Diet Mistakes to Avoid so You can Lose Belly Fat
Losing belly fat depends a lot on your diet. So, as a reminder, this guest post describes some common diet mistakes to avoid.
Not drinking enough water
One of the first diet mistake is not drinking enough water. Not drinking enough can result in lack of energy. Also, it slows down your metabolism. Which, as mentioned previously causes your body to become less efficient at burning calories and more likely to hold onto your body fat.
Eating sugary foods
Eat sugary foods in moderation. Studies suggest there’s a link between high sugar intake and holding onto belly fat.
Eating the wrong fats
The body doesn’t react to all fats in the same way. Research correlates high intake of saturated fat (the kind in meat and dairy) to increased visceral fat. On the other hand, monounsaturated fats (the kind in olive oil and avocados) and specific types of polyunsaturated fats (mainly omega-3s, found in walnuts, sunflower seeds, and fatty fish like salmon) have anti-inflammatory effects in the body. And if eaten in proper portions may do your body good. But eating too much fat of any kind increases your calorie intake and could lead to weight gain, so enjoy healthy fats in moderation.
Focusing on low-fat or low-calorie foods only: Ignoring nutrients and focusing on only low-calorie foods can lead to malnutrition.
Not eating enough proteins
Proteins are essential for building and maintaining muscle. So, not consuming enough proteins is a diet mistake that can cause your body to lose muscle mass.
Eating processed and/or packaged foods
Its fine to eat packaged foods in a crunch. But eating them too often is a diet mistake to avoid. In fact, processed foods are often high in calories, unhealthy fats, and sugar.
Skipping meals
If you skip a meal, you are more likely to end up overeating later in the day. So, avoid this diet mistake. Also, skipping a meal slows down your metabolism. As a result, your body becomes less efficient at burning calories you consume and more likely to hold onto your body fat.
Incidentally, breakfast is a typical meal to skip. However, skipping breakfast can make you hungry the rest of the day. For example, skipping breakfast may lead to unplanned snacking at work and/or eating supersized lunch portions, making calorie counts soar. But breakfasts that are high in protein and fiber can curb hunger throughout the day. In fact, studies show people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
Eating large portion sizes
Avoid the diet mistake of overeating, even if they are healthy foods. Because overeating causes weight gain and fat. Similarly avoid eating too little for extended periods of time. Not eating enough can slow down metabolism as well deprive you of essential nutrients.
Yo-yo dieting
It is essential to avoid yo-yo dieting. Now, yo-yo dieting is a pattern where you have gone through multiple attempts at losing weight and fat. Furthermore, during each of these dieting attempts you lose weight, often through strict diets and/or extreme workouts. However, you get your weight and fat right back after you end the diet.
Over time yo-yo dieting significantly reduces your metabolism. As a result, your body becomes less efficient at burning calories you consume and more likely to hold onto your body fat. In fact, yo-yo dieting causes your body to hold on to the fat because the body has gone through famine too many times and so holding on to the fat becomes the body’s survival instinct.
Most of all, yo-yo dieting can be harmful to your health, as it can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems.
Consuming alcohol
Also, you can add alcohol to this list of dieting mistakes. Now, its fine to have a drink once in a while. However, if you drink frequently, you need to significantly cut back on alcohol consumption.
Not tracking your diet
Finally, if you are on a diet, it is important to track its effect on your body. There are several ways to track the effects of your diet. So choose one that's convenient to you.