We’ve compiled a list of dieting mistakes that you need to avoid making. Most of these mistakes are commonly made. Some of them are easy to recover from but others can be a little trickier to fix, so are best to be avoided altogether.
Firstly, avoid any diet that makes you stick only to one type of food. Cabbage diets spring to mind, for example. Eating only one type of food not only leaves you lacking in vital nutrients, it also makes you bored and frustrated at mealtimes and makes you more likely to break your diet. Making small changes and having a healthy diet overall is better than a massively different diet.
Choose a diet where you can opt for various different types of food, and make sure that your chosen diet allows for snacking, because humans are designed to graze and if you plan to cut out snacks altogether it will only lead to failure. Just make sure you choose healthy snacks.
Don’t cut out the foods you like or make them totally forbidden. On any sensible diet, you should be able to have treats in moderation. Try to swap your favourite treats for the healthiest version of them, such as chocolate bars for proper dark chocolate. After a while, your tastes will change.
Importantly, you must track what you eat. There are apps that you can get for your phone, or simply use the internet and do a search for a diet tracker so that you take a note of what you are eating. It will help keep your eating in check.
Tying in with the point above, you must set a goal for your dieting so that you know what you are working towards. Set an achievable goal so that you can work towards it.
Finally, try not to weigh or measure yourself every day. Your weight fluctuates each day anyway and you can be unnecessarily frustrated or complacent. Weighing and measuring once per week is about right, and don’t forget to write down what your results are so that you can track your progress.