6 Diet Mistakes That You Need To Avoid

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ometimes it feels baffling to know how most people don’t know how to eat right or even undermine the importance of eating right. With a steady increase in preventable diseases and mood issues, it’s time to focus on the quality of nutrition and diet mistakes we make. The importance of a balanced, nutritious diet cannot be overstated, a healthy diet can increase resilience to illnesses. Fitness experts and dietitians always advocate healthy eating as the key to a positive outlook and staying emotionally balanced.

With all the information floating around on the internet regarding food rules, it’s possible that you may have picked up a couple of not-so-great practices over the years. This blog lists the 6 most common diet mistakes that people make… It’s never too late to correct your diet mistakes and start eating right no matter your previous eating habits…

EATING A DIET THAT’S TOO RESTRICTIVE

Dietary restriction is basically curbing the tendency to eat at will, it could be time-restricted eating, alternate day fasting, low-calorie dieting, eating only during stipulated hours, following a vegan diet, dairy-free diet, and keto diet.

When you restrict your diet too much, you may not be getting enough of the essential nutrients your body needs to function properly and you may suffer from nutrient deficiency. Take for example, if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet without properly planning your meals, you may not be getting enough vitamin B12, iron, or protein, which can cause loss of appetite, palpitations, anemia, weak immunity, brittle hair, and so on.

Restrictive dieting may cause gastrointestinal problems like constipation, diarrhea, headache, muscle loss, muscle cramps, and a foggy mind.

When food intake is restricted, the metabolism slows down to conserve energy and the craving for restricted food increases. Restricted dieting often leads people to feel deprived, binge eating, overeating, irritable, and fatigued. The perceived reward for food is usually higher when on a restrictive diet. 

Tip: Balanced diet without food restrictions is to be followed to avoid the perils of restrictive eating.

Also Read: Gluten-Free Diet – What Is The Hype All About?

EATING LATE AT NIGHT          

Eating late at night (particularly watching TV) may disrupt your hunger signals making you more likely to overeat and consume more calories than you need. Eating late at night causes indigestion, when you lie down immediately after a meal, it can make it harder for your body to digest food properly, which can lead to discomfort, heartburn, bloating, and indigestion.

Eating late at night leads your body to focus on digestion instead of rest and repair. Not sleeping well will cause you to wake up irritated and moody.

Eating late at night may not be effective in burning calories as it is during the daytime and may lead to weight gain.

Tip: Always eat the last meal of your day at least 3 hours before bed.

Also Read: How To Start Eating Healthy?  

SKIPPING MEALS

Skipping meals is thought by many to be the quick way to cut down calories, but skipping meals will cause a drop in blood sugar levels, which can lead to hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar levels can affect your mood, causing fatigue, dizziness, headache, irritability, and confusion.

When you skip meals, you’re more likely to feel hungry and crave high-calorie foods, which can lead to overeating and consuming more calories than you need, eventually causing weight gain. Also, when you skip meals, your body goes into starvation mode, which slows down your metabolism, making it harder to lose weight in the long term.

When you skip meals, your body produces more ghrelin (hunger hormone) and less leptin which can lead to a vicious cycle of snacking at irregular times.

Skipping meals causes the body to burn to lower metabolism, which makes you burn fewer calories and lead to weight gain.

Tip: Eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day and focus on nutrient-dense food. Eating at regular times of the day will help control how many calories we take in.

Also Read: 5 Reasons Crash Dieting Is Bad For You

EATING TOO MUCH PROTEIN

People generally overdo good stuff. Protein is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in building and repairing tissues in the body but consuming too much of it can have negative effects.

Consuming too much protein can lead to dehydration, as protein metabolism produces urea which is then excreted through urine. Urea elimination from the body requires more water which can lead to dehydration if you’re not drinking enough fluids.

Consuming more than the recommended daily allowance of protein (0.8g to 1g/Kg/weight) can lead to weight gain over time.

Diets high in protein generate a large amount of acid in body fluids. The kidneys respond to this dietary acid with net acid excretion, which results in excessive calcium loss. Your kidneys need to work harder to eliminate the waste products that are produced during metabolism. High protein intake from animal sources may be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease due to intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol.

Tip: Too much of a good thing in diet could be useless or even harmful 

Also Read: Must To Know Side Effects Of a Keto Diet

NOT EATING ENOUGH CARBS

Most people on a weight loss diet tend to avoid carbs but the key to weight loss is not to avoid carbs, weight loss can be achieved by maintaining a calorie deficit. Carbs are the primary source of energy for the body, and when you don’t consume enough carbs, you may not have enough fuel to function properly.

Many carb-containing foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk are important sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and not consuming enough carbs leads to an imbalance in serotonin levels, which can cause mood swings, irritability, and depression.

Not eating sufficient carbs can make you tired, lethargic, and unable to concentrate.

Tip: Cutting carbs can affect your energy levels and you end up craving more carbs. Complex carbs keep you full and give you lasting energy.

Also Read: What Is The Role Of Dietary Fiber In Weight Loss?

DRINKING TOO LITTLE WATER

One of the main effects of not drinking enough water is dehydration. If your body doesn’t have enough fluid, functions such as regulating body temperature, removing waste products, and absorption of nutrients get hampered. Mild dehydration is accompanied with symptoms of thirst, dry mouth, fatigue, and headache. Severe dehydration can cause serious symptoms such as confusion, rapid heartbeat, and even fainting.

Dehydration causes your skin to become dry, flaky, and more prone to wrinkles.

Not drinking enough water can slow down your digestive system leading to constipation, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections.  

Tip: A good rule of thumb is to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. 

Also Read: Top 4 Ways How Proper Hydration Can Facilitate Immunity

Healthy eating should become a pattern of life, take the first step towards it, and see for yourself how you’ll enjoy being healthy…

Emphasize healthful unsaturated fats, whole grains, protein, fruits, and vegetables, and limit consumption of highly refined grains, and sugary beverages. Take multivitamins and vitamin D as the nutritional supplements…

Also Read: Top 10 Natural Detoxifying Foods That Cleanse Your Body

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