How to Avoid Common Diet Mistakes

Dieting can be hard. People often consciously and unconsciously make
mistakes. Here are a few diet tips to help you lose weight and to avoid
common mistakes dieters often make.

Eat Regular Meals. Many dieters try skipping meals in order to save
calories but that just leads to unnecessary hunger which can lead to
binging or overeating later. Plan on eating smaller meals at regular
intervals to avoid extreme hunger.

Step2

Start over immediately. Often when someone messes up their diet,
they think, well the day is blown. I will get back on track at the next
meal, or tomorrow or next week. This is a slippery slope. If you
indulge or slip up on your diet get back on track immediately.

Step3

Plan ahead. Nothing derails a diet faster than not having a plan.
Getting home from work after a long day and starving is not the time to
plan a healthy meal. You will be more apt to stop for fast food or
order in. By planning ahead and having healthy meals options available
will help you keep on track with your diet. If you tend to oversleep,
then don't plan on making your lunch in the morning when you know you
will not have time. Plan to make that lunch the night before so you can
grab it on your way out the door.

Step4

Measure your food. Do you really know what a 1 cup serving of a food
looks like? Do you really know what a 3 or 4 oz serving of meat looks
like? We often overestimate our portion sizes. Weigh your food until
you can realistically and honestly gauge food portion sizes.

Step5

Keep a food diary. In addition to weighing your food, you should
keep a food diary. It is very easy to "forget" about the odd bite here
and there when you are not tracking everything you eat. Those calories
add up fast. You are only deceiving yourself if you are not honest
about every morsel that passes your lips.

Step6

Drink water. Often thirst is mistaken for hunger. Drink plenty of
water to avoid extra calories from grazing when you think you are hungry
but you are actually thirsty.

Step7

Exercise. Dieting is all about eating less calories than you burn.
Exercising is a great way to burn more calories.

Step8

Have a sensible diet plan. Going on an extreme diet might help you
lose weight in the short term but if it is not something you can stick
with then you will gain your weight back. Can you only eat cabbage soup
the rest of your life or eat nothing but rice and apples? You should
have a diet plan that allows you to eat a well balanced diet.

Step9

Have realistic goals. Having a goal of losing 100 lbs in 6 months is
not realistic. It will only discourage you. Have a realistic diet
goal. Perhaps plan on losing 1 - 2 lbs a week. This is attainable and
will make you more likely to stick to your goal.