If you’ve been dieting for months without seeing any significant results or you happen to gain back some weight you lost only a few days ago, it’s important not to get discouraged enough to give up on your weight loss goals. What could be a simple mistake can have a major impact on your dieting, even sending you back to your starting point, ruining all your hard work and success so far.
In order to get you back on the right track, the following are common dieting mistakes to avoid:
- Skipping breakfast. Some assume that passing on breakfast is an effective way to cut calories. However, it can result in hunger that last throughout the rest of the day, leading to snacking or a larger portioned lunch. Having breakfast that’s high in protein and fiber can subside your hunger during the course of a day.
- Losing track of what you’ve consumed. You must understand that every bite you eat counts, whether it’s a slice of cake or a small bag of chips. Try keeping a food diary in order to track all of the foods you eat in order to see if you’re really dedicated to your weight loss goals.
- Not paying attention to the labels. Pay particular attention to the serving size. Don’t assume that the whole package equals a single serving.
- Believing your diet is just a diet. People often make the mistake of thinking that their diet is a three-month endeavor before returning to their normal eating habits. In reality, it’s not dieting at all. Instead, you at it as a healthy lifestyle change that you can live with for a long time.
- Exercising to lose weight. Despite the effectiveness of exercise, that doesn’t give you an excuse to eat whatever you want afterwards. Drop the idea that you exercise to eat. From a physiological perspective, when you regularly exercise and diet at the same time, your metabolism actually shuts down.
- Thinking snacking is bad. Not all snacks are created equal. Substitute the candy bars and cookies for healthier alternatives, like fruits and vegetables.
- Avoiding fat and whole food groups. Labels that say “low-fat” or “fat-free” generally means extra sugars or thickeners, which are terrible for your body. However, fat sources from nuts, olive oil and even avocadoes provide your body with natural energy, repairs tissues and transports essential vitamins in your blood. Whole foods contain particular nutrients that keep your body healthy.
- Stressing out. Sometimes we’re overly concerned about how much weight we lose from day to day that we stress out about the lack of immediate results. It’s been proven that stress hormones, such as cortisol, are linked with fat retention. If you feel overwhelmed with emotion, taking deep breaths is a great way to reduce stress and hormones.
Are you interested in learning more about our New Orleans weight loss programs and how we can help? Contact us today at (504) 475-9817 to schedule your complimentary weight loss consultation!