50 biggest dieting mistakes

Guilty of 15 of these. Naughty naughty naughty.

But I have a plan. I'm getting back on that wagon WITH A VENGEANCE!!!
 
It's an educational list...

I'm guilty of entirely too many of them - especially the self-esteem related ones..

.but this one... made me laugh

37. Refusing to read self-improvement materials on a regular basis.
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George Carlin has the best comment regarding self-help books... "The part I really don’t understand is if you’re looking for self-help, why would you read a book written by somebody else? That’s not self-help, that’s help. There's no such thing as self help if you did it yourself, you didn't need help."
 
4. Weighing in more than once a week.

5. Not drinking enough water.

48. Not taking vitamins and proper supplements.

prob my worse ones. But... 4. I have solved with the FSD. 5. I started solving this week.. and 48. I will solve when i get to my nearest drug store. :)
 
Don't you worry kateybaby :) I'm guilty of almost every single last one.. Except the one over calorie obsession and weighing yourself..

That's ok though you guys.. Bad habits are there to change.. Gives you something to do in life ;)

By the way.. Both Vitamin C and Calcium have been proven to aid in your body to lose weight.. so don't knock them.. You’ll be amazed what happens to your body when all the right nutrients are received..
Your skin, your hair, eyes.. Everything looks much better

xxxx

Thanks for the good words and encouraging notes on my 1st letter you guys.. You work like an inner search light on people..

Cheers :D
 
*diet police knock on Bronski's door, kick down the door, yank her off the computer, handcuff her, and take her away*

Nooooooooooooo! I can change...!

Bronsk (guilty as charged)
 
Nice one Bronsk !! :D

I counted, I have been guilty of 40 of them in the past (not all at once I hasten to add!)

But on this attempt, just four :rolleyes: .

4 - weighing in more than once a week (just ask the FSD, but I have promised to change!!)
15 - finishing every last bit, even when full (I may try to leave one spoonful of whatever i eat for a while, until I can break this habit of a lifetime)
24 - thinking they are unattractive (must try to be more positive and less hard on my self)
48 - not taking supplements (its funny, I can cycle 10 miles, but getting round to swallowing a little tablet? Must try harder ;) )

Now I have recognised these I can start dealing with them. Thanks Wonderwoman! (I feel like a townsperson in a comic :D )
 
Great List,
I think that number 1 and number 2 are probably the most important, must of us go into a diet for the short term, knowing full well that obesity is a chronic problem. Find something that you could do for the rest of your life and do it. No one can eat cabbage soup everyday.
 
All adverts I see for vitamins have the same stock phrase - ' Vitamin and mineral supplements may be beneficial to children and the elderly '. Does that mean that other groups do not need them.

But I have also heard that when you exercise, you use up more vitamins, so maybe you do need to supplement :confused:
 
I think that obsessing about calories is bad, but until you fully understand and realise the number of calories you are consuming from the minute you get out of bed to the minute you go back to bed after the midnight snack - I don't think you can be successful with your diet or lifestyle change. For those who have read my extremely long newbie intro lol - you have a glimpse as to what plan I'm on. I have to keep a journal that details the food, the calories, the protein, the carbs, the fiber and the fat from everything i eat each day. Until I did this, I HAD NO IDEA TRULY what I was consuming. It's amazing. So while obsessing is bad, having a reality check is good.

Obsessing over weighing is also not good, but it also depends on your personality type. I see my doctor every Monday or Wednesday. During the middle of the week, I start to feel the 'this is pointless, must binge'. So I get on the scale and say WOW I lost 2lbs or 3lbs or whatever - and I'm re-focused. It gives me that bit of boost that I need.
 
25. Not living each day to the fullest. Thinking that will come when they are thinner.


This is definitely me...
 
Word. To me, #25 seems like the most obvious problem--putting your life on hold, having the idea that you'll be the "real you" when you've taken the pounds off. I'm absolutely guilty of that, and it's really destructive.
 
Epi said:
I think that obsessing about calories is bad, but until you fully understand and realise the number of calories you are consuming from the minute you get out of bed to the minute you go back to bed after the midnight snack - I don't think you can be successful with your diet or lifestyle change. For those who have read my extremely long newbie intro lol - you have a glimpse as to what plan I'm on. I have to keep a journal that details the food, the calories, the protein, the carbs, the fiber and the fat from everything i eat each day. Until I did this, I HAD NO IDEA TRULY what I was consuming. It's amazing. So while obsessing is bad, having a reality check is good.

Obsessing over weighing is also not good, but it also depends on your personality type. I see my doctor every Monday or Wednesday. During the middle of the week, I start to feel the 'this is pointless, must binge'. So I get on the scale and say WOW I lost 2lbs or 3lbs or whatever - and I'm re-focused. It gives me that bit of boost that I need.
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I agree. Most of this advice is awesome, but I think #3 needs work or should be elaborated on. It's very important to reduce your intake of calories--in fact, it's the one thing all successful diets share in common. According to studies it's the only thing that will make you lose fat if you are a woman (guys can lose a little through exercise for some reason but most women have a harder time and need to reduce cals).

What I think #3 should say is when you first start working on calories and diet, not to be obsessed with getting down to the max amount from day 1. It takes a little time for body and mind to adjust to new eating habits, and you have to do things gradually or you will feel hungry and end up over-eating to compensate.

