Top 8 Diet Mistakes
By: Danielle Williams

One of the most important aspects of feeling great and living a healthy lifestyle is diet. Unfortunately the term diet is often accompanied by quite a few myths that can leave you feeling…not so great. For this article I have narrowed it down to the top 8 most widely practiced diet mistakes.

1. “…and a Diet Pepsi to drink” – Too many people make this mistake. Just because it says “diet” doesn’t mean that it’s good for you. Any time you drink something you should be attempting to hydrate yourself, not dehydrate yourself! And don’t get me started on aspartame and all the other artificial ingredients in diet pop. Next time you are feeling thirsty, go for water instead.

2. “Working out makes me lose my appetite.” – Make it a habit to eat immediately after your workout. Post exercise is when you are repairing and refining your muscles with nutrients. Without refueling it is impossible for the body to spare muscle and increase your metabolism.

3. “Well I ate healthy and lost 10 lbs last month, but...I gained 15 lbs this month.” – Going off and on a diet is not a good lifestyle to have. This approach can weaken your immune system and often leads to weight gain. Make a decision to eat clean and just stick with it. Before you know it you will be looking great and feeling even better.

4. “I wish ice cream was good for you…mmm…ice cream…” – Most people spend too much time thinking about the foods they should avoid. Focusing on food you are to avoid will always have a negative effect on your healthy lifestyle. Instead of focusing on the bad why not focus on the good? Think about all the delicious fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats you get to enjoy. Yum!

5. “I don’t like eating before I workout.” – Eating something small 30‐60 minutes before your workout is a must. Your best bet is to have some whey protein and a slow digesting carbohydrate. After all you want to be able to finish the workout you started.

6. “I can’t eat that, there’s too much fat!” – There is a big difference between good and bad fats. Omega‐3 fats can reduce your risk of heart disease and they also help lower body fat. You can find Omega‐3s in Salmon, walnuts, flax, and many other great tasting foods. Another type of healthy fat is monounsaturated fat which is found in avocados. This healthy fat has been proven to help reduce stored body fat. Wow, fats that help you lose fat! That’s amazing!

7. “Fried chicken salad with ranch, please…I’m on a diet.” – Just because it is a called a salad doesn’t make it good for you. Often times when you add croutons, cheese and dressing a salad can end up having more calories and fat than a BigMac! Go for 50% vegetables and grains, 25% healthy fats, and 25% lean protein and you have a perfect salad.

8. “No way, if I drink that much water I will look bloated!” – Water is one of the most overlooked ingredients to a healthy diet. Did you know often times when you feel hungry your actually thirsty? Plus proper hydration allows your body to function properly. The kidneys are made up of 85% water and if you are dehydrated they can’t function properly. And if the kidneys aren’t functioning properly then the liver has to stop burning stored body fat in order to help out the struggling kidneys. So drink up the clear stuff, it does a body good!