

Dear DD,
There are many mistakes people tend to make when dieting. I'm going to list some of the biggies. And remember, this is just my opinion.

1. Following fad diets. I'm not a fan of fad diets. They don't teach you how to eat in a way you can live with forever. Sure, if you follow a set plan for a limited time, you can lose weight. The hard part is maintaining that weight loss in the long term. If you try to stick with the fad diet's style of eating, it's very likely you'll eventually give up or get bored. If you go back to your old eating habits, you regain the weight. This is a huge problem and the reason why I don't recommend fad dieting.

2. Skipping meals. If you skip meals you'll only end up hungrier and more likely to eat too much and/or the wrong thing. It's that simple. Eat breakfast. Eat lunch. And eat dinner!

3. Drinking calories. Sheesh! Drinking your calories is a WASTE... really. It's much more satisfying to chew food than it is to drink stuff. Having a low-calorie liquid swap is fine -- like treating yourself to one of our Swappuccinos or a diet hot cocoa when you're craving the real thing. But it's too easy to sip an extra 300 - 500 calories a day if you drink calorie-packed beverages. Avoid those and stick with water for the most part.

4. Living in denial. Don't pretend there are no calories in condiments, that a salad is healthy and diet-friendly no matter what, and that food you eat while standing (or on an airplane, etc., etc.) doesn't count. It ALL counts!

5. Not reading labels. READ LABELS, people! And read them CAREFULLY. Take note of serving sizes and servings per package. This is KEY.

There you have it... those are five mistakes that are very common. And no, there are no real secrets to dieting -- except that you need to find a way to eat that'll work for you FOREVER. That's the one thing people tend to forget -- the forever factor.

I rocked the Bellin 10k run!

So yesterday was the Bellin 10k run and I so totally rocked it! I really had not timed myself prior to this, but had a pretty good feel that I may be able to break an hour. So I set out and tried to keep a pace that was good for me. Not too slow and not killer. When I was coming around the corner at 6 miles and I saw the gun time I thought, I might be able to break an hour if I push it the last 3 blocks. So I tried to step it up a bit and push it to the end. Well come to find out I had an extra 2 minutes on my calculation because I didn't pass the starting line until 2 minutes after my wave started. Long story short - I finished in 56:28! An average of 9:06 minute miles. A personal best, thank you very kindly. In fact, in 1990 (when I was REALLY 29) I ran it in 58:43. So there you have it. I'm running faster now than ever before.

Next goal - running a marathon in October. I'll keep you posted on how the training is coming along.

In the meantime, NEVER doubt your abilities to do something better than you ever have before. Never say never.

Choose good carbs

Choose good carbs, not no carbs. Whole grains are your best bet.

Whole Wheat Bread - Don't be misled by fad diets that make blanket pronouncements on the dangers of carbohydrates. They provide the body with fuel it needs for physical activity and for proper organ function, and they are an important part of a healthy diet. But some kinds of carbohydrates are far better than others.

The best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients. (Can you say Filling Foods First gang?)

Easily digested carbohydrates from white bread, white rice, pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.


My source for the above? The Harvard School of Public Health. So believe it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

This sounds yummy!

1 - 15pz can pumpkin
1 - 18.3 oz fudge brownie mix (family size)
2 Tbsp low fat peanut butter (Better N' Peanut Butter) - at room temp

Combine pumpkin and brownie mix until smooth. Spread in prepared 8 x 8 pan.

Dot top with peanut butter and use knife to swirl around. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Will look undercooked - very thick and fudgy. Remove from oven and cover with tin foil. Cool in the fridge.

36 servings at 1 point each

tasting touching hearing seeing breathing

MY DAUGHTER GAVE ME A POSTER FOR CHRISTMAS WITH THIS POEM BY ee cummings ON IT. IT HANGS IN FRONT OF MY ELLIPTICAL AND I'VE READ IT OFTEN THIS PAST WINTER. I REALLY LIKE IT AND IT SPEAKS TO ME IN THE PROCESS OF EMBRACING LIFE AND REMOVING THE CONTROL FOOD HAS OVER ME. I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.... ENJOY -


i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any--lifted from the no
of all nothing--human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

-ee cummings