3 Diet Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight

There must be a reason why some struggle to lose weight while for others it seems like the weight just falls right off. It seems like losing weight comes easy for some and harder for others. What is a dieter to do?

Avoid these three mistakes for starters.

Mistake 1 - Having unrealistic weight loss goals or expectations. If you want to look like one of the guys on the cover of Muscle & Fitness in 90 days but have 100 pounds to lose, you are fooling yourself. An important aspect of writing goals is to make them realistic and achievable. When goals are achievable you won't give up when the going gets tough. Giving up is the last thing you want to do when trying to lose weight.

What to do instead: Make more realistic goals that are achievable. If you have a big weight loss goal like losing 100 pounds, break it down into smaller increments. At first, aim for losing a couple pounds a week. Build on your success. The more weight you lose the more confidence you will have.

Mistake 2 - Giving up too soon. Different people have different results. If you and a girlfriend are both on a quest to get healthier and get thinner, but she is losing weight faster, don't beat up on yourself. Keep reminding yourself that weight fluctuates. You could weight yourself tomorrow morning, and then the next day, and the weight will most likely be different. Give your girlfriend a high five for her success and later celebrate your success.

What to do instead: Stick it out. No matter what you face when dieting, give it you're A game. When things get tough remember all the people that love you and want you around for many years to come. That should be more than enough motivation especially if you have kids.

Mistake 3 - Not eating enough. You would think eating less would actually help you lose weight since you are eating fewer calories. In turn, you have fewer calories to burn off. But that is far from the truth. Your body needs a certain amount of nutrients; you are most likely not getting them when you don't eat enough calories.

What to do instead: Eat the correct amount of calories for your height, weight, and age. Starving yourself is not healthy weight loss. If you are not eating enough calories you are actually causing your metabolism to slow down. This is the exact thing you don't want. This will cause weight gain. Not exactly the results you were looking for?

Bottom Line? When you are trying to lose weight it is not always easy, but hang in there. There is light at the end of the weight loss tunnel. Allow what you eat to help you instead of hinder you.

Matthew Beavers is the author of Lean Sexy Abs. A free report for men and women to help them to with their weight loss efforts. Grab your complimentary copy at http://fitnessandnutritionsolutions.com today.

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