How Often Should You Eat?

 

How Often Should You Eat? The Starvation Mode Myth

If you eat frequently to avoid starvation mode, you might not like the news you're about to read. Many dieters misunderstand the concept of eating frequency, and it may cause your weight loss plan to fail.

When dieters talk about starvation mode, they are usually referring to the effect that infrequent eating can have on your metabolism.  The commonly held belief is that if you don't eat every three hours or if you skip a meal, like breakfast, your metabolism immediately slows to preserve energy and prepare for starvation. As a result, weight loss grinds to a halt and weight gain can occur.

Some science-savvy dieters might also confuse starvation mode with what researchers call "adaptive thermogenesis."  Scientific studies have confirmed that people who have successfully lost weight have a slower metabolism than their same-weight counterparts who have never dieted.

These people often (reasonably) complain that they are gaining weight but eating less.

Researchers believe that the slower metabolism is an adaptation to eating fewer calories over an extended period of time.  Adaptive thermogenesis makes it harder for people who have lost weight to maintain a healthy weight.

So why is the distinction between starvation mode and adaptive thermogenesis so important?  Because even though the concept of adaptive thermogenesis has been validated in clinical studies, researchers don't necessarily blame infrequent eating or skipped meals (starvation mode) for the slower metabolism.  So dieters shouldn't necessarily use the evidence-based concept of adaptive thermogenesis to justify eating more often.

Can You Gain Weight Without Eating?

So can you gain weight without eating all the time?  Dr. Fuhrman explains that eating less can have an effect on your metabolism, but not in the way that we think.  In fact, he thinks that the idea of starvation mode is "ridiculous."

"Caloric restriction can have an effect on metabolic rate but on the rate at which you lose weight, not on whether or not you lose weight," he says.  Fuhrman says emphatically that dieters will not gain weight by restricting calories. "If starvation mode was a real thing," he says, "then anorexics would be fat."

In short, Fuhrman says that dieters should never try to eat more to avoid starvation mode. Snacking frequently or increasing the number of meals you eat during the day doesn't work if you want to lose weight.

"When people increase the number of eating occasions during the day, they increase body weight."

How Often Should I Eat to Lose Weight?

So what really matters if you want to lose weight?  Fuhrman believes that the quality of your diet—not eating frequency—makes the difference. In The End of Dieting he offers a scientific explanation for why we want to eat all the time.

He explains that what feels like hunger is often just our body's natural response to withdrawal from junk food.  "People get uncomfortable, that's all it is." He says that weight loss happens when we increase the amount of healthy food we consume, not the frequency of eating episodes.

So should you worry about starvation mode?  Nope.  Starvation mode doesn't make you fat.  Eating less does have an impact on your metabolism, but that is a natural and expected part of the weight loss process and it shouldn't derail your attempts to eat a healthy, calorie-restricted diet. If you eat too often to avoid starvation mode, your weight loss plan is headed for trouble. 

I reblogged this post from a popular health and fitness website but it's been quite a while and I'm not sure where it came from. The doctor has a point and I respect his opinion but I don't agree. I think you will slow down your metabolism by limiting or drastically cutting calories. The thing is that all of this takes more time than we think. Your body does adapt to the changes you make, but it doesn't happen in a couple days unless you're a small child. An adult's body might take weeks to adjust to changes. So you can go into a starvation mode if you cut your food drastically but it's only temporary until your body makes the adjustment. 

I'm getting a little off the subject but if I was on a junk food diet for several months or even years and then decide to change to a healthier low-fat, low-carb diet, the body wouldn't know what was happening and would be craving the old food. Even though my body wasn't getting enough nutrition on the junk food diet, the body grew a custom to the junk food. The body doesn't understand longevity, the body doesn't know how long you will live or might live. Your body lives in the moment and it will adapt to whatever you eat or whatever you're doing if you give it enough time.

I still think that by losing your body fat you can live a longer, happier, and healthier life. To get to that point is the journey that you have to take. I can tell you how I lost my fat or most of it, but my way might not work for you. You have to find the way that works for you. It will involve eating nutritious foods and it will involve giving up foods that you like and it will involve more activity and these are the things you have to decide for yourself. The journey is long and you will stumble along the way, but it will be worth it.

