6 Counterintuitive Diet No-No’s

Dieting can be frustrating and stressful, especially when you have tried repeatedly and failed. Unfortunately, methods you may have adopted to enhance your weight loss efforts could actually be to blame for your unsuccessful attempts. While certain strategies can be successful, if you misinterpret their rationale, you may gain weight rather than lose it.

Eating With a Small Utensil

Do you believe that a smaller fork means smaller bite sizes and increased effort to place the food into your mouth? A new study evaluated individuals dining in restaurants and concluded that participants ate more with a smaller fork than they did with a larger one. You may not feel you are making progress with a small fork and a large plateful of food, so you’re not as likely to tune in to the feeling-full signals your body sends.[1]

Saving Calories

Some dieters incorrectly consume calories by saving most of them for dinner or late evening meals. This tactic causes your hormones to become irregular and, in turn, causes you to eat more since you have not eaten enough throughout the day. Studies show that people who eat one large meal in the evening produce more of the hunger hormone than those who eat three regular meals, even when the caloric count is the same. It’s wiser to consume the majority of your calories at breakfast and eat half your regular evening meal to get your body back on track.

Eating Irregularly

Sporadic, erratic meals lead to weight gain. Those who eat fixed, regular meals throughout the day burn more calories than those who eat at unplanned intervals. Those who continuously nibble may not be aware of exactly how many calories they are consuming over the course of one day. Figure out your hunger patterns and the most convenient times for you to eat and stick to that schedule. Remember that you do not need to feel full every hour of the day.

Failing to Count Calories

Foods such as salmon, grilled chicken, and yogurt may seem healthy, but keep in mind that calories count. Just because certain foods are good for you doesn’t mean you should overindulge by eating them in great quantities. Even if you consume particularly healthy foods regularly, if you don’t count calories or cut unhealthy foods out of your diet, chances are you will not lose weight. Read labels carefully and be cautious about how much you eat.

Embarking on a Crash Diet

While crash diets can cause you to lose weight, your metabolism will ultimately slow down, which is the exact opposite of what a responsible dieter strives for. A slow metabolism leads to less weight loss because your body is trying to save as much energy as it can to keep you from dropping weight too quickly. Not only will you lose fat, you’ll lose muscle too. A healthy weight loss amount is roughly one pound per week and can be achieved by eating 250 fewer calories each day and burning 250 more calories with regular physical activity.

Setting Short-Term Goals

Most diets fail because we set short-term goals, lose the weight, and no longer feel the need to maintain good habits. The trick is to make permanent lifestyle changes so that once you reach your desired weight, you’ll continue to eat and exercise properly. As you reap the beneficial rewards of attaining your long-term goals, you’ll find it easier to stay true to your well-deserved new lifestyle.