Dieting Mistakes to Avoid

Many people set out to lose weight with good intentions of
sticking it out until they reach their goals. In fact, they
intend to lose those unwanted extra pounds for good without ever
seeing them again. So then, why is it that so many people lose
weight only to gain it all back again? And why is it that so
many people get frustrated and quit trying before they even lose
any weight?

Of course dieting to lose weight takes some planning and some
will power to stay with it, but a big part of the reason why so
many people seem to be on a perpetual diet but never seem to
lose weight often has less to do with their will to want to do
it, and more to do with falling victim to some common mistakes
dieters regularly make. Let’s look at some of these mistakes and
some solutions to them.

One big mistake that dieters make is assuming that certain foods
can be eaten in high quantities such as fat-free foods. It needs
to be understood that just because a food is fat-free doesn’t
mean it is calorie free. When you consume more calories than you
use, you will gain, not lose, weight.

Many people who tried one of the many low-carb diets out there
thought that they could eat as much as they wanted as long as
the food they ate had low or no carbs. This way of thinking is
wrong. It is still a matter of controlling the size of your
portions that makes the difference. Keeping track of your
overall calorie intake each day is imperative to a proper weight
loss plan.

Another mistake that is made by dieters is expecting too much
too soon. When you come to the conclusion that you want to lose
30 pounds, this is a realistic goal. When you decide that you
want to lose those 30 pounds in one month, this is not a
realistic goal. Maybe your 25th high school reunion is coming up
and you want to be able to fit into that dress or suit you wore
25 years ago.

This is only possible if you take the time to allow yourself to
properly attain that goal. Weight loss is best done at 1-2
pounds a week, not at 1-2 pounds a day, so set a small goal of
say losing 5-7 pounds in a month, then set another similar goal
and so on, until you reach your ultimate goal.

Not eating enough is yet another common mistake dieters make.
The fact is, if you eat too little calories, your metabolism
will slow down and you will go into what is known as “starvation
mode”. This promotes major fat conservation for survival
purposes and any weight loss will therefore come from the
breakdown of muscle tissue, not fat! For the average adult
female, it is not recommended to consume below 1000 calories and
the average adult male should not consume below 1200 calories
unless under the direction of their doctor.

One of the biggest mistakes dieters make by far is not planning
for how to keep their weight down once they lose it. Often,
people make the mistake of going on a “miracle” diet that
promises super weight loss and although these types of diets are
very dangerous and I absolutely do not recommend them, some
people actually do lose weight on them. The problem is, these
types of diets are designed to end at some point (which is a
good thing since you would probably make it into the obituaries
with a prolonged stay on these diets). That means that you would
likely resume your old habits when it’s over thus accounting for
the returning of all the weight you lost on the diet.

Of course getting some exercise is a key part in successful
weight loss as well, but putting together a well thought out
eating plan designed to stay with you for the rest of your life
is the real key to taking that extra weight off and keeping it
off for good. Be careful not to get caught making the mistakes
mentioned here and you will have a much better chance at weight
loss success.

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