Flex Australia – June-July 2017

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Youcanhaveyourcakeandeatit,

too (in moderation). See Tip No. 3.

AVOID THE TR AP When companies alter processed foods like

biscuits, salad dressings, peanut butter and fruit yoghurt to

become “low-fat,” they typically add sugar to compensate for

taste. So if you scarf down a jumbo low-fat muffin, you’ll likely

end up eating more calories than if you had a normal-size,

full-fat muffin. You’re almost always better served by sticking

with the real deal (read: plain yoghurt and full-fat natural peanut

butter) and enjoying them in sensible servings. Besides, the fat

these foods contain will help temper hunger pangs so you’re less

likely to raid the vending machine later on.

Products labelled “low-fat” or “fat-free” can

do your waistline more harm than good. A 2013

study published in the journal Appetite fed

subjects identical meals on separate occasions. The

information they received about the meals differed,

however, in that one was said to be lower in fat and

calories than the other. The researchers found that

men consumed on average 3% more calories when

noshing on the meals they believed to be low in fat.

Foods labelled as such can cause you to increase

what you think is an appropriate serving size,

underestimate total consumption and even

alleviate guilt in the aftermath.

YOU FALL FOR THE

“LOW-FAT” LABEL

AVOID THE TRAP Be the chef.

Because restaurant fare

is often a sea of nutritional

pitfalls, trimming the fat

means preparing as many of

your own meals and snacks

as possible so you can

control the ingredients

used. When you do eat out,

try to select restaurants

that post the calorie count

of their dishes so you’re

more informed and have

a fighting chance.

YOU EAT

FAMILY STYLE
If you think forgoing the drive-through for a sit-down
restaurant will help in your pursuit to get lean, think again.
AccordingtoarecentAmerican Journal of Preventive
Medicine study, dishes at family restuarants have higher
calorie counts on average compared with those served at
fast-food joints. Why? The common restaurant practice
of bringing larger serving sizes to the table assures an
avalanche of calories. And researchers reported in the
Journal of Consumer Research that patrons are likely
to underestimate the calories in a meal from a restaurant
they believe is “healthier”.

Family-style

serving makes

it nearly

impossible to

track calories.

DIET

TRAP

DIET

TRAP

CHEW THE FAT

Fat is not the enemy, but

processed foods are. Enjoy

whole foods and don’t be

swayed by gimmicky labels.