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We've all been there. Dieting dilemmas. Can't stick to a plan, or curb the cycle of over and under eating. Here are 5 dieting mistakes that must be avoided. Some of these might be pretty obvious, yet they are mistakes that are committed time and time again. Dieting isn't super fun to begin with, so don't make it harder on yourself!
Mistake 1: CHOOSING A DIET PLAN THAT IS UNSUSTAINABLE
We live in an age of instant gratification. People often choose diets that promise immediate progress, but which end up being too restrictive regarding what and how much they can eat. Long-term effectiveness should be the first thing to consider when starting a diet program. Ask yourself whether you can sustain this way of eating over time, and maybe even forever.
Mistake 2: ENGAGE IN PROGRAM HOPPING
Program hopping is when people jump from one program to another without giving any one program a real chance to succeed. They do this hoping to find faster results or an easier way of achieving the same results. Motivation sets your efforts in motion; discipline sustains them. It's very important to give a program 100 percent, and that means going the distance. That's the only way to know if it truly works for you or not. If it doesn't, change things up. Many nutrition programs and philosophies will work if followed to their logical end.
Mistake 3: CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT
As many of us know, consistency is the most important factor in any type of success within a nutrition program, regardless of the goal. Following a program, say, 50-85 percent of the time won't cut it. While many dieters believe they are giving it an honest effort compared to their old habitual diet, they are nowhere near 100 percent compliant with their new diet. It's important to follow a program at least 90 percent of the time to get results, and that's provided that 10 percent does not consist of overindulging on cheat meals/days.
Mistake 4: YO-YO DIETARY HABITS
Yo-yo dieting can be defined in a few ways, but in general it is going from one extreme to the other with calorie intake—in most cases, calorie restriction followed by overeating. This can be days to weeks on a restrictive plan followed by days to weeks of overeating, although in some cases, these swings occur daily. If you fall off a program, get right back on it. No guilt or negative feelings. The past is the past. The only focus should be what you are going to do next.
Mistake 5: SETTING UNREALISTIC EXPECATIONS
Making unrealistic expectations for the rate of weight loss or muscle gain will lead only to frustration, disappointment, and ultimately, failure. People end up quitting because they feel the work that they put in is not worth what they are receiving in return. The hard truth with weight loss and lean-mass gain is that it takes place over a significant amount of time, and that can be a hard truth to accept.
Try and keep these ideas in mind for your next diet plan to maximize your results!
GD
Mistake 1: CHOOSING A DIET PLAN THAT IS UNSUSTAINABLE
We live in an age of instant gratification. People often choose diets that promise immediate progress, but which end up being too restrictive regarding what and how much they can eat. Long-term effectiveness should be the first thing to consider when starting a diet program. Ask yourself whether you can sustain this way of eating over time, and maybe even forever.
Mistake 2: ENGAGE IN PROGRAM HOPPING
Program hopping is when people jump from one program to another without giving any one program a real chance to succeed. They do this hoping to find faster results or an easier way of achieving the same results. Motivation sets your efforts in motion; discipline sustains them. It's very important to give a program 100 percent, and that means going the distance. That's the only way to know if it truly works for you or not. If it doesn't, change things up. Many nutrition programs and philosophies will work if followed to their logical end.
Mistake 3: CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT
As many of us know, consistency is the most important factor in any type of success within a nutrition program, regardless of the goal. Following a program, say, 50-85 percent of the time won't cut it. While many dieters believe they are giving it an honest effort compared to their old habitual diet, they are nowhere near 100 percent compliant with their new diet. It's important to follow a program at least 90 percent of the time to get results, and that's provided that 10 percent does not consist of overindulging on cheat meals/days.
Mistake 4: YO-YO DIETARY HABITS
Yo-yo dieting can be defined in a few ways, but in general it is going from one extreme to the other with calorie intake—in most cases, calorie restriction followed by overeating. This can be days to weeks on a restrictive plan followed by days to weeks of overeating, although in some cases, these swings occur daily. If you fall off a program, get right back on it. No guilt or negative feelings. The past is the past. The only focus should be what you are going to do next.
Mistake 5: SETTING UNREALISTIC EXPECATIONS
Making unrealistic expectations for the rate of weight loss or muscle gain will lead only to frustration, disappointment, and ultimately, failure. People end up quitting because they feel the work that they put in is not worth what they are receiving in return. The hard truth with weight loss and lean-mass gain is that it takes place over a significant amount of time, and that can be a hard truth to accept.
Try and keep these ideas in mind for your next diet plan to maximize your results!
GD
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