7 diet rules you must break: following these everyday conventions will make you fat. Ditch 'em and lose weight!

Shape, Sept, 2005 by Cynthia Sass

All the determination in the world to lose weight won't make a bit of difference if you're hanging onto an unhealthy set of dietary commandments that drive you unconsciously to eat at the wrong times or for the wrong reasons.

"Since these rules are a strong part of who you are, you don't even think to question them," says Rick Temple, Ph.D., a psychologist who treats eating disorders at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The reason? "Some are learned from your family and culture. They've been a part of your life forever, so they seem natural," Temple explains. But holding on to certain ones can actually sabotage your weight-loss efforts. The good news is, rules are meant to be broken! Here are some of the most common ones that may be holding you back from losing weight, plus tips and recipes to help you break them the right way.

rule 1

If it's mealtime, you should eat--even if you're not hungry.

"This makes sense for people in institutions who are kept on strict schedules, but not for those of us in the free world," says D. Milton Stokes, R.D., chief dietitian at St. Barnabus Hospital in New York City. It may feel awkward or unnatural to miss a meal or not eat when everyone else does, but fueling up when your tank is already full only adds up to unwanted pounds. To wit: Taking in a mere 200 calories per day above what your body burns can result in a 20-pound weight gain in one year! Instead, let your body hunger cues can guide you to meal times.

The smart way to break this rule:

Maintain a hunger journal along with your food diary for one week. Create a graph that tracks your hunger and fullness level for each hour of the day, ranging from extremely hungry to extremely full. Compare the chart against what you've eaten. If you find yourself still full at the next meal, it may be time to make some changes. You could be eating oversized portions or snacking too much between meals.

Tune in to your physical hunger cues, like a growly, gnawing stomach. If you aren't sure whether you're actually hungry, you're probably not. You may be confusing true hunger with boredom, fatigue or thirst.

rule 2

Never refuse food offered to you by well-meaning hosts.

"Eating what or when you don't want to in order to make someone else happy isn't good for you or the relationship," says Denise Maher, co-author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy (Marlowe & Co., 2004). And it can

result in an expanding waistline. If giving in at work, family gatherings or home led to taking in just 500 extra calories a week, your weight could increase by 1/2 pound each month.

The smart way to break this rule:

Gracefully decline. Say thank you, then explain to your host that you're watching what you eat or that you don't like to eat when you aren't hungry. If you are genuine and respectful, he or she should understand.

Start new traditions. Find ways to bond with the people in your life that don't revolve around food. For example, celebrate a birthday with a sunrise hike or by participating in a 5k run to benefit your favorite charity.

rule 3

If you ate one "bad" thing, you blew it, so you might as well give up and indulge.

Successful weight loss is not about bingeing or depriving yourself, and an occasional splurge shouldn't derail a healthy eating plan. Case in point: In order to gain 1 pound of fat, you must eat an extra 3,500 calories above what your body is burning. One Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut has 200 calories, far from what it takes to send your diet off track. Instead of eating 5 more doughnuts, budget for a single one and savor every bite. "Foods like doughnuts, cookies or french fries won't cause weight gain if you learn how to fit them in," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, M.A., R.D., a New York-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Instead of restricting yourself or going overboard, aim for balance. A 2004 study conducted by the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center in Providence, R.I., at Brown Medical School and the Miriam Hospital confirms that eating consistently aids weight management. Data from more than 1,400 subjects enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry revealed that people who ate consistent amounts (versus more on some days and less on others) were 1.5 times more likely to maintain their weight.

The smart way to break to break this rule:

Budget your daily calories. Indulgent foods are generally high in fat and refined sugar. Cutting out fat and sugar at other meals creates a caloric balance. For example, if you have a doughnut on your coffee break, skip dessert at dinner.

