If you are cooking at home in an effort to lose weight, you are already on the right track. Making your own meals, rather than relying on food delivery, generally leads to a healthier diet, according to a June 2015 analysis in Public Health Nutrition.
But even though you're already visualizing the target, you may be making some wrong moves when it comes to how you're cooking and what ingredients you choose. Here are some common cooking mistakes, along with strategies to help you correct these mistakes during your next culinary creation.
Errors that prevent losing weight when you cook
Pour the oils freely
Using a little fat, such as olive oil, helps cook food while adding deliciousness to your meals. But fats are generally calorie-dense foods, so you'll want to take precautions to make sure you don't go overboard.
Just one tablespoon of olive oil contains 119 calories .
Not that you want to avoid fats altogether, let alone olive oil. Following a diet that includes olive oil led to greater weight reduction than a control diet without olive oil, according to a November 2018 meta-analysis in the Spanish Journal of Public Health. Still, even with a healthy fat, it's best not to overdo it.
Overestimating portion sizes
One thing that is a bit more difficult to eat at home is that you are in charge of portion control. It would be wise to familiarize yourself with the foods you cook more frequently and with the proper portion sizes.
To really get familiar with portion sizes, use a food scale. If you take the time to weigh and measure your food, and watch what you are eating, you will get used to a proper serving size.
Eat the same foods week after week
Variety, as they say, is the spice of life and is particularly important when it comes to your diet.
Consuming the same foods over and over can take the mental work out of cooking, but it also takes the joy out of eating, and what's fun about that? Variety is also important from a nutritional point of view , as different foods have different vitamins and minerals.
Each fruit and vegetable offers something different, so eat the rainbow, "says Hactoryan, noting that the different colors of the products are a clue that they provide different benefits.
In fact, having more variety in your diet can put you at a lower risk for metabolic syndrome , which can increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke, according to a June 2013 study published in Nutrition Research and Practice.
For an effortless variety, try buying fruits and vegetables in season . Products in season tend to be tastier, more nutritious, and cost-effective, as the Michigan State University Extension notes, and rotations around what's ripe will make getting all the colors out of your diet a breeze.
Neglecting your spice rack
Cooking with lots of butter and oil is one way to add flavor to your meals, but some spices can work too, without adding extra calories or fat.
Although you should feel free to try all of the herbs and spices, some in particular are known to help with weight loss goals.
- Turmeric: This deep yellow spice has been used for its medicinal effects for hundreds of years, it contains a compound called curcumin, which is known for its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Cinnamon – Cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil responsible for the flavor of cinnamon, can benefit fat loss by inducing fat cells to burn energy through thermogenesis, according to December 2017 research published in Metabolism.
- Cumin: This spice may have metabolism-stimulating properties . In a small November 2014 study published in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, consuming cumin powder helped lower LDL cholesterol, BMI, fat mass, and weight in a group of overweight women.
- Cayenne: Cayenne pepper can help reduce appetite and speed up metabolism . People who consumed capsaicin, the main active ingredient in cayenne pepper, with each meal had fewer cravings and felt more full, according to a small June 2014 study published in Appetite.
Prioritize packaged foods
Packaged foods are convenient when it comes to cooking at home; quick dinner fixes like frozen pizza and made-up sauces can be an immediate option.
But these come at a cost, as a December 2017 review published in the Journal of the World Public Health and Nutrition reveals. The review examined a handful of studies that looked at the connection of packaged foods to obesity, stating that consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with obesity and obesity- related cardiometabolic outcomes.
Giving up frozen pizza doesn't mean you have to give it up entirely – research some homemade recipes for your frozen favorites, and you'll soon find some versions that are much better for your health and probably tastier than frozen ones.
Chop while you cook
Why does it always seem like we are hungrier when we cook?
It might seem impossible to avoid having a little here and there while you're making something delicious, but those little bits of food can add up in the calorie department. Just 30 grams of cheddar cheese, for example, contains 110 calories (which is about the size of a pair of dice).
If you're really hungry, try eating something light, like fruits or vegetables, to keep you full until your food is ready.
Using store-bought toppings instead of homemade
Making salad dressings at home is almost as simple as unscrewing the lid on store bought products, and doing so will prevent you from consuming a lot of things that can thwart your weight loss goals. Store-bought dressings seem innocent enough, but many of them are loaded with saturated fat, excess salt, and even hidden sugars , turning your well-intentioned vegetable bowl into a diet buster.
Prioritize over a measured mixture of oil and vinegar , or try some lemon and some of the new spices you are adopting in your cooking regimen.
Relying too much on the salt shaker
Salt is another calorie-free flavor addition, but it has its dangers. High-salt diets are often linked to increased body fat , as an October 2015 study published in Hypertension reveals. Excessive salt intake is also associated with high blood pressure , which can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Researchers have also looked at how salt makes you feel hungry. An April 2017 study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, monitored and examined the diets of 10 Russian astronauts in training to travel to Mars. In their months-long training, the astronauts were first fed a diet consisting of 12 grams of salt per day (roughly double the recommended daily intake). After several weeks, their diets were adjusted to consist of 9 grams of salt per day and finally 6 grams of salt per day. As their salt intake decreased, the astronauts drank more water. The researchers also noted that when the astronauts ate more salt, they were more likely to complain of hunger.
Remember that salt is not the only option to enhance the flavor of food. Sodium-free spices, low-calorie sauces, and citrus can greatly enhance flavors.
Do not cook with fat
Avoiding certain fats in your kitchen could do the opposite of what you expect. We need to eat fat to lose fat, so incorporating some healthy ones into your diet, such as those found in olive oil , nuts, and avocado, can help you boost your weight loss goals.
These healthy fats, also known as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats , help the body absorb important nutrients and are linked to lowering harmful LDL cholesterol and protecting the heart.
Not preparing or planning food
If you have all the ingredients you need to cook a healthy recipe, you are more likely to cook (and eat) that recipe. So do your future self a favor and plan ahead: look at some recipes, write a list, and make time to go to the grocery store.