Follow me on X, the former Twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Supplements for Weight Loss

 When you want to drop some weight, it's tempting to look for help anywhere you can. If your thoughts turn to supplements or herbal remedies, keep in mind that research gives many of them mixed reviews. In some cases, there isn't a lot of science to back up the claims, and some have health risks. Talk with your doctor first before you try any.

Also, you should know that the FDA has cracked down on some weight loss supplements that had prescription drugs in them that weren't noted on the label. You can't always tell what you're getting.

The FDA regulates dietary supplements, but it treats them like foods rather than medications. Unlike drug manufacturers, the makers of supplements don't have to show their products are safe or effective before they sell them.

Chitosan

This is a sugar that comes from the hard outer layers of lobsters, crabs, and shrimp. Enthusiasts say it can block fats and cholesterol from getting absorbed by your body.

Does it help you lose weight? Natural Medicines, an independent group that analyzes research on supplements, says there isn't enough reliable evidence to rate it. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health states that chitosan has not been shown to be effective for weight loss.

Chitosan usually causes no side effects, but some people get an upset stomach or constipation. If you are allergic to shellfish, you should not take chitosan, because it is made from shellfish.

Chromium Picolinate

Chromium is a mineral that enhances insulin, a hormone that's important for turning food into energy. Your body also needs it to store carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

There are claims that chromium supplements can:

• Lower your appetite
• Help you burn more calories
• Cut your body fat
• Boost your muscle mass

However, a review of 24 studies that checked the effects of 200 to 1,000 micrograms of chromium a day found that there aren't any significant benefits. Natural Medicines says that chromium is "possibly ineffective" for weight loss.

Rarely, chromium supplements can cause side effects such as:

• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Problems thinking
• Headache

Also, at least three people have developed kidney and liver damage when taking chromium. You shouldn't use it if you have kidney or liver problems.

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Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)

This is a popular supplement that contains chemicals found in a fatty acid called linoleic acid. There are claims that it may help curb body fat and help you stay full.

The research on CLA for weight loss is mixed. Some suggest that for some people, 1.8 to 6.8 grams of CLA per day may:

• Curb body fat
• Boost muscle

But other research shows it doesn't help you shed pounds.

Natural Medicines says that CLA is "possibly effective" for weight loss.

Some researchers warn that long-term use, especially if you're obese, may raise insulin resistance, which makes it more likely you'll get type 2 diabetes. It might worsen cholesterol in your blood, as well, which raises the risk of heart problems.

In some people, CLA may cause side effects such as:

• Upset stomach
• Nausea
• Loose stools
• Fatigue

Glucomannan

This is made from the Konjac plant. Like other dietary fibers, it's supposed to help you lose weight by blocking fat in your food from being absorbed into your body.

Very early studies suggest it might be helpful, but other evidence shows it doesn't work.

video

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Natural Medicines says there is "insufficient evidence" to rate how well glucomannan works for weight loss.

If you take glucomannan in the tablet form of the supplement, you could choke or get a blockage in your:

• Throat
• Esophagus (the tube that connects the throat to the stomach)
• Intestine

It appears to be somewhat safer if you take this supplement as a powder or a capsule.

Glucomannan also may make it harder for your body to absorb medications. So take your medicine either 1 hour before or 4 hours after you use glucomannan.

Green Tea Extract

It supposedly works by:

• Curbing your appetite
• Raising calorie and fat metabolism

Natural Medicines says there isn't enough evidence to rate how well it works.

Side effects of green tea extract, especially in high amounts, include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Bloating
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Agitation

Green Coffee Extract

Early studies suggest it may lead to modest weight loss, but more research is needed. Natural Medicines states that there is not enough good research to decide if it is effective.

Few people have side effects, but because of the caffeine in green coffee it may cause:

• Headaches
• Stomach upset
• Nervousness
• Insomnia
• Abnormal heart rhythms

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Guar Gum

This comes from the seed of the guar plant. Like other dietary fibers, it may prevent fats from being absorbed into your body and help you feel full.

Guar gum has been studied much more than other fibers for weight loss, and most researchers say it's not effective.

Natural Medicines agrees and rates guar gum as "possibly ineffective."

