You have made resolution to eat clean. Well, congratulation for that. But, even if you have been eating well, you can still make couple of mistakes that can easily derail your weight loss program. However, you needn’t feel bad about it because even the experienced dieters can easily fall in this trap. But, you need to learn from your mistakes to get the best possible results. So, here are seven of the most common dieting mistakes that can mess up your weight loss program.
-
Not eating enough protein for breakfast
The most common option for a healthy breakfast is a bowl of oats cooked in low fat milk topped with bananas or berries. Yes, it is a good option. You are getting a good supply of fiber and complex carbohydrates. And, at the same time, you are keeping the fat intake to minimum. However, the problem is that you will feel hungry after couple of hours and your protein intake is restricted as well. And, the importance of eating more protein for a person trying to lose weight can’t be stressed enough. In case, you are also doing strength training, the high protein intake is necessary. It will repair the micro tears in your muscle fibers and will assist in developing lean muscles.
You can solve both the above mentioned problems by adding eggs to your breakfast. The eggs are an excellent source of dietary protein. Plus, they are packed with nutrients and will keep you full for longer time. And, if you aren’t looking for a drastic weight loss, I recommend eating the yolk as well. Often, people tend to refrain from it as it has decent fat content. But, it is loaded with good fat that is necessary for your bodily functions such as proper working of nervous system and brain health. Plus, it has several important minerals.
-
Having a snack
Look, I have nothing against mid morning snack. In fact, if you are feeling hungry, you should go for it. I strongly believe that eating healthy doesn’t mean starving yourself. However, I do have problem with the size of the snack. There is a reason why it is called snack and turning it into a meal is not a smart choice. You have to plug your hunger till you can have an actual meal. It is a mini-meal and it shouldn’t exceed 200 calories. Therefore, you should be very particular about the serving. Having a handful of nuts is ok. And, so is eating a whole fruit. But, eating both together isn’t. Also, it should have a decent amount of protein and healthy fats as it will keep you full for much longer time.
Also, you have to strictly refrain from snacking on unhealthy and processed food items. The chips and pretzels aren’t a good choice. And, neither are French fries. To keep it simple, you have to stay away from anything that is sugary, is cooked in fat and has lot of salt in it.
-
Not counting the liquid calories
Everything you drink has calories. If you have been thinking that only solid food is responsible for making you fat, you are making one of the most fundamental mistakes. Unless, you are drinking pure bottled water, anything you drink will have calories. And, some have enough calories to mess up your dieting program. The squashes, cordials and fizzy drinks are generally loaded with calories and sugars. In fact, a can of cola which has the serving size of 12 ounces has 140 calories. And, the so called healthy juices are equally bad. A 12 ounce serving of apple juice has 165 calories. Yes, more than that of coca cola, which is considered the epitome of unhealthy beverages. To make matter worse, the fruit juices don’t have the main ingredient that makes fruits such an important part of the weight loss program. And, that is fiber. Plus, most of the important nutrients and minerals are destroyed or chemically altered during the pasteurization procedure.
Also, you need to step clear of alcohol. Not only alcoholic beverages have loads of calories, they can also interfere in your recovery process (for those who have undertaken strength training). Plus, it interferes with your sleep cycle.
-
All salads are healthy
Okay, you need to get rid of this myth as soon as possible. All salads aren’t healthy. The salad is as healthy as the ingredients used to make it are. If you are loading up your salad with croutons, bacon bits, mayonnaise, lots of cheese and creamy dressing, your waistline will expand and your fat percentage with head north. Stop using salad as a front for your cravings. Putting all those fattening stuff in the salad would make your salad as unhealthy as a cheese burger. The salad is all about balance. You need to have a healthy balance of greens and meats. And, if you keep the mayonnaise and cream out of the salad, it would be good for your dieting. Avocados, eggs, nuts, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower are great salad ingredients.
-
All carbs are bad
This is another myth that you should get out of your system. All kinds of carbohydrates aren’t bad. You should only refrain from simple carbs that are quickly absorbed into bloodstream and lead to dreaded spikes and crashes. The complex carbohydrates are an essential component of a balanced diet. Contrary to the popular belief, the complex carbohydrates can assist in weight loss. Many carbohydrate rich food items such as sweet potatoes have a decent content of fiber which is actually an indigestible complex carbohydrate. This fiber content makes some carbohydrate food items more fulfilling, which means you will feel satisfied for longer durations. The white potato particularly has high fiber content. And, using it, instead of high calorie meat food items such as steak could help you lose weight far more quickly and effectively. Beans, whole grains, quinoa seeds and lentils are some of the good carbohydrate food items that can assist you in weight loss.
-
Giving up bad foods
This is a reason why most of the diets fail. Confused? Aren’t you supposed to give up on all bad foods to lose weight? Yes or no? Well, you should reduce intake of the bad foods significantly. But, don’t give it up completely because doing so will make you feel psychologically deprive. And, this can trigger sugar and unhealthy food cravings. And, believe me, you are very liable to succumb to these cravings, after which you will be very guilty. And, this guilt can trigger binge eating. So, you ultimately get caught in a vicious emotional cycle, which not only forces you to eat more, but might also lead to depression.
So, it is wise that you once in a while eat bad foods. However, you need to ensure that you aren’t eating them regularly. Also, consider making smart tweaks to the temptation foods to make them less unhealthy. For example, you can opt to have a slice of pizza with salad, or can opt to share dessert with your friends and family, which will ensure you don’t exceed the unhealthy food limits.
-
Trying every fad diet
Nothing can give you easy and quick results. You will have to make lifestyle changes, have to maintain discipline and get a regular workout. If anything promises to help you lose weight without any of the above mentioned things, walk away now, before you waste your money, time and hopes. And, if for a fad diet, you have to eliminate any food group, trust me it won’t work. The weight loss can’t be achieved by any magical formula. Before you start believing in any diet program or trend, try to find out that whether it is backed by sound logical and scientific facts. If not, you know what you have to do.
