Anyone on a diet aims for the weight loss to last a lifetime. Unfortunately, maintaining weight loss is a major challenge for many. Numerous factors may cause a seemingly successful diet regimen to fail. There are, however, most common mistakes that nutrition experts witness and aim for their clients to avoid entirely, or at least to correct. Check with your doctor before making changes in your diet.
Lying to Yourself
A bite of cake at a party, some macaroni and cheese from your child's plate and taking the elevator instead of the stairs are small ways to cheat yourself out of calories that could be burned or avoided. Decreasing caloric intake by 100 calories daily, through decreased food intake or increased activity, can translate into 10 lbs. of weight loss in a year. Taking a moment to ask, "Will this bite of food really satisfy me?" or "Can I spare the extra minute it takes to use the stairs instead of the elevator?" can save a couple hundred calories daily.
Mistaking "Healthy" for "Low in Calories"
Food labels scream "good source of whole grain," "low fat" and "organic," but more investigation needs to be done before committing to buying these items. Low-calorie foods are healthy foods are not mutually exclusive. Olive oil, for example, is known for its health benefits and that it is a healthier than other oils, but with about 120 calories and 14 g of fat per tablespoon, it is hardly considered low calorie. Checking the serving size and calories per serving can be shocking, since you may be accustomed to eating several servings and not know it.
Total Deprivation
Moderation is the key to success. Many set themselves up for failure by eliminating major food groups, like carbohydrates. Allow yourself a small amount of your favorite food from time to time to prevent overindulging, which can quickly derail your confidence and motivation in your diet. A successful diet should be a lifestyle change, not a temporary and painful period of deprivation. Many find that anything beyond a few bites of whatever they crave does not increase their enjoyment. Temptation is a daily occurrence for everyone, so it is important to practice self-control and moderation from the start.
Relying Only on Diet to Lose Weight
Diet is only a piece of the puzzle for effective weight loss. While diet can cut calories, exercise burns calories and can significantly increase the negative caloric balance necessary for weight loss. Exercise creates muscle, which burns more calories at rest than fat. A combination of cardiovascular and weight training burns calories while toning and tightening the rest of your body. An hour of exercise three to five times a week is desirable, but can be adjusted to two daily 20-minute sessions of exercise three to five times a week if necessary.
Ignoring Stress
People with chronic tension and stress are shown to have higher levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and corticotropin. These stress hormones are associated with increased appetite and a higher rate of fat storage. Practicing stress-relieving techniques, like regular exercise, meditation or simply getting enough sleep can improve your mood, which may decrease stress and stress hormone levels.
Skipping Meals
Skipping a meal may seem like a natural way to cut a few hundred calories out of each day. However, your blood sugar level drops when you don't eat, which can make your feel lightheaded, weak and in dire need of food. This often results in a binge of calorie-dense, fatty and sugary convenience foods just to get a quick fix and to feel normal.
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