5 Things You're Not Doing That Can Throw Off Your Diet

Especially when the new year hits, we make all kinds of plans like “Join a gym! Quit junkfood! Never even look at a chocolate cake again!”, and we forgot about those little habits that can sneak in 300, 500, even 1,000 calories without us even noticing. 

The good news is that if we get a handle on these habits, we lose pounds faster AND easier. Here's 5 things you're NOT doing that can throw off your diet:

1. You're not eating often enough - Skipping meals will throw off your diet QUICK. It happens all the time to busy people like us. We miss the alarm, so we skip breakfast and end up eating a huge lunch because we’re STARVING!!... Or, we get so caught up at work that we don’t realize it’s 3 pm and haven’t had anything to eat the whole day.

Skipping meals slows down your metabolism. Plus, if you’re hungry, you’ll eat just about anything, and in way bigger portions than you should. Your body will also be so weak that you’ll start to crave sugary foods, which can lead to a sugar crash.

The best habit is to eat once every 3-4 hours. This will help improve your metabolism and control your cravings.

2. You're not slowing down to enjoy your food - It takes at least 15 minutes for your brain to realize that it’s full. So by the time you realize you’ve had enough, you’ve already gone ate more than you should have(and probably feel sluggish and guilty, which doesn't feel good at all).

The trick is to eat more slowly. This not only lets you enjoy and savor your food, you will become more attuned to your body and how much you really need to eat. Dieting isn’t about depriving yourself, after all—it’s about eating the best food in the best amounts.

3. You're not only eating when you eat - Multi-tasking is overrated. We get so used to eating while working at the computer, watching TV, or even driving. Doing this often leads to overeating, because you’re not really watching what you’re eating.

TIP - Only eat at a table, and when you eat, just eat. This makes you appreciate and enjoy your food more.

4. You're not focussed on the process - Weighing yourself too much can get you frustrated and discouraged, especially if you're not seeing anything happen within the first week or two. The scale really doesn't tell the whole story... a better way to judge your progress isby taking "before pics" and then new progress pics every 15 or 30 days. Instead of focussing on the scale, stay consistent and more focussed on the process.

5. You're not sleeping enough - All those late nights will mess up your appetite levels. So you feel hungry even if you’re not! For most of us, it's not possible to get a full 8 hours of sleep. But you know you could turn off the TV an hour earlier each night, this way you have more energy the next day. Get your sleep!!

Related Posts:

How to Stay Motivated to Exercise: 3 Tips to Keep You Fit!