Get set for Summer
Summer is here and it’s also coming to that time of year where we start planning our New Year’s resolutions. Oh, wait. Hold on. No, we’re not because they are the same as last years! Get fit, lose weight, get healthier, drink less…….the list goes on. By now you have probably started researching the fastest way to lose 5kg and looked up the latest supplement that supposedly makes you lose tonnes of weight in a week. We can’t stress enough the long-term benefits of a healthy, well-balanced diet on weight loss and overall health but we know it is human instinct to look for the fastest way to achieve a set goal- by nature, humans these days are lazy and more impatient than they were 50 years ago. Well, here are the top 6 dieting mistakes that most people make in their quest to achieve their ideal body.
1. Crash Dieting
It’s an all too common occurrence these days generally by women, but more men are turning to crash diets and quick fixes help them lose weight. Generally, quick dieting doesn’t 
work. But, they only work for a short period of time. When you go back to normal life, don’t expect your body to join you. They are hard to stick to in the long run, slow your metabolism and are often vitamin and nutrient deficient. The best plan is a healthy eating plan that you enjoy, covers all your food groups and is one you can sustain for life.
2. Being too focused on what you are eating
When you’re thinking about the way you eat and exercise and have the thought that at some point you will be able to stop eating and exercising that way, it’s a signal you are on a diet. When you are all or nothing and counting every single calorie that touches and passes your lips, it starts to consume you and your life. You stick to it for a while, then at some point, cravings for the foods you have been denying yourself sneak up and take over. Doing too much and being too strict with your eating is not and will never be successful in the long run. It is healthier to adopt and implement a lifestyle way of eating and exercising that you can do forever. It’s ok to treat yourself every now and then. Just not every day.
3. Skipping meals
When you skip meals, you make up for it in other meals. You will have a bigger portion or you will unknowingly add extras to the meal which means extra calories will be going into the body. Whether you planned it that way or not, it always ends up being more calories in another meal (or two) than you expected. By skipping meals you are also disrupting your metabolism, slowing down your immediate weight loss, and your long-term metabolism speed. If you are hungry between meals, eat a snack. Just make sure you ALWAYS eat breakfast, lunch and dinner to keep everything ticking along nicely.
4. Drinks have calories too
It is easy to forget in this day and age that the majority of what we drink, actually has calories in it. I know right!? Wine has calories?! Fruit Juice has calories? Yup, it sure does! don’t overlook the calorie content of fizzy drinks. They will add significant calories to your diet without you realising it. Also, watch out for fruit juices and certain coffees. A large latte can contain as many as 300 calories, and if you make it a mocha, it could be as many as 600 – or a third of your daily calorie a
llowance.
5. Shovelling it all in
Since it takes 20 minutes for you to feel full, you’ll end up overeating if you stuff your face before the signal has time to make its way from your stomach to your brain.
There’s no reward for finishing your meal in record time — unless you’re a contestant in a hot dog eating contest! Our hectic schedules have led many of us to adopt the unhealthy habit of rapid eating. Try and adopt a more leisurely, European eating style so that you can savour your food, taste every bite, and get the signal of fullness before overeating.