The Seven Deadly Dieting Downfalls: which one describes you?

Women struggling with their weight are simply too busy to eat healthily, according to a new survey.

The research, by organic fat binder Proactol, asked women to identify themselves from seven over-eating archetypes: the picker, the binger, the rewarder, the rusher, the socialiser, the settler and the comforter.

Almost 70% of the 100 polled said they were a ‘rusher,’ someone who was always on the go and often made bad choices because they didn’t have the time or the option to consume something low-fat.

Mothers with young children and office workers with the temptations of stodgy canteen food and vending machines were particularly prone to making high-calorie choices. Ready meals and takeaways, high in fat, were also culprits for piling on unwanted pounds.

The remaining votes were almost equally split between the other six eating ‘personalities.’

Katie Downing-Howitt, product manager at Proactol, said: “With our busy and stressful 21^st century lives, I’m not surprised so many of us feel that food is an afterthought. Women especially tend to put themselves last if they’re looking after a family and often they make meals they know their partner and kids will eat – but too many sausages and chips take their toll!

“Planning ahead is key. If you know you’re likely to get hungry mid-afternoon, for example, having fruit and nuts to hand is a great way to stop yourself giving in and buying a chocolate bar or a bag of crisps.”

She added: “Any diet which makes certain foods completely off-limits tends to create cravings. As Proactol absorbs up to 28% of the fat in anything you consume, it can help offset the moments of weakness when you do over-indulge.”

The research asked women to select one of the following to describe themselves: 

• Picker – You eat balanced meals, but it’s what happens in between that’s the problem. Grazing is healthy, but more often than not, your choices aren’t. A mid-morning bag of crisps is going to be your only treat, then a colleague brings birthday cake in…and then there’s the bowl of chilli nuts that magically disappeared during EastEnders. You suffer from food amnesia, so when you look back over your day’s consumption, you often forget to include the snacks. Typical downfall: Pringles.

• Binger –You live off fresh air and skimmed milk and iceberg lettuce for days on the trot. Then you can’t resist putting that item in your basket that you’re definitely not going to eat…and taking it home…and just having a spoonful. Before you know it, your clean sheet’s blotted and as the day’s a write off, you might as well exploit it to the full. Typical downfall: Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. The whole tub.

• Rewarder -It’s Monday, so obviously, you have to cheer yourself up with that mid-morning muffin. You’ve got all week to be good. Wednesday, you meet a friend you haven’t seen in ages and it’d be miserly not to push the boat out with the pub grub. Thursday’s nearly the weekend, of course it’s OK to have an Indian takeaway. Friday fun rolls around and you’re all ready to let your hair down for the next two days. Not unlike, er, the preceding five days. Typical downfall: a glass of red wine...that turns into a bottle.

• Rusher – Most people who have trouble with their weight obsess about food, but you don’t think about it enough. You skip breakfast and so you’re starving when lunch arrives, but instead of a packed lunch you grab a cheese-mayo baguette and crisps, which are crammed down sitting in front of the screen – or if you have kids, in whatever moment to yourself you can find. Dinner’s whatever looks quickest in the freezer section, and calorie-laden takeaway coffees plug the gaps. Typical downfall:  microwave lasagne.

• Socialiser -You’re young, free and single so why shouldn’t you be out having fun, and copious glasses of wine, several nights of the week? The only thing is, you can’t work out why the scales keep tipping upwards. Could it be the cocktails, the chardonnay, that tapas meal…but you only have a salad for lunch! Typical downfall: Mojitos and Kettle Chips.

• Settler –You used to be slimmer but since you’ve met the man of your dreams and started having cosy nights in, the pounds seem to have piled on. He likes ‘proper food,’ red meat most days and Sunday roasts and you’re enjoying cooking for him…and without noticing, matching his portion sizes. Typical downfall: sausage and mash.

• Comforter –When it’s all going wrong you turn to food. Food is your friend. The boss might be a bitch, the in-tray might be heaving, the house might be a mess – whatever it is, a Crunchie or a bowl of creamy pasta is your time out, the thing that makes you feel better. The only trouble is, your weight is now one of the things that upsets you. And your reaction to the worry is to hit the biscuit tin even harder. Typical downfall: Jaffa Cakes.

For more information on Proactol and its benefits please visit www.Proactol.co.uk  

ENDS  

For more information please contact: 

Alex Garvey

The London PR Agency

t: 0207 193 0566

[email protected]

www.LondonPRagency.com

Subjects