Side effects may include:

• Gas
• Diarrhea

Hoodia

This is a plant that grows in the Kalahari Desert in Africa. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the stem of the root was traditionally used by Bushmen to cut their hunger and thirst during long hunts. It's now marketed as an appetite suppressant.

Hoodia contains P57, an ingredient that's said to curb appetite by helping you feel full. But there's no credible evidence that it's safe or effective.

Natural Medicines says it lacks evidence to rate whether hoodia works.

video

Drugs vs. Supplements

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7-Keto-DHEA

This is found naturally in your body. It may help you lose pounds by boosting your metabolism so you burn more calories throughout the day.

In a couple of small studies, people who took 7-keto-DHEA -- along with moderate exercise and a reduced-calorie diet -- lost significantly more weight than those who were given a placebo (a dummy pill). But Natural Medicines says there still isn't enough reliable evidence to rate how well it works.

A decrease in blood count has been reported after taking 7-Keto-DHEA for a week. Scientists are not yet sure what this can mean for the person taking the supplement.

Ephedra

This is an herb that's also known as ma huang. This is a different plant from a related species that grows in North America. Ephedra contains the stimulant ephedrine.

It is very closely related to these manmade compounds found in some drugs:

• Pseudoephedrine
• Phenylpropanolamine

The FDA banned supplements with ephedra after the herb was linked to serious side effects, including:

• Heart attack
• Arrhythmia
• Stroke
• Psychosis
• Seizures
• Death

The FDA's ban doesn't apply to traditional Chinese herbal remedies or to products such as herbal teas.

According to the FDA, there is little evidence that the herb helps except for short-term weight loss. The agency says the health risks outweigh any benefits.

Natural Medicines says ephedra is "likely unsafe."

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Bitter Orange

The bitter orange tree is native to Africa and tropical Asia. It's also grown in the Mediterranean, California, and Florida.

The bitter orange fruit rind contains synephrine, a stimulant related to ephedrine. It supposedly works by raising the number of calories burned.

After the FDA banned weight loss products containing ephedra, many makers switched to bitter orange, but it's not clear if it's safer.

Natural Medicines says that bitter orange is "possibly unsafe" and there's not enough evidence to know if it works for weight loss.

video

watch now

Some studies show bitter orange supplements can raise your blood pressure and heart rate. There have been reports that they may have had dangerous side effects in people who took bitter oranges alone or combined with other stimulants such as caffeine. The risks include:

• Stroke
• Irregular heartbeat
• Heart attack
• Death

The FDA says bitter oranges may not be safe to use as a dietary supplement. You should especially avoid it if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, or other medical problems.

You should also avoid bitter orange supplements if you take caffeine, certain medications (such as MAO inhibitors), or herbs or other supplements that speed up the heart rate.

Follow me on X, the former Twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Increasing Your Daily Steps

 Instead of using a blanket 10,000 steps per day as a goal, some suggest your personal goal should be based on your usual baseline plus incremental steps.

Adding 2,000 to 4,000 steps to your daily count is a good indicator you are getting the recommended amount of daily activity or increasing activity to burn more calories.

Let’s look at the example of Sara, who puts on a pedometer in the morning and wears it as she goes about her usual daily activities and only takes it off before bedtime. She does this for a few days and notes that she logs around 4,000 steps per day. Her goal should be adding an equivalent of a half hour of walking to her day. The number of steps she would log in 30 minutes is from 2000 to 4000, depending on whether you walk slower or faster.

That’s between one and two miles of walking. See how many steps are in a mile depending on your height and stride length.

What Should Your Step Count Goal Be?

While Tudor-Locke advises a goal of 10,000 steps per day as a good baseline, she offers other tips in order to match physical activity recommendations for heart health. Increase your daily steps by 3,000-4,000 steps spent in 10-minute or longer bouts at moderate to vigorous intensity, which is a pace of brisk walking to jogging. Achieve a goal of 8,900 to 9,900 steps at least five days per week with at least 3,000 steps of moderate to vigorous intensity bouts of 10 minutes or more.

Alternatively, set a goal of 9,150 to 10,150 steps at least three days per week with at least 3,250 steps of vigorous intensity bouts of 10 minutes or more.

