How to Avoid Mistakes While on a Diet

Setting goals helps focus on the objective and persist over time. Most diets achieve an average weight loss of 5%-10% of the pre-diet weight, while most people expect to lose two to three times that amount. Exaggerated expectations and short-term thinking lead to seeking "magic" quick weight loss methods, which ultimately worsen the situation. An average weight loss of about half a kilogram per week might seem slow, but annually, a weight loss of 25 kilograms is very significant. If you find it difficult to set a realistic goal yourself, consult professionals.

Studies show that people who regularly eat breakfast maintain a healthier weight compared to those who skip it. Breakfast is likely the most important meal of the day, improving concentration and enhancing problem-solving abilities—not just for children at school but for adults at work as well.

You may be careful with your meals, eating what is needed and counting calories, but what about all the small snacks that are quite costly? The calories they contribute might double or even triple your daily caloric intake and damage any carefully planned diet.

Set for yourself 3 main meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and 2 to 3 snacks. Eat only at these times. Try brushing your teeth after every meal; this might delay the next snack. Try keeping a food diary in which you record everything that goes into your mouth. This will alert you to foods you may have ignored until now.

Research has found that people who consume 2 to 3 snacks a day have better control over their hunger and daily caloric intake. Snacks help maintain the body's metabolic rate.

Low-fat food products can contribute to diet success. However, low-fat food is not necessarily low-calorie. Instead, prefer a slice of real cake or a square of non-low-fat chocolate.

Before choosing a product, read the fine print table. This way, you can compare similar products and choose the one that best suits you. It is important to know that the first ingredient is the one present in the largest quantity, and the last one is present in the smallest.

Some people forget to count the calories from drinks during a weight loss diet. This is a mistake! A can of sweet drink, coffee with whipped cream, or many alcoholic beverages contain a large amount of calories and do not create a feeling of fullness. Drink water or soda with a bit of lemon, cold water with herbs (mint, sage, lemongrass), or a diet drink. Drink regular coffee, not one based on high-fat milk powder, but with milk, and don't forget to add the caloric content from alcoholic drinks to your daily calorie count.

Recent studies indicate that people who consume calcium and dairy products have a lower body weight compared to their peers who avoid dairy products. Additionally, it was found that eating at least 3 servings of low-fat dairy products a day, as part of a balanced calorie-reduced diet, is more effective for weight loss, reducing body fat percentage, and maintaining the new weight over time. This is compared to merely reducing the number of calories, with or without dairy products, and compared to adding calcium supplements. The hypothesis is that the unique combination of calcium with additional nutrients found in milk accelerates metabolism and improves the body's ability to burn fats.
Track your weight trend for several weeks. Set realistic weekly challenges that can range between half a kilogram to one kilogram per week.

Physical activity is not only intended to burn calories but also to make us feel better. It doesn't have to be exhausting and intense; even a walk on the beach, bike riding, swimming in the sea, walking down the street, and climbing stairs do the job.

Dieting is a lifestyle! A healthy and enjoyable lifestyle that includes proper nutrition, physical activity, and a lot of enjoyment. Healthy food can certainly be tasty. To succeed and stick with a diet, it should be comprised of a variety of tasty foods we love.
There is no need to avoid foods we love; that's the mistake! If you find it hard to give up a certain food, even if it's not diet-friendly, eat it occasionally, don't avoid it entirely. Don't give up your daily treat. Restraint and abstinence are temporary solutions that are hard to maintain over time.
Surveys conducted in Israel and worldwide show that nutrition experts believe that incorporating fun foods into a balanced diet can help with diet success and long-term adherence.