Gaining weight back after working so hard to lose it is frustrating and disheartening. Maybe you have experienced it yourself. This may lead you to feel a sense of hopelessness, as you search for the next diet that will make the difference. What many dieters do not realize is that there are several pitfalls that can be avoided to increase the chance for successful and permanent weight loss.
Severe Calorie Restriction
You may try to lose weight by placing unrealistic, severe caloric restrictions on yourself or cut entire food groups out of your diet. This is potentially unhealthy because you may not be getting all of the essential nutrients you need. Another problem with severe calorie restriction occurs when you resume your normal diet. The pounds tend to come back on quickly. Adjusting your diet to lose weight requires permanent, healthy changes that promote weight loss and a healthier lifestyle; not starving yourself to lose weight quickly.
Lack of Physical Activity
Without implementing a life-long plan of regular exercise, lost weight has a better chance of coming back. Not only does regular physical activity help reduce the risk of developing debilitating and deadly diseases, but it also helps build muscle and speeds up your metabolism. For your body to maintain your muscle mass, it takes energy. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn each day, and the easier it will be to keep your lost weight off for good.
Broad Fluctuations in Blood Sugar
Some evidence suggests that eating carbohydrates with a high glycemic index may cause the weight to creep back up. When you consume sugary foods, your blood sugar levels increase when these foods are digested. Your body compensates by releasing insulin, lowering the sugar in your blood and leaving you feeling hungry and dissatisfied. Consuming foods with low glycemic indexes, such as proteins, fats, most vegetables and whole grains, and combining foods that have high glycemic indexes and low glycemic indexes, can help reduce these fluctuations in blood sugar, and therefore control your appetite.
Disregard for Psychological Aspect of Dieting
Many dieters have other underlying issues that must be dealt with as part of a healthy weight loss program. Some people eat as a result of feeling angry, stressed, sad or bored, even when they are not hungry. Some people find themselves "binge-eating," or eating large amounts of food in one sitting until they are uncomfortably full. If you think that you may have psychological issues tied to food, you might want to consider visiting a nutrition counselor about it.
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