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Have you been trying to lose weight? Tried dozens of diets but none of them seem to be working? Resolved to only eat healthy, gluten-free, fat-free, organic foods but still not losing weight? We’ve all been there. It sounds like you might be the victim of diet mistakes.
In our search for the perfect diet we tend to overlook some simple things that are standing in our way to achieving the body of our dreams.
Lets go through a list and see what dieting mistakes we might be making.
1. Skipping meals
A lot of people decide to skip breakfast altogether due to a lack of time in the morning or opt for having one on the go. Research has proven that people who don’t eat in the morning tend to eat more during the day. Overcompensating for a skipped meal is a bad idea, as you’ll feel hungrier and will consume more calories than you actually need. Skipping a meal in hopes of saving up calories you’re actually making your body crave more than it needs and therefore overeating later, and that definitely won’t help you lose weight, you might actually gain some.
Having a coffee and a muffin on the go might seem like a way out for those who don’t want to cook in the morning. You might think :“Well, at least i had some food, that’s better than skipping meals”. But we forget that drinks contain lots of calories too and pastries, no matter how big or small are packed with calories. For example, a favourite autumn drink at Starbuck’s – pumpkin spice latte – is 300 calories. And a blueberry muffin from the same place contains shocking 500 calories! No wonder we’re not losing weight if we’re having half our daily calories just as a quick snack in the morning.
So keep that in mind next time you think of skipping breakfast or having one on the go.
2. Portion control
If you’re a person who tends to eat in cafes and restaurants a lot or order takeout on a regular basis you might be used to the portion sizes that those establishments offer. However, that doesn’t mean those potions are normal. Restaurants tend to have large portions, and being used to that you might be eating large portions of food at home without even realizing it. And this includes not only fatty foods, but also salads. You might think that having a “healthy” salad in a restaurant is better than having a burger, but when it comes to calories that is not always true. The so called “healthy” green salads in restaurants often have toppings like cheese or croutons or heavy creamy dressings that surpass a portion of fries in terms of calories. In order to avoid confusion try ordering a salad with dressing on the side, that way you can decide how much dressing you need and control your calorie intake.
3. Drinking your calories
It’s a good idea to just stay away from alcohol when you’re on a diet. You might think it’s just a drink “what’s the harm in drinking 1 glass of wine or 1 cocktail?” Alcohol contains more calories per gram than proteins or even carbohydrates. So just think about how many empty calories you’re consuming when drinking. Plus, alcohol won’t make you feel full, so there’s a chance you’ll drink more that you could ever eat. If you’ve been good at staying on a diet prior to going out for drinks you might find yourself getting drunk quicker, and when you’re drunk you won’t care if you have a bunch of snacks that you would otherwise not have. Alcohol will weaken your resolve for staying on a diet and you might just find yourself thinking that you’ll start again tomorrow. Which will inevitably be followed by some hangover food like pizza or burgers the next day. So really, alcohol is your worst enemy when you’re on a diet.
4. Wolfing down your food
In this day and age everyone’s busy and rushing to go somewhere all the time, which leads to us eating on the go, or wolfing down our food really quickly in between or other daily activities. It’s rare that we get a chance to actually sit down for a long meal. By eating quickly we tend to overeat. Our bodies need time to understand that we’ve had enough food, it doesn’t happen immediately. We challenge ourselves by trying to fit in many activities and chores into our daily schedule, but try and set aside time for food. Next time you have a meal, perhaps set a timer for 20 minutes and make your meal last that long. Take smaller bites, chew longer, try to enjoy every single bite and properly taste your food. You’ll find that you’ll feel full after 20 minutes and you’ll eat a smaller portion.
5. Don’t eat in front of the TV
We’ve been conditioned by the media that it’s always a good idea to keep snacks close by when watching a movie, be it at home or in the cinema. The problem is, that when you’re watching a movie or a video on your laptop you focus more on what’s happening on screen than on how much food you’re having. How many times have you found yourself having a huge bag of chips or popcorn that you think will last you the whole film, only to realize it’s empty and you’re not even half way into the movie? And you have absolutely no recollection of eating the whole thing. Next time, instead of going for a snack, opt for a cup of tea, or a glass of water. It’ll give you smth to do and will keep you hydrated without any extra calories.