For me, tracking my calories has been a big contributor to weight loss. Years ago I used it to lose and keep off 60 pounds for over 5 years. When I gained back 40 pounds this year due to health problems, I have been using calorie counting again and lost over 10 pounds so far without feeling hungry.

As far as weighing goes, I don't think it's terrible to weigh yourself a couple times a week, but when you first start on weight reduction--or if you hit a plateau--it helps to hide the scale and keep the weighing down to once every couple weeks (or even once a month). Sometimes the body needs a little time to kick into weightloss mode and if you don't see the pounds coming off right away it can be very discouraging.

It is very important to keep the balance right, though. The problems with becoming too obsessive when losing weight isn't just because you can become frusterated and go off your diet. It is also bad because you can stay obsessed and become suseptible to a dangerous eating disorder after you hit your goal weight.

This isn't uncommon for those of us who have eating disorders to begin with (like emotional over-eating and binging). The first time I lost, I surpassed my goal weight and became border ana. I was 103--just under a healthy weight for my height, but my skeletal system is built broad and it was a very BAD look on me. I also was not healthy at all. I got sick all the time, felt weak and had troubles sleeping.

Luckily, my husband had a talk with me, and forced me to look in the mirror and see that my face was starting to look skeletal. I stopped counting calories and got into distance running instead. I gained some weight back in muscle and ended up looking (and FEELING) better than I ever did when I was dieting alone. :)

One of my relatives went through something like that--but even more extreme. He went from from being obese during his childhood and young adulthood to becoming dangerously anorexic. He ended up in a hospital and had to be retaught how to view food so he didn't die.

He then refocused his obsession into making his body HEALTHY--instead of just skinny. He started weight-training and now competes as a body builder instead (but his wife keeps on him to prevent him from over-exercising--which can be another unhealthy obsession).

I apologize for rambling... Most of us here are still working on getting to our goal weights and may not have to worry about this when we get there, but I had to share this... It's really important to remember these things once we get to our GWs so we all stay healthy (and HAPPY) afterwords.
 
wonderwoman said:
this is according to ediets:

50 mistakes made by dieters

4. Weighing in more than once a week. - I was guilty of this one when I first started losing.

5. Not drinking enough water. - Something I'm working on.

6. Drinking sugar-laden drinks, such as lemonade, sodas, gourmet coffees, fruity blends, etc. - I still drink coffee but one a day and I cut out soft drinks entirely.

7. Eating more bread, pasta and potatoes than proteins, lean meats, fruits and vegetables. - I still have plenty of carbs like pasta and bread, but I've portioned it down to smaller sizes and usually try to walk it off after.

8. Consuming processed foods more often than fresh foods. - Was definitely guilty of this one. Since I've moved out I've been buying fresh fruits and vegies and eating them instead of buying processed foods.

10. Having a negative, defeatist attitude. - I've done this one- I've been a member of so many gyms and every time I let something get to me I get a negative attitude and lose my resolve. This is one of the first times I haven't let it happen.

13. Not having a plan. - Oh yeah...Definitely guilty as charged. I do now, but at the beginning I had no structure.

14. Not being aware of the nutritional benefits or harm of what they consume. - I never gave it a second thought until recently.

15. Finishing every last bite even after they are full. - This is probably what I'm the most guilty of doing...

16. Going back for seconds. - Done it....many times.

17. Eating at all-you-can-eat buffets and getting their money's worth. - Cut down on doing it, but still do it once in a while..

18. Skipping breakfast. - Been much better lately.

20. Bingeing after falling off the wagon and then waiting until tomorrow to get back on track. - Oh Gosh, yes!!

24. Thinking they are unattractive. - Yep. I have sabotaged myself a few times thinking like that.

27. Not finishing tasks they start. - As I've said...several gym memberships, several cancelled memberships.

31. Thinking of exercise as a must do or chore. - I still feel that way sometimes, but more often than not I make sure I make it interesting to keep motivated.

33. Indulging in alcohol often. - I used to, but lately I've cut down my alcohol intake.

35. Watching television more than one hour a day. - I have no tv at my new place, so lately haven't done it much lately.

44. Not having vegetables and/or fruit with each meal. - Was really bad for this one...

45. Serving more carbohydrates than any other food group for meals. - Done that!

49. Consuming fast food on a regular basis. - My first year living on my own was full of fast food consumption and weight gain.

If you see yourself in any of these mistakes, then it is time to change. After all, what do you have to lose?!
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I completely agree with you on the above....its been time to make a change for years now but I procrastinated and no better time than now!!

~ Sara Maria ~
 
Of the original list, I nominate the following as favourite mistakes often made in attempted weight loss (I had to narrow down!):

1st Prize goes to: 19. Starving all day, thinking it’s the only way to lose weight.
2nd: 18. Skipping breakfast.
3rd: 46. Thinking dieting -- not total lifestyle change -- will lead to lasting weight loss.
4th: 22. Not believing they have the ability to change
 
Great List

I am new to this Forum and just found this list!
Wonderful:D I think I answered yes to 80%
I'm so happy, because I had a feeling it was me and not so much the diet plans. That list confirmed it- I'm mental about dieting
(now I see things different)
Thanks :)
 
I am guilty of numbers:

1, 3, 4, 13, 14, 15, 19, 21, 24, 31, 34, 47

38: I have already attempted to loose weight about three or four times in my life, the last time because I wanted to be fit to become a police officer... but this time, I have far more reasons... girls :D

Thirteen in total... that's not very good...
 
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