The 8 biggest diet mistakes we ALL make, from eating too many nuts and seeds to avoiding fats and weighing ourselves daily

  • Nutritionist Rob Hobson says basic mistakes jeopardise our weight loss
  • They include completely cutting our carbs instead of adding them to meals
  • Advises people to cook from scratch instead of relying on diet meals  
  • And never go to a social event without a strategy on how to eat healthily

Come January, the number on the scales has crept up and most of us are looking to slim down.

According to nutritionist Rob Hobson, most of us are jeopardising our dieting efforts by making simple mistakes.

Some of us give up fat and/or carbs, but this means we often feel unsatisfied and overeat later, he says, writing for Healthista.

Or we eat bagfuls of nuts and seeds, when just a handful is recommended - causing our calorie count to soar.

Others if us set unrealistic goals instead of making small, achievable changes - meaning we quit within the week.

Below, Mr Hobson reveals the top eight mistakes we all make, and what to do instead... 

Most of us are jeopardising our dieting efforts by making simple mistakes, according to nutritionist Rob Hobson (file photo)

Most of us are jeopardising our dieting efforts by making simple mistakes, according to nutritionist Rob Hobson (file photo)

1. Eating too many nuts and seeds

Remember that most healthy, highly nutritious foods are high in calories so watch your portion sizes of foods such as nuts, seeds, oils, dried fruit and avocados. 

The supermarkets are filled with ‘healthy’ snacks such as fruit and nut bars as well as ‘on-trend’ products such as fresh nut milks. 

Although these foods offer a good source of nutrients, they also add calories and are of no additional benefit to you if you’re diet is already packed with other healthy nutritious foods.

2. Skipping carbs totally

Add your carbohydrates to dishes rather than treating them as an accompaniment to help reduce your calorie intake. 

Reducing your carbohydrate intake can help with weight loss but if cutting them out completely is not how you prefer to eat, as advocated by some diets, then try cutting down by adding a handful of cooked quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, spelt or pulses to stir-fries, soups, salads and stews, serving as one-pot dishes. 

Watch  portion sizes of foods such as nuts, seeds, oils, dried fruit and avocados as they are high calorie

Watch portion sizes of foods such as nuts, seeds, oils, dried fruit and avocados as they are high calorie

3. Eating too many snacks

Many dietary regimes advocate a number of meals and snacks throughout the day. 

Snacking is great to avoid hunger pangs but if you’re not hungry then leave them out as it’s just another opportunity to overeat. 

If you can, then try and opt for nutritious snacks over shop-bought, low calorie items that often offer a short-lived satiety with little nutrition. 

If you need to include snacks then keep something healthy to hand.

Healthy snack ideas include: 

  • Boiled eggs 
  • Dips with chopped veggies 
  • Tomato, stock or miso-based soups 
  • Small handful of nuts, seeds or dried fruits 
  • Low fat natural yoghurt topped with berries 
  • Lean sliced poultry such as turkey 
  • Canned tuna with a handful of pulses or salad 

4. Weighing yourself too much

Weigh yourself weekly or set yourself a goal such as getting back into a favourite pair of jeans or dress. 

Try not to get disheartened if it takes a little longer than you hoped and don’t beat yourself up over the odd relapse, just pick up where you left off the following day.

5. Avoiding fats 

Fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat and although higher in calories than protein or carbohydrates, eating too much of any food will promote weight gain. 

Certain diets favour fats and proteins over carbohydrates that can be difficult for some people to control in their diet. 

Choose small servings of healthy fats such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, avocados and oils such as extra virgin olive and coconut.

Instead of avoiding carbohydrates altogether, add them into main meals instead of as an accompaniment

Instead of avoiding carbohydrates altogether, add them into main meals instead of as an accompaniment

6. Being unrealistic

Some people prefer to embark on a diet that has a structure and rules to follow. 

If this is your thing then pick one you can stick to and remember to think about how you’re going to keep the weight off once the diet ends. 

There are lots of opinions about dieting such as low carbohydrate, low fat or simply reducing your portion sizes. 

The bottom line is you need to reduce your overall calorie intake and partner this with an increase in activity. 

Don't skip on good fats such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, and avocado

Don't skip on good fats such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, and avocado

The last thing you want is to feel hungry so aim for 1200 – 1500 calories per day and set a realistic weight loss goal of 1-2 pounds per week.

If the gym isn’t for you, then even simple changes in your daily routine can help burn calories such as walking to work or using the stairs. 

It can be tough losing weight, especially without a little support and encouragement. 

Try getting friends or family members involved. You could also get work colleagues involved in a weight loss challenge or sign up for a charity sport event so you have something to aim for. 

BUT DO... CHOOSE EGGS FOR BREAKFAST

Research shows that opting for eggs leads to greater satiety than grain-based breakfasts, making you less likely to reach for snacks mid-morning.

If you don’t eat eggs then try another protein-rich breakfast such as smoked salmon, scrambled tofu or yoghurt with seeds and nuts. 

7. Relying on diet meals 

When dieting some people rely on calorie-controlled diet meals or 'healthy products'.

But these can be a false friend - containing a lot of sugar and salt that leaves us hungry afterwards. 

Try cooking from scratch, as this is the easiest way to control what goes into the food you eat. 

You don’t need to be the best cook, keep it simple and try cooking a little extra for the following day to save time.

Dish ideas can include:

  • Grilled meat or fish (flavoured with spices or spice blends) with veggies and an optional serving of complex carbohydrate such as quinoa, brown rice or sweet potato.
  • Combine a cook-in-sauce (check front-of-pack labels for healthy options) with a protein, veggies and optional serving of complex carbohydrate such as quinoa, brown rice or sweet potato. 
  • Pre-packaged salad bag with a protein (poultry, prawns or canned tuna), additional veggies, healthy fats (nuts, seeds or avocado) and canned pulses. 
  • Stir-fried veggies with a protein (poultry, prawns or tofu) and handful of canned pulses or cooked complex carbohydrate such as quinoa, brown rice or buckwheat noodles.
Always have a strategy if you are going to be eating away from home. Never turn up to a buffet hungry, count your cocktails sticks, and make socialising the focus of your event 

Always have a strategy if you are going to be eating away from home. Never turn up to a buffet hungry, count your cocktails sticks, and make socialising the focus of your event 

8. Always have a strategy if you know you are not going to be eating at home

Examples could be: 

  • Never turn up hungry at a buffet event and eat something before you go out. 
  • Seek out raw foods such as crudités and dips (small serving). 
  • Make socialising the focus of your event, not the food. 
  • Limit your intake of foods from buffets to a few handfuls or count the cocktail sticks. 

And don’t forget the booze. A glass of wine (175ml) contains 130 calories and a pint of beer adds 215 calories to your daily intake. 

The reality is that most of us enjoy the odd drink so try and save for the weekend. 

You can make your glass of wine last longer by adding soda water. Avoid binge drinking as it adds a huge amount of calories to your diet as well as encouraging you to eat unhealthy foods. 

This article originally appeared in and is re-produced here with the permission of Healthista.

 

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