Sometimes sneaky foods or dieting behaviours make their way into your day without you even realising they’ve got the potential to disarm your weight-loss goals. Before you reach for that ‘healthy’ smoothie, here are some diet mistakes to avoid.
Mistake one: Fast forward eating
You’re rushing on your way to a meeting so you put the ‘fast’ in breakfast as you whizz through a nutritious meal. Although you’re eating healthily, how you eat is equally important. If you rush through a meal, you’re not giving your body the chance to alert you that it’s full, which can cause you to overeat without realising it. Take the time to savour each and every bite. It’s also better for your digestion.
Mistake two: You’re not getting enough protein
Protein is great for filling you up, making you feel satisfied and helping you burn fat. Try to eat a bit of protein with every meal. Great sources of protein include eggs, but choose organic eggs that don’t come with as much cholesterol risk. According to Livestrong, organic eggs contain one-third less cholesterol than regular eggs.
Mistake three: You order full portions
Eating out at restaurants can have the effect of making you feel that your diet is being thrown on the backburner because you might not be able to say ‘no’ to the large meal that’s placed in front of you. A great idea is to order children’s portions. This is also more eco-friendly because it prevents waste.
Mistake four: Loving your “healthy” smoothies
You might think a daily smoothie is healthy for you – what’s not healthy about fruit? But sometimes smoothies don’t even contain healthy ingredients and they could be packed with sugar. Make sure that your smoothie contains fresh fruit (not concentrate) and low-fat yogurt or milk.
Mistake five: Eating beef because it makes you lose weight
Yes, it has been said that beef can help you lose weight because its protein content burns fat. But raising beef is a huge contributor to global warming emissions, so don’t rely on it too much. Red meat is also high in saturated fat, so it’s not healthy for you in large amounts.
