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Are Your Eating Habits Making You Fat?

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Not knowing what you eat

One thing men do not do often enough is calculate how many calories and fat they consume, and eating in restaurants or cafeterias is a good way to lose track of what you are ingesting.

Eating more than the recommended daily caloric intake will make your body store anything extra as fat. 2,000 calories a day is the norm for the average male who works out, and fat should make up 20% of daily caloric intake.

Sugar & simple carbs

Sugar raises blood sugar levels, causing the body to produce insulin, which changes the body's metabolic rate in a bad way. Over time, a person who eats a lot of sugar will store more fat and have a harder time burning it.

Sugar is also loaded with calories. Guys often don't realize that a soda pop here and there will add up over time.

Another very bad habit among Americans is eating a ton of simple carbs. White bread, pastries and baked goods will make you pack on the pounds; stick to moderate amounts of complex carbs like whole-grain bread, pasta and rice.

Skipping breakfast

Ever wonder why personal trainers make celebrities jog in the morning after a small breakfast? Well, it turns out breakfast jump-starts the metabolism and speeds up fat burning for about eight hours. Skipping that first meal destabilizes your metabolism throughout the day.

Eating fast

Satiation isn't entirely felt in the stomach. The brain has to actually tell the body that it had enough food. Unfortunately, this connection between the brain and body is delayed by 20 minutes.

People who eat fast tend to consume more because they don't give their brain a chance to tell the body that it is full. To avoid this bad habit, chew often and slowly.

Not drinking enough water

The metabolism needs water to burn fat, so not drinking enough water can lead to obesity. Drink eight glasses of water a day.

Eating too healthy

I have a friend who every now and then becomes a supreme-class vegan, eating nothing but vegetables, non-fat food and ozone-friendly, naturally-enriched, save-the-whales products. Alas, this never lasts long, and once his health-conscious craze comes to an end, he gorges on anything deep-fried.

Having said that, avoid trying too hard. Eating healthy is good, but eating too healthy can be a bad habit. Few are capable of switching to a drastic diet without a relapse. Adopt eating habits you're comfortable with, and you'll be fine.

lose that gut

Sometimes losing weight is not about eating the right things, but doing the right things. Remember these tips and you will start losing weight in no time.


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