In this blog post I will share 5 common dieting mistakes I see on a regular basis
Before I share these 5 common dieting mistakes, I want you to know that most diet calculations are far too restrictive for most individuals to stick with for any longer than 4-6 weeks. Any diet plan that tells you it is "the answer" to all of your problems, is the one to avoid. Whether it be keto, low carb, elimination, vegan, plant based, juice fast, 5:2 etc, etc....the one similarity between ALL of these diet plans is.....calorie restriction. There is NOTHING magical about any of these methods. Calorie restriction leads to weight loss over time, it is that simple. Whichever method you find the easiest to stick with is the one that you should choose.
5 COMMON DIETING MISTAKES
No.1 - Eating too little
Things have got better over the years, but so many diets are still expecting women to function on 1200-1500 calories a day alongside increasing their daily movement. Low calorie diets along with increased movement can lead to difficulty managing hunger. This is especially true when a low calorie diet is also low in nutrients. When dieting for weight loss, nutrition becomes even more important.
No.2 - Not tracking intake
If you are not assessing, you are only guessing. When it comes to dieting, humans are notoriously good at under-reporting. The MOST EFFECTIVE diet plan includes tracking food intake. It doesn't have to be forever but it is necessary when establishing new habits. Track religiously for a whole month and see how things change. Tracking will help you to determine the perfect deficit for you. You cannot estimate your needs by guessing alone. There are numerous tracking apps such as MyFitnessPal and Easy Diet diary. Go to the app store and find one that suits your needs.
No.3 - Eating too little protein
When losing weight our preference is to lose body fat and keep muscle mass. In reality, both types of tissue are broken down for energy during a weight loss diet. Muscle mass is metabolically active meaning it uses calories at rest whereas fat mass is not. Eating sufficient protein when dieting will decrease the amount of muscle tissue used for energy. The benefit to you is more muscle tissue for strength and function and less impact on your metabolic rate post dieting. Your protein needs are anywhere between 1.6-2.2g per kg of bodyweight per day.
No.4 - Demonising certain foods
Yes, we want most of our food to come from whole-food, nourishing sources when dieting, but failing to factor in some delicious treat foods is a fast train to failure. A 'healthy diet' includes foods that we enjoy and gain pleasure from, we are human after all. Understanding your energy needs and how to portion control treats can mean the difference between sticking with the plan and falling off the horse.
No.5 - Not dieting at the weekend
The weekend is a time to relax and enjoy life, especially if you have a busy schedule. But it is also the time when many individuals eat all of the calories they cut out during the week and a few more. The weekend is the perfect opportunity to use this free time to make better food choices and move/exercise more. Some individuals like to eat out more often at the weekend, making it more challenging to stick to a tight calorie budget. Remember that you can track your total calorie intake across a whole 7-day period, giving yourself a few extra calories each day at the weekend and a few less calories each day during the week to balance it out. This NOT the same as starving yourself the day after an unplanned blowout. This is strategically planning for the life you want to live that will support you to reach your goals.
There are many more reasons than the ones above but these are the most common ones that I see. What do you struggle with most? What strategies do you have in place to support your weight loss efforts?
Weight loss can be difficult and you are going to feel hungry and fed-up at times
This is a normal part of the process, but strategically planned and executed weight loss will be more effective in managing hunger and reducing many of the other unwanted side effects of reduced energy intake.
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Having a support system to help you with your weight loss goals is more likely to lead to your success over the longterm.
