If you’ve ever tried to diet, you’ve probably heard some of these tips and tricks from friends, family, coworkers, or even complete strangers. Don’t let these common dieting tips get in the way of your success! The five worst dieting tips are ones that you should avoid at all costs.
Eat six times a day
Some diets, such as intermittent fasting and alternate-day calorie restriction, only ask you to eat twice a day. Some studies suggest that eating in regular intervals can actually improve your metabolism by making it easier for your body to stabilize blood sugar levels throughout each 24-hour period.
If you do want to eat more often than that, at least try not to skip breakfast—it’s been shown to regulate blood sugar and could help with weight loss in part because people who don’t eat breakfast consume more calories later in the day. (If you’re thinking about trying IF or alternate-day calorie restriction but think eating six times a day is too difficult, remember that skipping meals might be harder still.)
Sip green tea for weight loss
Drinking green tea has been shown to decrease appetite and speed up your metabolism. In fact, one study from 2005 found that consuming four cups of green tea every day was linked to lower body weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels in overweight people compared to those who didn’t drink it. So, if you’re looking for an alternative to coffee that’s healthier for you but still gives you energy, look no further than a warm cup of green tea.
There are plenty of flavors that don’t contain any added sugar or calories, making them a smart choice too. Here are some more benefits of drinking green tea daily: · Contains antioxidants · Has anti-aging properties · Improves brain function · Enhances immunity while supporting healthy inflammation responses · Encourages fat loss – especially belly fat In addition to all these health benefits, green tea also offers some serious weight loss perks. A 2009 meta-analysis published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that both green and black teas helped dieters lose 4–5 pounds over 12 weeks without changing their exercise habits at all.
Always eat with your kids at the table
Research says that kids who eat dinner with their parents have a lower risk of being overweight or obese than those who don’t. Unfortunately, as a parent, you can get distracted by work and household chores or other things that cause you to be away from your family table too often. It may seem like a minor task, but if it happens often enough then it can derail your efforts to watch your weight and encourage healthy eating habits in your children. Be sure to make time for dinner with your children on a regular basis—not just every once in a while—and make dinnertime a priority.
You must weigh yourself every week
If you must weigh yourself, do it once a week at a set time. If you go in and weigh yourself every day after any little thing, your weight will fluctuate up and down, making it impossible to know if your diet is working or not. Dieting works by controlling calories consumed versus calories burned through exercise. The basic formula for losing one pound is 3,000 calories: One pound = 3,500 kcal x7 days = 24,500 kcal. To lose one pound in seven days would mean to consume 3,500 fewer kcals (24,500kcal – 3 , 500 kcals) over seven days. That’s about 500 kcals per day. That means you should eat about 100 less calories each day to lose 1 lb per week. So instead of weighing yourself daily, wait until Sunday evening and weigh yourself only once that week. And then next Sunday, weigh again to see how much progress you’ve made towards your goal!
Don’t eat if you are not hungry
Believe it or not, you should never eat if you are not hungry. When we get used to eating a meal at a certain time we tend to feel hungry when it is time for that meal, even though our body doesn’t need food at that moment. If you want to stop eating bad foods and lose weight you need to eat only when your body tells you that it is time for a meal and be very careful with portion sizes.
Learn more about what habits can make us fat here. Skip low-fat diets: Low-fat diets have been promoted by many people as a healthy way of losing weight but in reality they aren’t. The main reason why they aren’t healthy is because they don’t provide all of the nutrients that your body needs in order to function properly and stay healthy. Instead of going on a low-fat diet you should focus on eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables which will help you lose weight while also providing all of your bodies vital nutrients. Read more about diet myths here.
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