Posted Oct 20, 2011
When dieting, pause before taking a second helping
Berlin (dpa) – The well-documented yo-yo effect suffered by those seeking to lose weight through dieting can be avoided by eating smaller portions, according to a German consumer watchdog.
Before reaching for a second helping all those on diet should pause. In this way they develop a sense of how much they need to feel satisfied, according to the consumer body in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The advice emphasises the need for regular meals, advocating eating three main meals a day and at most two in-between snacks. This makes maintaining a weight achieved after dieting easier, as regular eating wards off attacks of hunger.
Reducing sugar intake also helped, the watchdog said, pointing to sweets and sweetened drinks as items to avoid. Fruit was useful in dealing with the need for something sweet, including slightly sweetened fruit preserves.
And the consumer body reminded dieters that exercise was essential to maintaining reduced weight.