Weight gain can be attributed to many factors. Most of it involves our daily eating habits. By tweaking these habits, you might see differences and can avoid unnecessary weight gain. In case you are not aware of these habits, here are the worst dinner habits that can cause weight gain.
1. Too much salt.
Salt is often used to elevate and add flavor to dishes. However, while it can make a dish tasty, it can also spell danger at excessive amounts. A study from Deakin University reveals too much salt promotes overconsumption of fatty foods. As a result, individuals who are fond of adding salt or consuming too much salt can easily put on excessive weight.
2. Using the wrong type of sauce.
Who does not love a deliciously prepared pasta for dinner? It is one of the go-to dishes since it is easy to prepare. However, you may be using the wrong sauce that can result in weight gain. It is best to avoid store-bought sauces since they contain preservatives, added sodium, sugar, and other suspicious ingredients.
3. Too much fried food.
While it is true that fried foods are tasty, they also contain tons of saturated fats and calories that can easily lead to weight gain.
4. Your plate size is wrong.
Size does matter when it comes to dinner. Choosing the right plate-size plays an essential role in keeping your meal portions at a proper amount. Using a large dinner plate can make your meal portion look small. Meanwhile, using a smaller dinner plate can make the meal portion appear large and the plate full.
5. Too much salad dressing.
While it is admirable to opt for larger portions of vegetables during mealtime, the issue may be adding excessive amounts of dressing for additional flavor. Salad dressing may contain sugars and other questionable ingredients that could make your veggie meal unhealthy.
6. Eating too fast.
A study shown on PubMed reveals how fast or slow you eat has profound effects on your weight. In addition, people who eat slower consume fewer calories compared to fast eaters.
7. Eating while watching TV.
Watching TV during mealtime is a frequent practice of many that may be causing weight gain. There studies that suggest unnecessary noise while eating can distract you from listening to the sound of the food you eat, resulting in eating more.
8. Not rinsing canned foods.
Canned foods like beans and vegetables are acceptable, but one bad habit is incorrectly preparing them. Forgetting to rinse canned beans and vegetables may add unnecessary starch and sodium to your meal.
9. Insufficient water intake.
Water is an essential part of having a healthy digestive cycle. The lack of it may cause issues with your health and digestion. Additionally, several studies reveal that drinking water half an hour before eating a main meal helps with weight loss.
10. Constantly missing proper mealtime.
Eating at the right time is essential, especially during dinner. According to Eat This, Sydney Greene, MS, RD recommends finishing dinner at least 2-3 hours before going to bed. A big meal before bedtime could wreak havoc on your sleep cycle and can increase the risk of insulin resistance, cancer, and inflammation.
Related article:
