Top 10 Things Not to Do when Dieting

In today’s world of processed foods and sedentary lifestyle, turning obese is not a surprise. Weight loss is among the priority objectives of a large section of urban population now. Today, more people around the world engage in weight loss diet practices than ever before.

But, in spite of sincere and continuous efforts, results may not be satisfying for all. Causes for this can be wrong habits, low self control or a faulty diet program. Before starting off dieting, there are certain things which one should know so as to extract the maximum result out of it while putting in minimum effort. Various myths are associated with dieting which have boggled people around the globe for years now. Only few know the dos and don’ts of dieting correctly.

Therefore we bring to you a list of 10 things which are often done by people but should be refrained from, during the dieting period. These are listed as follows:

10. DO NOT FORGET TO COUNT CALORIES

One of the best ways to ensure that you are eating healthy as well as losing weight is to count your calories intake every day. The amount of calories you require each day depends on how fast you intend to lose your weight. It is best to take note of each calorie you consume. For example, do not forget to count the topping or the dressing of the salad you had. Same way, do not go for drinks with high calorie content. Knowing how much calories you are consuming helps you analyze each day of your diet regime.

9. DO NOT DIET ALONE

If you think you are strong headed enough to go for it all by yourself, think about it again. Dieting all alone without professional help or competition will make you lose interest in the long run. Joining gym under a good trainer or with a friend is a better idea. If you have people around you with the same objective as you, you will be constantly reminded and motivated for your task. Guidelines from a skilled professional can work wonders.

Why not you have a healthy weight loss competition with the people in your gym? It is definitely going to fetch better results.

8. DO NOT GO FOR DIET PILLS

Certain diet pills and potions available in market may attract you by making exaggerated promises but most likely they will prove ineffective. Over-the-counter diet pills may appear safe for once but the caffeine and diuretic content in them may lead to dehydration or electrolyte imbalance. They are both harmful and a waste of money.

The traditional way of dieting and exercising may appear troublesome and time consuming but there are no better and safe weight loss results than that. So do not get fooled by the false claims made by slimming pills and work hard for getting back in shape.

7. DO NOT DEHYDRATE YOURSELF

In their chase for weight loss, many diet conscious people forget the most essential element of their intake – Water. In fact, studies show that drinking more water helps you lose weight fast as it clears out toxins from your body and strengthens your metabolism. Water and other fluids like lime juice should be consumed within small time intervals to keep one hydrated throughout the day. Sipping in more water actually makes you feel full and less hungry. Dehydration, on the other hand, manifests hunger.

6. DO NOT GET OBSESSED WITH WORKOUT

Yes, exercising and working out is as important as dieting in order to lose fat but excess of everything is bad. For start, a 45 minute workout a day is enough to complement your diet regime. You may not spend hours at gym as it will only wear you down leaving you with no energy for the rest of the day. Injury, dehydration or electrolyte imbalance may also occur with such intense workout. Therefore do not exercise for more than an hour a day, no matter how badly you want to get rid of your body fat, but exercise every day.

5. DO NOT TAKE ANY STRESS

One should not get anxious or stressed about losing weight or else it may have an adverse effect. Medical studies say that anxiety may lead to overproduction of cortisol hormone which is responsible for weight gain, especially around that belly region. People also tend to resort to tobacco and alcohol when they are stressed, which again is a very bad idea if you are aiming to lose weight. So stay cool and you will lose weight faster.

4. DO NOT SET IMPRACTICAL TARGETS

This is one mistake which most people make. Most of you feel very motivated on day one of your diet regime when you set out your time bound weight loss targets. However it is NOT at all easy to keep going with the same motivation and enthusiasm when you progress. Therefore achieving lofty targets becomes very difficult, rather unrealistic.

It is recommended to set small goals for the first few weeks and then make them bigger as you get into the flow. There’s no use of setting goals which you can never reach. Only realistic targets can make you stick to your diet routine in the long run.

3. DO NOT MISS BREAKFAST

Breakfast, indeed, is the most important meal of the entire day. One should have breakfast within an hour of getting up since the body has not eaten for so many hours together. Having a good breakfast not only gives you energy but boosts up your metabolism as well. Missing breakfast means hurting your body and disturbing its metabolism, which means your body does not lose weight as efficiently as it can when you eat your morning meal. Even if you do not get time to have a rich breakfast, you may consume some fruits and nuts.

2. DO NOT STARVE

I have seen many people who totally cut out carbohydrates and fats from their diet, often starving themselves in order to lose weight faster. There are also people who go fasting for days together to get in shape. This is a very unhealthy idea and it will not do much other than making you sleepy, grouchy and unattractive. Plus it can really hurt your body.

It is advised by experts to keep eating small meals in shorter intervals of time so that the body feels full and does not crave for food. A person who starves himself with a very low carbohydrate diet often gives up out of hunger and eventually ends up eating more than usual.

1. DO NOT GIVE UP DIETING!

Dieting does not work for most people who are impatient and expect miracles or irrationally quick results. While dieting, you may face really frustrating times when you do not see any results even on putting in sincere efforts. But that should not disappoint you and you must understand that your body requires time to adjust to a new diet regime. If you know that your diet practices are not faulty, just continue with them without checking on your weight every other moment in anticipation.

Consistency is the key to weight loss. If you remain patient and stick to your routine, then it will become a habit for you. You would no more feel like you are dieting and gradually results would be visible.