Plan ahead. Nobody can go through life avoiding cookies. So, when the Girl Scouts come knocking, place your order and plan your strategy. Two Tagalongs have 140 calories and 9 g of fat (4 g saturated). Try pairing them with a lower-fat meal, such as a leafy green salad with lowfat or nonfat dressing topped with lean protein, like tuna packed in water and enjoy!

rule 4

If you paid for it, you must eat it.

How many times have you ordered something in a restaurant that sounded delicious, only to realize after the first bite that it was mediocre at best? Yet, the notion of wasting money overruled your standards for quality, so you ate it anyway. Eating unsatisfying food leaves you discontented, causing you to seek out other more satisfying foods and continue eating. Nobody enjoys throwing money away, but to put things in perspective, compare wasting money on an unsatisfying meal to the even more uncomfortable result that gaining weight can bring. Do you really want to wear tighter clothing or spend money on yet another pair of jeans in a larger size? (We didn't think so. So toss that so-so chocolate cake!)

The smart way to break this rule:

Question the reasoning behind your rule by applying it to other situations. For example, you wouldn't drink spoiled milk just because you paid for it.

Put the focus on saving future healthcare costs instead. The next time you choose not to eat something you paid for, or you stop after just one trip to the all-you-can-eat buffet, don't think of it as squandering money. See it as a decision to invest in taking better care of yourself.

rule 5

I shouldn't waste food when others in the world are starving.

"What gain comes from you cleaning your plate?" Stokes asks. Forcing yourself to eat everything in front of you doesn't aid people in developing countries or the homeless in your own community; it only hurts you. When you apply this rule to other scenarios, it seems out-and-out silly. Let's say you have the flu so you buy some cold medicine. After taking the doses you need, half the package is left over. By the time you need it again, it could be expired. Should you take the rest, even though you don't need it, so it won't go to waste? Of course not!

The smart way to break this rule:

Change the way you order at restaurants. A study published in Obesity Research found that when larger portions were served, subjects ate 73 percent more, even though they did not believe they had consumed more food. So stick with half or shared portions, appetizers or side dishes instead of entrees with all the trimmings. Or take half your meal home with you.

Invest in storage containers. "Most leftovers can be stocked safely in the fridge for up to three days," Stokes says. You'll save on calories and grocery costs too.

rule 6

Certain activities must always be paired with foods in order to be enjoyable.

Pretzels and mall shopping, pastries and the Sunday paper, television and potato chips. Eating while engaging in other activities allows you to consume calories mindlessly. If you've ever reached into an empty tub of popcorn at the movies and thought, "Where did it all go?" you can relate. "Enjoy the food and the activity--just not together if you want to maintain a healthy weight," Taub-Dix advises.

The smart way to break this rule:

Separate your eating from other activities. Enjoy all your meals and snacks while sitting at a table--without the television, computer or reading material to distract you. A Harvard School of Public Health study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association followed more than 50,000 women for six years and found that for every two hours spent watching television daily, obesity increased by 23 percent and the risk of type 2 diabetes jumped by 14 percent. While lack of physical activity no doubt played a part in those numbers, snacking while viewing may also weigh heavily.

Slow down. You may be tempted to rush through a meal to get back to your tasks, but give yourself a real break. Put your fork down between each bite, take a deep breath and relax. Shaving just 100 calories from each lunch and dinner by eating more slowly (and thus stopping when you are full) can actually result in losing nearly 2 pounds per month.

rule 7

If your significant other (or friend, co-worker or child) is eating, you have to eat too.

"Everybody has a different metabolism and needs food at different times," Maher says, adding that adopting another's eating habits can steer your weight and health in the wrong direction. An average man needs nearly 35 percent more calories per day than the average woman, so matching your partner's eating patterns could add up to a substantial weight gain for you.

The smart way to break this rule:

Say cheers instead. If you really want to enjoy time with your friend or partner, have a glass of sparkling water, hot tea or another calorie-free beverage. You'll feel less self-conscious and won't disrupt your diet.