A three-day a week training routine may be good for maintaining your weight, but probably not good for losing weight. I would try the walk routine 5 or 6 days a week. Especially if that’s all you’re doing. I like to alternate walking with other types of exercise but that doesn’t work for everyone. You have to do what’s right for you and if your losing weight with your program stick to it, if not change it. Losing weight is a trial and error system.

Follow me on X, the former Twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Getting In Shape Doesn't Have To Be Complicated

Simple bodyweight exercises are often the best choice for those without a lot of time, money, and motivation to learn or employ the latest fitness fads. Bodyweight training can also be a great choice for building strength, gaining muscle, boosting cardiovascular fitness, and burning calories. Here are ten reasons to get on board with bodyweight training.  

Don't get upset if this sounds too difficult for you. Simply search the internet for bodyweight exercises for beginners. I like Nerdfitness.com, don't get turned off if you can't complete the exercises. Do what you can trying to do more every time. Do these exercises every other day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. As you increase and finish the complete workout you will get into shape, and by continuing to do the workout your vitals will continue to get better.

1. Fast Fitness Gains
   Bodyweight exercises lead to fitness gains in a hurry. Most bodyweight exercises require you to perform multi-joint movements (compound exercises) that work against gravity. These types of movements (squats, lunges, push-ups) all make up the cornerstone of any strength training routine and are extremely effective for building strength and boosting cardiovascular fitness. The fact that you can do the exercise anywhere makes it far less likely that you’ll skip a workout. This is a perfect formula for building fitness quickly. Add in the fact that many bodyweight exercises automatically engage core strength and stability moves, and you have a recipe for a well-rounded, effective exercise you can do for the long term.
    
2. Functional Fitness
   It’s not surprising that performing bodyweight training is ultimately performing functional fitness movements. Functional fitness is, by definition, exercising the muscles and the movement patterns that are used in real-life, daily activities. In essence, you aren’t doing exercise in a gym that is nothing like the way you move your body in real life.
    

1. High Intensity Intervals
   Bodyweight exercises are ideal for creating a high-intensity interval workout in a circuit format. To do this, you will perform 30-60 second intervals of one exercise (or a given number of reps), and then move to the next exercise. In this way, you are able to work at a higher intensity because the duration of the exercise is shortened. It’s the opposite of going to the gym and sitting on an exercise bike for an hour or jogging for 30 minutes. With bodyweight training, you work hard for about a minute and move to a new exercise for a minute. An example is 20 push-ups followed by 5 pull-ups followed by 15 jump lunges and so on.
    

1. No Equipment Needed
   Although you could use some dumbbells, a pull-up bar, or other small equipment during bodyweight training, you don’t need to. There are many combinations of movements you can perform without anything more than your own body. This makes it even easier to do your workout anywhere.
    
2. Not Much Space Needed
   Even the most intense of all bodyweight exercises—burpees—can be done with no more than a little bit of floor space.
    
3. Easy To Customize
   Bodyweight exercises are good for both novice and elite athletes because they can be easily modified. Varying body positions can change the effort level of the movement. For example, you can perform incline or decline pushups depending on your level of ability. You can perform wall sits or tuck jumps to match your conditioning. You can also add more reps or sets to make it more challenging.
    
4. Tons of Variety
   The number of bodyweight exercises you can do (and think of) is endless so it’s unlikely you will find yourself bored by doing the same moves, or the same workout over and over. Performing a variety of exercises doesn’t just mean you will end boredom, but you will also help prevent overtraining and reduce your risk of injury by varying your movements. Bodyweight exercise is a great form of crosstraining. It can also help break through strength plateaus and help continue making fitness gains.
    

1. Cheap or Free Workouts
   Gym memberships, classes, equipment, and gear can all add up to a significant annual expense. And if you don’t use it or show up at the gym because it’s not convenient, you are just wasting a lot of money on something that isn’t helping you get or stay fit. Bodyweight training is free or extremely low cost. Move your body and get fit. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
    
2. Super Convenient
   Because you don’t need to go somewhere special or get the right equipment, gear, or space, you can do bodyweight exercises anytime, anywhere. You can also easily break up your workout into smaller sessions—20 pushups when you wake, 50 Squat Jumps before dinner,  one minute of planks before bed—and reduce your excuses for skipping a “workout.” Use bodyweight exercises just one time, and you will see how it’s pretty hard to say you don’t have time, space, money, equipment, or knowledge to stick with an exercise routine. Bodyweight training makes your excuses evaporate.
    
