Don't Make These 7 Diet Mistakes

Every January, it seems that more people than not are vowing to eat well for the New Year. For most, it’s a matter of weight loss and determination that this will be the year the pounds start to whittle away. The problem, though, is that many people haven’t learned from their mistakes and by February, they have returned to their poor eating habits.

Here are the most common dieting mistakes I’ve seen over the years:

1. Not eating enough protein with breakfast.

This is probably one of the most common mistakes I see. A person decides to eat healthy and chooses a bowl of cereal with non-fat milk and a banana; one hour later he or she starts complaining of hunger. People who make this mistake are definitely moving in the right direction, but if they are truly watching their serving sizes, the eight grams of protein from the milk is most likely not going to keep them full until lunchtime. Consequently, they wind up over-snacking until then or eating a lunch that’s too big. Adding a healthy fat to the cereal mix, such as slivered almonds, or having a little extra protein like a hard-boiled egg, can make a very big difference in their satiety level.

2. Having a snack.

This is a tricky one. Sure, I recommend having a midday snack just like most nutritionists. And for that matter, if it’s going to be more than four hours between breakfast and lunch, I recommend a mid-morning snack. But what I have seen happen too often is people misjudging the size of their snack and creating another actual meal. A 1-ounce serving of almonds is not the same as a 2-ounce serving. Remember, a snack is a mini-meal, and I recommend it be less than 200 calories. Plus, it should contain protein, healthy fat or both, or you will most likely be hungry one hour later. In other words, don’t just grab a piece of fruit. And guess what? If you aren’t really hungry, there is probably no need for a snack at all.

3. Not counting the calories from alcohol.

You would think this would be a no-brainer, but too many people I know sabotage their weight loss efforts by their cocktail consumption. Don’t get me wrong: I am not saying that cocktails need to be avoided, especially since I am fierce martini lover. However, what I’m saying is that you can’t expect to drink like a fish on the weekends and reach your weight loss goals, no matter how well you eat during the week. And watch the size of your weekday pour – a 6- ounce glass of wine doesn’t have the same calories as a 12-ounce glass.

4. Eating a salad for lunch.

I love when patients tell me they’re eating salads for lunch, as if they think they are following the No. 1 weight loss guideline. Here’s the thing: Some salads are healthy and some salads not so healthy. If you’re piling your salad with everything but the kitchen sink then it’s closer to the latter. Croutons, bacon bits, lots of cheese and a creamy dressing can be just the tip of a diet disaster. Too much chicken, too much avocado and too much olive oil can push it over the edge. So just because you are eating all of those healthy greens, you need to make sure all the other ingredients follow suit. And trust me – no one ever said that a sandwich is off-limits – just like with a salad, it’s important to know how to build a proper one.

5. Leaving the carb off the dinner plate.

This is a really popular mistake. Believe it or not, you can lose weight and enjoy carbs with dinner – actually, I usually recommend it. Too many people think more protein on the plate is far better than adding a carb; however, if we did the math it doesn’t usually work out in the protein’s favor. For example, a plain 8-ounce chicken breast is around 375 calories, but if you were to eat a 4-ounce serving and add a half cup of brown rice, you would save about 78 calories. A small baked potato (topped with salsa) can save you 105 calories, if you stick with a 4-ounce serving of broiled salmon versus an 8-ounce. And besides the calories saving, you will be getting fiber, which overall may help with weight loss.

6. Avoiding your “bad” foods.

This is probably the No. 1 diet mistake. The first question I always ask patients is,“What do you love to eat?” Not what they think they should be eating, but rather what they think they should avoid. Typically, these are the foods I want to make sure they continue to eat. Sound crazy? Truthfully, whenever someone completely avoids the foods they love, it is inevitable that they will feel deprived and give up on healthy eating. The key is to find a way to keep the favorites in the mix without sabotaging weight loss goals. For example: Occasionally having a slice of pizza for lunch with a side salad, so you don’t wind up wanting to sit down for an entire pie. Enjoying French fries with your burger, but losing the bun. Sharing dessert at a restaurant when dining out, while consciously passing on the breadbasket.

7. Trying the next fad diet.

I’m sure you know about this one, but I feel it would be irresponsible of me to leave it off the list. If you hear about a diet that promises quick weight loss, run. If you hear about a diet that eliminates food groups, run faster. And if you think trying yet another diet instead of attempting to make lifestyle changes is the answer, think again.