Stick to a schedule. Eating randomly throughout the day or evening can prevent you from getting a handle on just how much you're actually consuming. Starting a regular meal and snack schedule based on your hunger patterns (keeping a hunger journal will also help; see smart rule breaker No. 1) means you'll be less tempted to give into spontaneous eating when you're around others.

Cynthia Sass, co-author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy (Marlowe & Co., 2004), often breaks the diet rules.

Robin Vitetta-Miller breaks the rules by cooking with less fat.

By Cynthia Sass, M.P.H., M.A., R.D. Recipes by Robin Vitetta-Miller, M.S.

RELATED ARTICLE: Breakfast Burrito With Ham, Cheddar and Tomatoes

This easy-to-fix meal makes it a cinch to eat a healthy breakfast and get more whole grains.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 5-7 minutes

8 large egg whites
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons nonfat milk
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cooking spray
4 ounces lean baked ham, diced
4 ounces shredded reduced-fat
Cheddar cheese
1 ripe beefsteak tomato, diced
4 burrito-size (8-inch) whole-wheat tortillas
Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Set aside.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook 3-5 minutes, until eggs are almost cooked through, stirring frequently. Add ham, cheese and tomato and stir until cheese melts.

Place tortillas on a flat surface. Spoon 1/4 of egg mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Roll into a burrito and serve immediately.

Nutrition score per serving (1 burrito): 255 calories, 28% fat (8 g; 4 g saturated), 31% carbs (25 g), 41% protein (26 g), 2 g fiber, 252 mg calcium, 1.5 mg iron, 880 mg sodium.

RELATED ARTICLE: Whole-Grain Pasta Salad With Roasted Peppers and Feta

Packed with veggies, whole grains and protein, this lowfat, satisfying salad is the ideal take-to-work lunch.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

12 ounces Barilla Plus Enriched multigrain pasta
1 cup chopped roasted red peppers (from water-packed jar)
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and ground black pepper
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add next 5 ingredients and stir to combine. When pasta is no longer warm, stir in feta.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Nutrition score per serving (2 cups): 424 calories, 19% fat (9 g; 3.3 g saturated), 63% carbs (66 g), 18% protein (19 g), 7 g fiber, 143 mg calcium, 4 mg iron, 492 mg sodium.

RELATED ARTICLE: Mixed Green Salad With Mandarin Oranges and Red Cabbage

This refreshing salad is a great starter. Serve with your favorite lowfat frozen entree for a quick weeknight dinner.

Serves 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

1 15-ounce can mandarin oranges in light syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and ground black pepper
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup chopped red cabbage
Drain mandarin oranges, reserving oranges in a large bowl and the juice in a medium bowl. To the mandarin juice add olive oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard and whisk until blended. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

In the large bowl, add lettuce, spinach and cabbage to the reserved mandarin oranges. Pour dressing over all and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.

Nutrition score per serving (1 3/4 cups salad): 125 calories, 28% fat (3.8 g; 0.5 g saturated), 66% carbs (24 g), 6% protein (2 g), 3 g fiber, 47 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 77 mg sodium.

RELATED ARTICLE: 4 diet rules to really live by

1. Eat breakfast daily. According to research from the National Weight Control Registry, 78 percent of people who have lost weight and kept it off eat breakfast every day.

2. Get 4.5 cups of produce daily. The Produce for Better Health Foundation reports fruit and vegetable consumption has been declining steadily in the United States, and this may be contributing to the surge in obesity. People with the highest produce intake have the lowest obesity.

3. Eat salads often. A recent study found that women who ate a large, low-calorie salad before meals took in 12 percent fewer calories overall.

4. Choose whole grains. One of the key messages of the U.S. Department of Agriculture 2005 Dietary Guidelines and recently released USDA MyPyramid is that half of all grain servings should be whole grains. So choose brown rice and whole-wheat bread and pasta. A recent Harvard School of Public Health study found that whole-grain intake was inversely associated with weight gain.

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