Since more adults in Germany are now overweight than are of normal weight, the question arises: Why is that? While some simply lack the motivation, those who want to lose weight still make fundamental mistakes. Here are the 3 biggest diet mistakes.
With all the nutrition tips, diet trends and weight loss strategies that can be found on websites, in social media and in guides these days, you sometimes can’t see the wood for the trees. Many people are hoping for rapid weight loss and a toned body from a single, miraculous food or the one and only abdominal exercise. However, the majority should now be aware that a long-term nutritional strategy and regular physical activity are the key to success. Nevertheless, the following false conclusions and weight loss mistakes occur again and again, which prevent permanent weight reduction.
Table of Contents
Diet Mistakes: The 3 Biggest Weight Loss Mistakes
1. You are on a diet
Unfortunately, the first thought of many people who have packed a few extra pounds on their hips over the years is to lose weight with a classic diet: simply avoid certain food groups such as carbohydrates or fats for a month or two in order to lose weight. The treacherous thing about it: Such waiver diets even work in the short term and you lose a few kilograms of body weight. However, after the diet you fall back into the old eating patterns that caused you to build up the excess weight in the first place. It is not for nothing that there is even a name for this: the yo-yo effect .
The only thing that can work in the long run is a fundamental change in diet and practicing new eating patterns. While no food is forbidden, the majority of your calories should come from healthy, unprocessed foods that not only provide you with calories but also provide you with plenty of fiber, minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. In principle, it’s very simple: replace ready-made products with freshly prepared vegetables, replace white flour products with whole grain products, pasta with lentils, sugar muesli with oatmeal, chocolate bars with nuts and ready-made fruit yoghurt with natural yoghurt with fresh berries.
2. You underestimate the calories you eat
If you feel like you’re not eating that much but are still gaining weight, it may be due to a misjudgment of the calories in food. Processed products in particular are real calorie traps : A single chocolate bar can contain 250 calories or more, a slice of white bread with nut nougat spread over 300 calories and a pizza even 1000 calories. With a daily requirement of 1,500 to 2,000 calories depending on body weight, muscle mass, gender and age, such calorie bombs quickly add up.
There are two simple tricks you can use to prevent excessive calorie intake:
- Replace finished products with fresh fruit and vegetables : Vegetables in particular are extremely low in calories, but contain valuable nutrients and filling fiber.
- Avoid any snacks between the main meals : In particular, sugary snacks such as chocolate bars, pastries and white flour products put you in a vicious circle of ravenous hunger, blood sugar spikes and blood sugar crashes. If you’re really hungry, grab a handful of unroasted, unsalted nuts and drink a glass of water, tea, or coffee.
3. They use supplements or diet pills
Instead of working on their dietary habits, some people also seek the supposedly convenient shortcut via supplements or weight loss products. Protein bars , for example, usually contain large amounts of sugar and are therefore only recommended to a limited extent, even for very active people. Protein shakes can be a healthier alternative to sugary snacks, but they won’t make up for a poor, excess-calorie diet on their own. From diet pills and so-called ” fat burners “.You should always keep your distance, as these are either ineffective or can be associated with potentially harmful side effects. Vitamin supplements or mineral tablets are also superfluous in most cases, unless there is actually a medically diagnosed deficiency, eg the relatively common vitamin D deficiency . There is no way around a fundamental change in diet when losing weight – the sooner you realize this, the better.
