Fat trap 1: Overcooking pasta
Take that pot off the stove a little early and your bucatini will have a satisfying bite and keep you full for hours. "Hot water breaks down the bonds between starch molecules," The longer you boil your pasta, the quicker your body converts those carbohydrates into fuel. This sets off a rapid rise in blood sugar that is followed by a hunger-inducing plunge.
Take that pot off the stove a little early and your bucatini will have a satisfying bite and keep you full for hours. "Hot water breaks down the bonds between starch molecules," The longer you boil your pasta, the quicker your body converts those carbohydrates into fuel. This sets off a rapid rise in blood sugar that is followed by a hunger-inducing plunge.
Fat trap 2: Pick poultry over beef
Although turkey breast is about as lean as it gets, ground turkey often contains dark meat and skin, which edge up the calorie count. A four-ounce serving of ground turkey packs 204 calories and 14 grams of fat, while the same amount of lean ground beef contains just 155 calories and six grams of fat.
Although turkey breast is about as lean as it gets, ground turkey often contains dark meat and skin, which edge up the calorie count. A four-ounce serving of ground turkey packs 204 calories and 14 grams of fat, while the same amount of lean ground beef contains just 155 calories and six grams of fat.
Fat trap 3: Adding hot sauce to everything
Sure, it gives your eggs and pizza a no-calorie kick. But just a teaspoon of certain brands uses up nearly 10 percent of your daily sodium allotment, and too much of the mineral can take a toll on your waistline. According to a study from the University of California, San Francisco, people who ate a high-sodium diet gained more weight -- about one extra pound over a five-day period -- than those who consumed low-sodium versions of the same high-calorie meals. The researchers believe excess sodium increases your body's production of insulin, a hormone that turns sugar into fat.
Sure, it gives your eggs and pizza a no-calorie kick. But just a teaspoon of certain brands uses up nearly 10 percent of your daily sodium allotment, and too much of the mineral can take a toll on your waistline. According to a study from the University of California, San Francisco, people who ate a high-sodium diet gained more weight -- about one extra pound over a five-day period -- than those who consumed low-sodium versions of the same high-calorie meals. The researchers believe excess sodium increases your body's production of insulin, a hormone that turns sugar into fat.
Fat trap 4: Removing the chicken skin
Each piece of skin contains 69 calories and six grams of fat, so it makes sense to separate it from the breast before popping it in the oven, right? Not really. The skin locks in moisture, so you get tender, more flavourful chicken for not a lot of extra calories.
Each piece of skin contains 69 calories and six grams of fat, so it makes sense to separate it from the breast before popping it in the oven, right? Not really. The skin locks in moisture, so you get tender, more flavourful chicken for not a lot of extra calories.
Fat trap 5: Dicing vegetables into tiny pieces
You've been making oven-baked shoestrings instead of the fried kind -- hooray! But according to a Dutch review of research, switching to steak "fries" could help you cut even more calories. "The more pieces you cut something into, the more surface area there is for the oil to cling to, which equals extra calories and fat," .
You've been making oven-baked shoestrings instead of the fried kind -- hooray! But according to a Dutch review of research, switching to steak "fries" could help you cut even more calories. "The more pieces you cut something into, the more surface area there is for the oil to cling to, which equals extra calories and fat," .
Fat trap 6: Giving produce a quick rinse
Fresh fruits and vegetables are a dieter's dream, but the pesticide residue on them can keep your calorie-burning machine from performing at its peak. In an International Journal of Obesity study, dieters with the highest levels of pollutants in their bodies had markers of slower metabolism than those with the lowest levels. "Pesticides may affect your thyroid's ability to function,” And there's evidence that they also harm the functioning of mitochondria, the parts of a cell that convert fuel into energy.
Fat trap 7: Serving veggies on the side
There's nothing wrong with setting out a dish of steamed broccoli, but sneaking them into your main course can boost their benefits. Researchers found that people who ate meals that incorporated vegetables -- think chicken casserole with squash and carrots -- consumed 350 fewer calories a day than those who had veggies only as a side dish.
There's nothing wrong with setting out a dish of steamed broccoli, but sneaking them into your main course can boost their benefits. Researchers found that people who ate meals that incorporated vegetables -- think chicken casserole with squash and carrots -- consumed 350 fewer calories a day than those who had veggies only as a side dish.
Fat trap 8: Holding all the fat
Banishing high-calorie ingredients, such as cheese and nuts, seems smart. "But fat takes longer to digest than protein and carbohydrates, so it keeps you full longer,".
Banishing high-calorie ingredients, such as cheese and nuts, seems smart. "But fat takes longer to digest than protein and carbohydrates, so it keeps you full longer,".
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