4 Common Diet Mistakes
ByAll too often, we make mistakes we may not even be aware of that can really sabotage our weight loss efforts. Here are a few of them:
1. Drinking Liquid Calories – Many people don’t realize how many calories they are consuming in the beverages they choose. Regular sodas, fruit juices, purchased coffees and alcohol can contain many calories and make weight loss very difficult. Research shows that these calories do very little to satisfy our hunger and may actually cause our hunger to increase.
2. Skipping Meals – Skipping breakfast is the most common mistake that many individuals make. They think that they are cutting back on their calories to enhance weight loss and don’t realize that they are setting themselves up to overeat later that day.
3. Underestimating Calories – Extra bites of food throughout the day really add up! We need to figure in all the extra taste testing we do at meal times and the foods we “pick on” during the day. Consider adding 25 calories for every extra bite of food that you take during the day.
4. Taking Weekends Off – We can destroy all our efforts made during the week by consuming many calories on the weekend. Every day is as important as the next and must be considered in our overall weight loss plan. This strategy will set us up for a long-term lifestyle change that will enable us to maintain our weight loss.
Stay tuned as Claire and Dr. Clark share some advice on how to eliminate or minimize these mistakes in your everyday life.
Learn about the key components of the weight loss program at CMH.
There many different reasons why individuals “put off” losing weight. Some have had bad experiences with fad diets and false promises, some don’t know how to start a weight loss plan, some feel like failures from previous experiences, some have lost motivation, some believe that they will never be able to eat the foods they enjoy ever again, etc. Many of us know that it is going to take work to change behaviors that have become second nature to us over the years………….so we make excuses as we are not prepared to make losing weight a priority.
It is not uncommon to feel like a failure when you find yourself constantly stopping and starting your weight loss plan. It is important to recognize every backward slip as an opportunity to learn so that the same mistakes are not repeated. Keeping motivated when you find yourself slipping back to old habits is crucial for long-term success. Listen to my next podcast as I will be explainijng the 9 skills you need to know to stay motivated. Don’t ever quit on yourself. It may take you a little longer to get to your destination but you can do it! Claire
Thank you for the wonderful weekly podcasts and daily success tips on your Facebook account (through Dr. Clark’s Connection). It is as if you are speaking directly to me. I particularly like the podcast last week about the “deprived sneaker” since I suffer from this at times. Also the tip about the “all or nothing” phenomenom on Facebook today really describes how I think sometimes.
I know a lot of people who are waiting for the “right time” to lose weight and live the life they really want. Why is it that so common? What can people do about it? What can keep us from “waiting for success”? I wish I knew – it is easy to feel like a failure when you start and stop often and don’t seem to be able to commit to a long term plan.
If you find that you are sabotaging your weight loss efforts by drinking your calories, you may want to consider cutting back slowly by replacing some of your drinks with a viable alternative such as bottled water, flavored water and/or diet soda. There are many wonderful herbal teas and coffees that don’t have all the sugary syrups and whipped cream toppings. If you are unable to cut back, you may have to eliminate them completely.
Skipping meals sets you up for disaster. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and can be as simple as a protein shake or bar as you are running out the door. Keeping your blood sugar level stable by adding healthy snacks and meals throughout the day will give you added energy and prevent you from bingeing later on.
Keeping a food journal and writing down every morsel that passes your lips will make you aware of all those extra calories that are damaging your weight loss efforts. Honesty is key! If you find yourself doing a lot of “taste testing” while you are preparing meals – consider chewing gum instead.
It’s fun to add variety to our meals on the weekends because we usually have more time to prepare. Planning ahead will help to keep you on track. You may consider writing down everything you intend to eat on the weekend and then mentally rehearse as to how you intend to conduct your meals and snacks. If you find yourself eating a little more than you would during the week, add extra activity. Weekend strolls with the family can be very enjoyable.