Here are the 3 mistakes you need to avoid when dieting so you can avoid self-sabotage.
When going through a diet, sometimes, it looks like nothing you’re doing is working.
It is possible you need to correct certain self-defeating behaviors before you can achieve sustained weight loss motivation.
Even with the plethora of weight loss information available, dieting mistakes are still being made repeatedly.
Little indulgences, like a slice of your favorite pie or a bar of chocolate, aren’t going to torpedo your overall weight loss goals.
However, the wrong mindset will.
Succeeding in a diet regimen is more than just the right kind of food and exercise.
You also need the right kind of attitude to sustain the long-term effort required to succeed in achieving your weight loss goals.
3 Dieting Mistakes Beginners Make
3. The All-or-Nothing Attitude Dieter
The “all or nothing” attitude is a DEFCON level of commitment to the dieting program. Dieters make the process too complicated to stick to.
Rather than allowing anything that isn’t included in the plan, they raid the kitchen for all unacceptable food items and promptly bin them.
Kitchen and stomach empty, the mission becomes to set a precedent for the most elite of disciplined and “perfect” dieters.
This kind of extreme process might work for a day, a week, or even a month but it will eventually fail.
The All-or-Nothing dieter would rather hang than acknowledge it’s natural to crave something on the “forbidden foods” list.
All-or-Nothing dieters delude themselves into thinking they have more self-control than even the most prominent weight-loss gurus.
So what happens next? The All-or-Nothing dieter starts feeling the sting of deprivation and eats something delightfully taboo.
Once they realized that they’ve eaten the wrong thing, they feel as if they’ve failed completely.
Why not go out and buy a quart or two of ice cream, a few bags of chips, and other snacks since they already blew it?
Within a short time, those hard-lost pounds are back and probably bringing a few of their friends.
If you’re this type of dieter, you need to ask yourself this question: Are you in it to permanently lose weight, or do you enjoy suffering from losing a few pounds only to gain them back?
If the answer is that you want a permanent and healthy weight loss solution, start by making incremental diet changes.
2. The Sacrificial Dieter
The “sacrificial dieter” is the one that views a diet as a period of selfless deprivation.
They sacrifice all the foods they love for a specified period of time to lose the extra weight.
While working towards their weight loss goals, they totally avoid all of their favorite foods.
These dieters might be successful and even able to reach their targeted weights, but what happens at the end?
This attitude towards dieting is only sustainable for so long.
You have sacrificed it all, learned nothing about incorporating “bad foods” in moderation into a diet plan, and inevitably you spiral out of control.
When that happens, the weight piles back on quickly. If you’re this type of dieter, pay attention to this recommendation.
Eat the foods you like in small quantities—even the bad ones, and yes, that includes chocolate!
I do not deprive myself of anything I want to eat. Check out my fitness story HERE.
1. Goal Failure Dieter
Setting goals and putting them in writing is part of the best diet plan practices unless the goal is too far away to achieve.
If you’re slightly overweight, it’s fine to set a goal for your ideal weight and go about accomplishing it with diet and exercise.
However, if you need to shed 50 pounds or more, it’s best to break your goals up into smaller milestones.
Trying to set a goal that is in the distant future is frustrating and often leads to diet relapse because you feel you’ll never reach your “ideal weight.”
It’s much easier to focus on losing two pounds per week than worrying about the entire bulk of excess weight at one time.
Some weeks might result in little loss or even a gained pound or two (especially when combining diet and exercise).
But if you chart the short-term progress, you’ll see that a little weight fluctuation is normal.
This will leave you feeling more encouraged than just plunging into a diet and exercise regimen without some short-term gratification.
Also, every time you reach a mini-goal, you’ll have a reason to celebrate success!
For help with sticking to fitness goals, check out the free fitness goals planner and worksheet available here.
You’re not alone if you’ve fallen into any of these categories of dieters. Don’t hate yourself and don’t bin the diet because you failed.
The best diet plan is one that allows you to revel in success and learn from your mistakes.
The only way to permanently lose weight is by moving past the minor blips and developing a consistent weight loss system.
Keep these 3 important diet goals in mind:-
- Commit to becoming a healthier person
- Enjoy the “bad” foods in moderation
- Avoid sketchy weight loss products
Remember that diet and exercise are the key components of permanent weight loss.
You may also find Reach Your Fitness Goals Faster With These 17 Tips useful on your fitness journey.
Pin It for Later – Top Dieting Mistakes to Avoid
Follow me on Pinterest for more fitness content, motivational quotes, and the best weight loss tips and tricks.
This post may contain affiliate links which means I will make a small commission if you purchase through those links. Read full disclosure HERE.