Diet Pitfalls 2

Last week we discussed five diet pitfalls you may be making.   Here are four more diet pitfalls to be aware of.  These are from  9 Things You Should Never Do When Starting a Diet.   If you are trying to take off a few pounds, be aware of some diet mistakes you might be making.  As I noted last week, so many people start a diet, then go “off” the diet.  Rather the focus should be on changing your eating habits and your exercise habits. It is a lifestyle change to a healthier you.   Change your habits and you can be a healthier you.   

Diet Tips – Don’t make these mistakes (continued):

Mistake #6 – Don’t Keep your Diet Goals a Secret

Hiding your “diet” from everyone may actually make it harder to stick to it.  Go out to eat and your friends will keep asking you to “have another bite” or let’s try a dessert.  Get a “diet buddy” or an “exercise buddy” to help you stick to your action plan.  When you are tempted to go off your plan, call your “diet buddy”.  Have someone there to cheer you on.  For many years I walked at lunch with 2 friends.  We almost never missed – rain, we walked.  Snow, we walked.  It really helped having friends to share the walk with.  So, find a “diet buddy” to share your successes with and to help you through the tempting times.  

Find a walking buddy

Mistake #7:  Exercise Yes, but Change Your Diet too

Exercise is so important in adopting a healthier lifestyle.  But exercise alone won’t take off all the pounds.  And choose the right exercise.  You want to add some strength training to keep toned and to change that fat into muscle.  Muscle burns more calories than fat so building up some muscle will actually help you burn more calories all day long.  Ladies – toning up is important for ladies too.  One doesn’t have to lift barbells to be toned.  Work with a personal trainer and do some machines for your legs and some for your arms.  At a recent family get together, I noticed how toned my sister-in-law was.  She said she had been working with a personal trainer.  If you prefer group classes, join an aerobics class to not only tone but to burn the calories.  Or add some walking into your day.  At work, take a walk at lunch with friends.  Walk around the office – go talk to someone instead of sending an email.  Build more walking into your day.

Mistake #8:  The Scale Isn’t the Only Measure of Your Weight Loss Success

You may be adding muscle and losing fat, but the scale may not show it yet.  Muscle weighs more than fat.  You also want to focus on health goals like lowering your blood pressure, getting your cholesterol in normal limits.  Focus on your overall health and not just the number on the scale.  Some weight loss diets promise quick weight loss.  These quack diets can result in dropping a few pounds at first. But some of this is water loss.  Go off the quack diet and the water is retained and you are back where you started.  Focus on healthy lifestyle changes and your health will improve, you’ll have more energy and the number on the scale will also show results.

Mistake #9:  Don’t Go ON A DIET

Stop the roller coaster ride of “on the diet” then “off the diet”.  One really shouldn’t go “off” the diet.  Your “diet” should be learning healthier ways of eating. That is why Weight Watcher’s is such a good plan for losing weight.  They teach you better eating habits and promote exercise.  Once you learn healthier eating habits, you won’t need to go “off” the diet as it will be the way you eat everyday and not just on “diet days”. 

We looked at 5 diet pitfalls last week.  If you missed them, go here to read about them:  Diet Pitfalls.  What diet mistakes are you making?  Take one “mistake” or pitfall and try to change it for one week.  The following week, work on another diet mistake or pitfall.  Soon you will have changed a lot of pitfalls and have developed healthier habits.  If you would like to read about more “traps” you may be falling into, check out 16 Diet Plan Pitfalls That Can Be Easily Prevented.  Even more traps you may be falling into that sabotage your healthy eating goals.   

Last week we discussed diets that give up an entire food group.  So many people have given up dairy.  We need dairy for calcium and vitamin D, not to mention the high-quality protein dairy provides.  If you have given up dairy, time to add some back to your diet.  Bring a yogurt to lunch every day this week.  Good for your bones, good for your gut and good for your overall health.

Sources:  9 Things You Should Never Do When Starting a Diet, Diet Pitfalls,  16 Diet Plan Pitfalls That Can Be Easily Prevented   Image source:  exercise, walking, Healthy Eating