3. Build Balance and Proprioception
   A wonderful added bonus of many bodyweight movements is that they require an automatic engagement of core muscles for stability and strength in order to correctly perform the movements. Without machines,  bodyweight exercises require individuals to maintain their own movement patterns, and often build balance and improve proprioception in the process.

Follow me on X, the former Twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Do You Have To Diet To Lose Weight?

 Do you have to diet to lose weight?

By Diana Kelly

The Rumor: You have to go on a strict diet to lose weight

It's fitting that "diet" has four letters because, for many of us, it's a curse word. We associate dieting with punishment, starvation, beating ourselves up, avoiding any fun social activities, and basically, waiting until it’s over and we can start living our lives again -- in leaner bodies, of course. In 2012, there were 108 million people on diets in the United States. To help them reach their goals, Americans spent about $20 billion on the weight-loss industry, including diet books, diet drugs, and weight-loss surgeries.

Is it necessary, though? Can you lose weight without being on a diet? We talked to nutrition experts Amy Jamieson Petonic, RD, of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Nutrition Twins, Tammy Lakatos Shames and Lyssie Lakatos, upwave's diet and fitness experts, for their tips on how to shed pounds the healthy way and keep them off for good. 

The Verdict: The most effective weight loss involves lifestyle changes, not crash diets. Change what You eat and change what you do.

“Successful weight loss isn’t all-or-nothing thinking,” says Lakatos. “Dieting is a temporary thing that you think you’re on or off of. When you tell yourself you can have this and you can’t have that, oftentimes it winds up backfiring. People end up giving in and eventually binging on the foods they avoided because it’s very hard to be extremely restrictive for a long period of time.”

“But healthy eating is a lifestyle,” says Lakatos Shames. “Focus on healthy options of what you know you should eat. If you concentrate on eating fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, there is less room for desserts and junk in your meals. Focusing on what you can’t eat is the dieting mentality.”

When I started to make progress in my battle with weight, I changed to a whole-food diet. What is that you might ask. Eating whole foods is eating food as close as possible to its natural state. I would only eat fruit and vegetables that I could touch and smell in the store. I didn't buy anything in a box, bag, or can. I bought fresh meat. I didn't buy any prepackaged meat. I stopped buying lunch meat or packaged cheese. I wasn't buying anything with a label. I stopped drinking anything with calories. I stopped cheating on the weekends. I ate all I wanted but I only ate whole foods. I picked all my food from the food pyramid below. It gives you several choices. I ate what I wanted and avoided some of the things I didn't want. Look on the right side for the brackets. Some foods you can eat every day, some once a week, and others once a month. I lost 20 pounds in a few months. Everyone can't expect the same results but If you stick to your plan you will see results in a couple months. At first, don't expect much the body has to get accustomed to the changes in your diet.

“Dieting [has] such a negative association with food,” says Petonic. “When you begin to associate good, whole foods with pleasure, weight loss will happen with very little effort,” Petonic suggests eating these foods to help you lose weight without dieting:

Whole grains: Eat 100 percent whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, or brown rice. All provide essential B vitamins and minerals that will fill you up and keep your energy levels high.

Quinoa: It’s a complete plant protein that gives you all nine essential amino acids and is packed with fiber and iron.

Salmon: This protein source is high in omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which are anti-inflammatory, and they provide essential proteins for growth and development.

Pistachios: These protein-packed nuts may help increase your metabolic rate and promote fat burning.

But don’t forget to get moving! Exercise is just as important as nutrition because that’s how you burn calories, says Lakatos. “Exercising is how you speed up your metabolic rate and get your body going. We’ve found that when our clients exercise, they feel good about themselves, and they don’t want to undo their hard work by eating the wrong foods.”

Follow me on X, the former Twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.

Can You believe food labels?

