Common Dieting Mistakes to Avoid

There are a number of common dieting mistakes that dieters constantly fall for. Most of them are based upon misconceptions about the nutritional value of food and a lack of understanding about how our bodies respond to particular scenarios.

Knowing what these common dieting mistakes are, and how to correct them, will greatly assist any dieter in achieving a healthy weight.

The top two common dieting blunders are directly concerned with the misconceptions about fat in food.

1. Eating Food Labeled as Low Fat

Apart from many low fat natural yoghurts and milks, most food labeled as low fat has additional products added to it to make it seem fatty. Let’s face it, fat equals flavor.

To achieve this false fat sensation and add extra flavor, sugars, sodium, emulsifiers and thickeners are added. And, as everybody knows, sugar is jam packed with empty calories, sodium makes you retain water – and who knows how many negative affects the many chemical emulsifiers and thickeners have on your health.

2. Cutting Out Fat

A common dieting mistake is to assume that by greatly reducing fat or even trying to eliminate it from your diet, for instance - by embarking upon a salad and fresh fruit only diet - will help you to lose weight.

In the short term, you might lose weight. However, the results will only ever be temporary and your health will suffer.

The fact is healthy unsaturated fats should make up 10/20 percent of all diets. Fat is instrumental in helping the body absorb health giving vitamins and minerals, and also helps it to metabolize food efficiently. For example: Omega 3 fatty acids supplied by fatty fish such as Tuna, Salmon, and Mackerel, not only protects us from many diseases, but also directly helps the body metabolize fat. So, eating fat actually assists in weight loss.

3. Crash and Fad Diets

Crash and Fad diets are only ever meant as a temporary fix. Without exception, both types of diets are nutritionally unbalanced, resulting in your body being starved of necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

On completion of the crash or fad diet, or in the more likely scenario - when you are unable to sustain it anymore, your body begins to crave all of the products you previously denied yourself and unhealthy eating habits are reestablished once more.

4. Expecting Results Too Soon

False expectations are the fast track to dieting failure. Unrealistic goals set you up for feelings of disillusionment and despair.

The fact is, it probably took you years to pile on the weight, so don’t be in a hurry to lose it. Losing weight too quickly starves your body of the necessary nutrients it needs to function efficiently. It can even interfere with your whole hormonal system.

Loose weight slowly by establishing a balanced, healthy eating pattern and the weight is kept off forever.

5. Not Eating Regularly

Missing meals, especially breakfast, is a recipe for disaster. Not eating regularly keeps your metabolism running on low, fat burns slowly, and you are constantly in an energy crisis. Your body will come to the rescue by craving quick energy. This mostly equates to high GI foods such as starch, sugar and fat. But the worst thing about running on low is that your body will try to help out by storing fat instead of metabolizing it.

6. Using Substitute or Chemical Sweeteners

Chemical sweeteners are very bad for you – some are even connected to certain cancers and diseases. If you must add sweetener, use small amounts of cold pressed honey (full of vitamins), pure maple syrup, rice syrup, or malt syrup.

However, the best types of sugars are those found in fruits. Sweeten your muesli with pure fresh apple juice and sun dried apricots, pears, apple, and sultanas. These foods are all highly nutritious, satisfying, and delicious.

The upshot is that by eating small amounts of natural sugars, your body feels satisfied and you will be less prone to unhealthy cravings.

7. Not Eating Whole Foods

Eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Foods which are processed or broken down are vitamin and mineral deficient and can also be high in unhealthy additives such as added sugars, sodium, emulsifiers, and preservatives. Furthermore, if you are not eating whole foods, you are most likely eating high GI foods. And this is extremely detrimental to weight loss.

High GI foods are quickly turned to glucose by your liver and then shot out into your blood stream to be used as energy. This causes an energy spike followed by a quick drop in energy levels. Your body then feels tired and to compensate, you begin to crave food that will give you quick energy. Basically, high GI foods make you overeat.

The answer is to choose low GI foods and you will eat less because you are full for longer and have sustained energy levels.

8. Unrealistic Expectations

Unachievable goals will not be achieved. This makes for one unhappy dieter – and a dieter than is more likely to not only give up the quest to lose weight, but go all out to destroy any good habits developed.

Know you body type: its possibilities and limitations. Don’t expect you’ll ever have the body of Elle McPherson if you are 5’2”. Be happy with your inherited size and shape, and with the realistic results of your dedication to your health and wellbeing.

And remember: The only way to reach your goal weight is to learn the basics of good nutrition, and then to slowly incorporate the rules into your life. And, whatever you do, never be in a hurry to lose weight.