You're Dieting Wrong

Dramatic title, right? It sounds controversial, but it may actually be true. Don't get me wrong, I don't know what your diet is, so I can't actually say whether you're dieting wrong. However, keep reading, and you may just find out the truth about your diet…

The Safe Way to Diet

Fitness trainers, dieticians, and other conscientious professionals not trying to sell you health supplements or "quick fix" products will tell you that there's only one way to lose weight: eating fewer calories than you burn. It's pretty simple:

3500 calories = 1 pound of weight Burn 3500 calories in 1 week, and you'll lose a pound

The National Federation of Professional Trainers recommends that 1 pound per week is a safe amount of weight to lose, so that means burning 500 extra calories per day. That's pretty easy, right?

You can:

• Do an hour of Zumba
• HIIT it for 30 to 40 minutes
• Belly dance for 2 hours (my personal favorite!)
• Jump rope for 42 minutes
• Walk at 4 MPH for 90 minutes

  The safe way to lose weight isn't necessarily to cut 500 calories from your diet, but it's recommended that you just add exercise into the mix. Instead of cutting your diet from 2000 calories down to 1500 calories, add 500 calories of exercise to your day. It's just the smart, safe way to lose weight.

Why You're Dieting Wrong

If you're doing any of the following things, you're dieting wrong:

• Starving yourself -- Consuming too few calories is dangerous, and it's not recommended that you cut your daily calorie intake by more than 500 calories. 1200 calories is a dangerous number!
• Doing too much exercise -- If you burn too many calories, you're wiping out all of your body's energy reserves. Too much exercise can lead to illness, injury, and fatigue.
• Going on a strict diet -- Cutting too many foods and calories from your diet is going to promote short-term weight loss, but eventually you'll go back to your original bad habits - possibly even regaining the weight.

Basically, most people put too much emphasis on the "diet" side of things, but the truth is that your diet isn't the key to weight loss.

How is This Possible?

They say that a fit body is made 70% in the kitchen, and that much is true. You do need to eat properly to stay healthy, get fit, and lose weight. However, could you be placing too much emphasis on the diet side of things? Strict diets make you feel good right now, as you feel that you're "doing what you can" to lose weight. However, what happens in a week or three from now when you're sick of cabbage soup and breadsticks? You're probably going to slide back into your old habits one small temptation at a time, and that's how you end up gaining back all of the weight you lost during your strict diet. Fad diets are hugely popular because they cater to our need to see results "NOW".  Whether it's a detox diet, a juice fast, the Master Cleanse, or the Paleo Diet, these diets make us feel good. Unfortunately, it's a short-term "diet high", and it never lasts.

The Secret to Dieting Correctly

Want to know the key to dieting the right way? Here it is:

Change your diet habits just enough that you're eating healthy without suffering.

There's no need to suffer while on a diet, and you can enjoy most of the good foods you loved pre-diet. Sure, you will have to eat less, cut out the high-fat versions, avoid the tasty treats you love, and be strict with yourself, but you won't have to say goodbye to everything you love just for a diet's sake. The sad truth of human nature is that being too strict on yourself is what makes you more likely to fail. Unless you're dieting for a health reason - diabetes, celiac disease, etc. - there's no need to be too strict on yourself. All you have to do is cut your calories a bit, add plenty of exercise, and you're good! If you're dieting too hard, you're dieting wrong! Make it easier on yourself and make a few small changes to correct your eating habits. Get that fat intake back down where it belongs, and watch those calories. Don't get too strict on yourself, but keep your diet in check. That’s all that you need to do to lose weight - the exercise will take care of the weight loss for you!

Sneaky Trick: Use the Scale

Yes, I know I said the scale is stupid, but you may want to keep that scale handy for one simple reason: reminding yourself that you're dieting. A study released in the Obesity Journal points to the effectiveness of daily weigh-ins. The study involved 91 people, half of which weighed themselves 6.1 days per week - the other half just 1.1 days per week. Those that did daily weigh-ins lost 6.55% of their body weight, as compared to the 0.35% of body weight lost by those that didn't weigh in every day. Why is this? Simple: it's a mental trick.

By weighing yourself every day, you remind yourself that you're working towards a goal: weight loss. You'll see when the number drops and be encouraged, but you'll also see when the number goes up and think, "Gotta get back to my diet!" You can psych yourself back into healthy habits by weighing yourself daily, just like you can by keeping a fitness journal or a eating schedule.

Struggling with your weight? Abs aren’t only made in the gym, they’re made in the kitchen too. Click here to check out our 14-Day Nutrition Guide & get the most out of your workouts!