When it comes to food labels, manufacturers are very good at finding the loopholes in labeling laws and requirements, and subsequently very good at pulling the wool over YOUR eyes.  One such loophole is the manufacturer's ability to claim "zero" grams of fat, or zero grams of trans fat, or zero calories on the label, when in fact the product does indeed contain plenty of fat, trans fat, and/or calories.

Here's the law, and how food manufacturers get around it:

Zero grams of fat or zero grams of trans fat:  As long as the food item has less than .5g of fat or trans fat, respectively, the label does not need to claim their existence on the label.  In fact, the product can even legally market "Zero grams of fat!" or "0g of trans fat per serving!"

More on why this is a HUGE problem, and how food manfacturers deepen this loophole in just a minute.

Zero calories per serving:  As long as the food item has less than 5 calories per serving, it can be rounded down and labeled 0 calories.
   

Deepening the Loophole with Unrealistic Serving Sizes

While .5g of fat or 5 calories may not seem like a big deal, remember that these values are "per serving", and while an entire package, box, can, or bottle of a product may contain hundreds of calories and loads of fat, as long as they can divide that package into small enough servings to meet the calorie and gram requirements to claim zero, it's legal.

Legal AND deceptive as hell.

We don't know about you, but we get angry when we see food manufacturers outright LYING to consumers on their labels and in the nutrition facts.  Some of these products should change the Nutrition Facts header to "Nutrition Lies" and it'd actually be a lot more accurate.

You see, at BioTrust we're here to provide you with honest nutrition advice and products, and as such, here are our "Top 3 Violators" of this deceptive food labeling practice.

1. Cooking Sprays and Butter Sprays - Cooking sprays are labeled as fat-free but their first ingredient is oil, which is 100% fat.  How in the world can this be?  Well, the serving size is 1/5th of a second.  What?  Last time we used a cooking spray (some of the organic ones are useful) it took about 3 seconds to lightly coat the surface of the pan.  Well, according to the manufacturer, we just used 15 servings.

Bottom line, no one uses the ridiculous and absurd microscopic 1/5th of second spray suggested serving, which isn't nearly enough product to be of practical use.

Cooking sprays aren't fat-free...they are nearly 100% fat.  In my example above, a realistic serving actually contains around 5 grams of fat and 45 calories.  A far cry from the 0 number reported on their nutrition facts.

Same goes for butter sprays, which are 90%+ fat in most cases.  For example, one popular brand of butter spray contains over 800 calories and 90g of fat per bottle, yet it's labeled as a fat-free, calorie-free product!  Yeah, right!

The serving size?  One spray.  Let's get real here...no one is using one spray, or five sprays, or 10 sprays.  In fact, twenty-five sprays equals just one teaspoon, when the servings size for regular butter is 1 tablespoon.  When you balance out the serving size to be the same as a serving of butter, you're looking at 75 sprays to get the same amount.

2.  Artificial sweeteners - Not only are artificial sweeteners bad news for you health, but they're also a top violator of "calorie free" deceptive labeling practices.  Many brands of artificial sweeteners use maltodextrin and/or dextrose (which is pure sugar) as fillers in each packet, and each packet can legally contain up to a full gram of sugar and 5 calories and still be labeled as calorie free.

We've seen people put 3 - 5 packets of this stuff in their coffee or on their cereal...hardly calorie free and even worse, maltodextrin and dextrose are two of the biggest insulin-spiking carbs around -- the entire reason people choose artificial sweeteners over sugar in the first place!

To learn more about how the popular artificial sweetener sucralose (known commonly as Splenda®) can destroy your health, click here.  

3.  Any food that contains "partially hydrogenated" oils in the ingredient list, period.  Bottom line, you should have a zero-tolerance attitude toward trans fats.  They are the most health-derailing nutrient known to man, and you should be truly consuming ZERO grams per day.

If a product claims "Zero grams of trans fat per serving", especially if they specify "per serving", they are almost always playing the serving size game and you're very likely to see partially hydrogenated oils on the list of ingredients when you flip the package over.  If so, avoid it like the plague.

Follow me on X, the former Twitter, @ray0369 to get a link to my latest posts.

If you want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. 

Look for my first book at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com and other online bookstores. Just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. 

Look for my podcast by searching “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight” on the podcast app that you use. You’ll see a piece of my book cover.