Eat It: Four Reasons You Weigh More Than You Want To

It’s frustrating, isn’t it? You’re constantly fighting those extra pounds. You skip the pastries and jog till you’re about to keel over … but let’s be straight here: You still weight more than you want to..

So the bad news is that you can pinch more skin than you want to, but the good news is it’s doesn’t have to stay that way. Let’s take a look at some of the things you’re doing (without meaning to) that’s keeping your pounds on – and how to fix them.

•    Loading up on liquids. Juices and smoothies – so good, right? Well, yes and no. The fruit is good but the sugar content is not. They’re too easy to slurp down, and here’s the real killer – your brain doesn’t even consider those calories food. So you’ve just packed on a meal’s worth of calories – and you’re still looking for the meal. Skip the smoothies and other juice drinks altogether. Try limiting yourself to eight ounces of 100 percent juice a day. If you can’t manage that, at least try to alternate your juice cravings with water. It’s a quick way to cut out calories.

•    Mindless nibbling … edible amnesia …we all do this. We snack without paying attention to what – and how much – we’re putting in our mouths. And then we forget that we ate it! Ever sit through DVD and realize at the end you’ve eaten the WHOLE bag of chips? The easiest way to fix this is to start keeping a food journal and write down EVERYTHING that passes your lips. Keep it up for a week, minimum. You’ll likely be surprised at how quickly those “little snacks” add up.

•    Staying still too much. Hate to say it – but even if you hit the gym for an hour every day, being a couch potato for the other 23 isn’t going to work for you. Even if you’re tired, you have to keep moving throughout the day. Buy a pedometer and get in at least 10,000 steps daily – in addition to your workout.

•    Underestimating the calories. But it’s just ONE slice of pizza! Could that be so bad? Well, yeah, if you’re trying to shed the pounds, it is. In fact, a slice of cheese pizza means an EXTRA 45 minutes of cardio – just to work off that ONE slice. Get it now? The solution? Just don’t eat it. Yes, you can have a little goody once in a while – but save it for something you’re dying for.