Testing It Up

A feature on WebMD shared a number of diet mistakes that people make, which lead to frustrating and unsuccessful weight loss efforts – and how to ensure that one is able to avoid them.

One of the most common pitfalls in dieting is going for the crash diet. When one simply has to fit into that Dolce LBD that one found on sale, then the temptation to go on a “lose-10-pounds-fast-and-easy” diet that calls for nothing but grapefruit or soup can be quite tempting.

Crash diets, however, work only up to a certain point – and then you end up with a body that burns calories more slowly, after getting used to having so little calories to burn. Losing weight, therefore, should not be an overnight thing; it should be done gradually, and should be planned for.

Another diet mistake that people should watch out for is mindless munching. Sure you are careful about what you eat during regular meals, but are you holding off on that piece of donut with your mid-morning coffee, or that slice of chocolate cake with afternoon tea? It is advisable to take note of anything that passes through your palate – including those foods in between meals.

That being said, however, it does not mean that one should give up on snacking entirely. Thoughtful snacking may actually help you melt those extra pounds away; protein-rich snacks actually boost your metabolism. WebMD shared that dieters who eat several small, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day, and are more likely to control hunger and lose weight.

Those who have been in the same situation know it all too well – you have been following every possible weight-loss technique in the book, but that scale dial seems to be stuck at a place that is nowhere near your end goal. Frustration is eating you away, and you can do nothing but stare helplessly at those inspiration jeans that you bought – and still cannot get into.

A feature on WebMD shares possible reasons as to why you cannot seem to reach your weight loss goals.

Doing crash diets. Losing weight – and keeping that lost weight of – cannot be achieved in an instant, so a crash diet that entails reducing calorie intake to less than a thousand a day can lead to weight loss, but will not allow you to sustain it. Eating very few calories trains the metabolism to slow down, resulting in a body that burns calories more slowly, and causes it to gain weight quickly.

Skipping breakfast. Breakfast is the easiest meal of the day to skip, and one may think that it is a good way to cut down on the calories. Skipping the first meal of the day, however, will lead to hunger for the rest of the day – and unplanned snacking.

Giving up on snacks. Losing weight is not about not eating – it is about eating smart, and eating right. Well-planned snacking on the right foods, at the right amount, can help you manage your hunger throughout the day and result in less calorie intake overall – without the unsatisfied hunger pangs. Snacking, especially on protein-rich foods such as nuts, will also help you keep your metabolism high.