Diet Mistakes

Yesterday my wife & I ordered a slice of pizza; there was pepperoni (which everyone knows is bad for you) and a chicken with veggies. My wife was favoring the "healthy" chicken until I noticed that the calories were listed and the chicken slice was the more caloric. Why? Perhaps more fat & cream in the white sauce used? It wasn't obvious.

Often we think we are eating healthy but make the wrong choice. Here are six diet mistakes from Prevention magazine:

1. Dunked veggy sticks - carrot & celery sticks are a great snack, until you dip them in peanut butter or ranch dressing, or blue cheese. If you must dip, try Greek yogurt, salsa, humus, or black bean. Also try vegetables with more zing like jimaca or radish.

2. Sweet potato fries - yes sweet potatoes are healthier than normal spuds but don't eat them fried (ditto for zucchini). Try a baked sweet potato instead.

3. Too much Olive Oil - extra virgin olive oil is healthy, but not in excess. Use just a mist or wipe of oil while cooking instead of pouring it in.

4. High Calorie Salad - salads can be healthy but not when loaded with cheese, nuts, dried fruit, croutons or high-cal dressing.

5. Coffee with extras - coffee, black, is a classic diet drink. But whipped cream, milk, syrup and the million of other things you can add at any coffee shop make the drink a calorie landmine.

6. Marinades - chicken by itself is healthy, when covered with BBQ sauce, not so much.

Bottom Line

You have to look at the whole dish when on a diet. Any food can pack on pounds when eaten to excess or with accompanied with high calorie flavorings.