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Top Dieting Mistakes
What you think about a diet and what is actually the truth about a diet are usually two very different things. Below we will examine 3 diet misconceptions and shed some light on the truth. Mistake Number 1: The quicker, the better... You see the headline on the cover of the popular fitness magazine that says lose 30 pounds in 30 days. What do they know that you don't? Well, really the only thing they know is how to sell a magazine. Losing 30 pounds in 30 days if even possible is actually one of the worst things you can do for your body.
The Real Story:
Most individuals can expect to drop about 1 to 2 pounds per week. Leaner folks should expect a slower rate of 0.5 to 1 pound per week since they have less fat to lose, while clinically obese individuals may be okay dropping weight at a slightly faster rate. Anything faster than that typically is indicative of a loss of muscle mass as well, which is not what we want. Losing muscle mass will actually slow your metabolism which will make it nearly impossible to keep the weight off or lose more in the future.
Mistake Number 2:Try the new super food...
Every month there seems to be a new super food. Usually on the cover of a magazine. Are you seeing a trend here? These are usually miracle cures that will instantly block fat or change your body chemistry etc.
The Real Story:
There are no magic formulas. When it comes to a fat loss diet it is required that you consume fewer calories than you burn. Beyond that, the quality of the calories do matter.
That steady diet of junk food you’ve been subsisting on for the past few years? That needs to be replaced. Eat more protein and especially more minimally processed foods. Get in your daily veggies. Maybe stop drinking all that soda. You want to step it up a notch? Start hitting the gym for weight training sessions. Use full body strength training and avoid the small muscle groups, or "vanity muscles". Remember, eating healthy is not the same as eating to lose weight. You can overdo anything, especially foods that are loaded with calories. (Even if they are “nutritious” calories.) Mistake Number 3:The harder it is, the better it works... This is a big one. Most of us will try to stick to a super restrictive diet for a period of time in order to get in shape for some event such as a wedding or a reunion. You cut out everything you enjoy and eat carrots all day or worse yet cabbage. This is the definition of insanity! The Real Story: Any time you start a healthy eating plan you should first ask yourself, can I stick with this forever? If not make some changes before it's too late. You are not going to eat cabbage every day for the rest of your life. You are also not going to avoid pizza forever. You have to find a way to make a better plan part of your lifestyle. It comes down to better choices really, not and all or nothing mentality. While its true you shouldn't be eating pizza several times per week, you can have a few slices on the weekend if that is a cheat day or at your child's birthday party. Many people assume that diets must necessarily feel hard in order to be successful, but that’s not the case at all. The goal is to continue to lose fat while making this journey as easy as possible. Don’t swear off your favorite treats for the rest of your because it will come back later to bite you. And it’s not going to feel good. Don’t slash your calories in half because there’s going to come a point when your progress is going to stall. You’ll then be forced to drop your calories further, and you’re really not going to have much wiggle room. Remember the key is to make better choices part of a lifestyle. If you burn more calories than you consume each day, you will lose weight.