Photo Credit: MusicFanatic29 on Flickr.com
For the longest time, no matter what I seemed to do, I could not seem to shake those five stubborn pounds. I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me! I walked nearly everyday, ate enough salad to feed an army, and even skipped dessert. Yet the numbers on the scale never budged. This past Summer, I took some time to figure out what I could cut out of my routine as an experiment to see what was the culprit. To my surprise, it was that perceived “healthy” bowl of cerealevery morning that was keeping me stuck in cement. Sure, it was packed with nearly a day’s worth of vitamins and minerals, but it was also packed with enough empty carbohydrates and sugar to break the button on my pants! However, I learned that it’s not cereal itself that has the potential to pack on the pounds, but instead the type of cereal you choose that can make all the difference in the world.
According to Sandra Affenito, PhD, RD, CDN, “Consumers should aim to select cereals that are high in fiber, and ones that are made with whole grains.” Plus, recent research suggests those who eat more whole grains are at a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease. I learned that I was falling into a trap as a consumer, believing that just because the food label had high percentages next to the majority of the nutritional categories meant it had would do wonders for the waistline. Boy, was I wrong! Ends up, after switching from the sugary cereals to the ones I should have been eating, I went from tasting sugar on my lips to tasting sweet victory on the scale when I saw I had achieved my goal weight.
So the next time you stroll down the cereal aisle, be wary that not all of them are healthy just because they are typically viewed in a positive light. Some one-cup servings of sugary cereals can pack in as much sugar as a handful of cookies, while others made with whole grains have the potential to keep you fuller longer throughout the day, starting your day off on the right foot and helping you shed the pounds.
Find cereals with:
- At least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving
- Fewer than 13 grams of sugar per serving
- Shortest length of listed ingredients (avoid artificial color, preservatives, sugars, or hydrogenated oil)
Also read: Best and Worst Cereals for Kids and You
References:
Livestrong.com: What to Look For In Healthy Cereal
WebMD.com: Choosing a Healthy Breakfast Cereal
great article ringel!
I know what the problem was for those 5 pounds….you ate enough salad for an army….