Are You Failing Your Diet: 5 Warning Signs to Look For

Many of us know why we failed our diet after we fail it--but how many of us recognize the signs as we're dieting? Unfortunately, not many of us do.

According to PBS.org, millions of women (and men) diet each year, yet only 15 percent of dieters keep the weight off for more than 3 years. That's not good. We fail for many reasons: the diet doesn't fit us, the diet bores us, there are too many rules to follow, etc. Regardless of why you fail, this guide will help you recognize those signs and develop a plan for keeping on track.

5 Signs You're Failing Your Diet

Sign 1#: You can't stop thinking about your "cheat foods", and crave it constantly. Sure, cheesecake is tempting to most people, but constantly daydreaming or fantasizing about it is a sign of deprivation. To stop yourself from potentially failing your diet, it's time to evaluate if the diet is meeting your nutritional and emotional needs.

What to ask:

- Am I allowed to splurge? If so, is the time period between each "splurge" too long?

- If I'm not allowed any splurge items, is this diet right for me? Do I need a more flexible plan instead?

- Do I have an addiction to a certain type of food?

Remember, it is normal to crave food on occasion, but if it consumes your everyday thoughts, it's a sign to change dieting strategies.

Sign 2#: Your next meal--or workout--fills you with dread. Duh statistic: people who are not motivated to stick to their weight loss or exercise plan don't succeed. That can equal diet failure. So what's the problem?

- The food tastes awful. Sure, you're not picky, but even most humans don't like eating food they hate to eat everyday. Is it time to change diet plans?

- The food is boring. Do you need to find different recipes? Could you add sauces or spices to your meal to make it more appetizing?

- The weight loss plan makes you feel hopeless. In this case, it's an emotional issue. It's time to find a plan that fits your lifestyle better.

Sign 3#: You feel awful. Now, awful is just one term to describe the range of negative feelings people feel about their diet plan. Some people can feel bored, irritated, frustrated or sad. But why?

- The weight loss plan has no flexibility. If that's the case, you need a more flexible diet plan. Getting more strict will only make it worse.

- The diet is literally making you feel horrible. Not having enough calories or nutrients can have a physical and mental impact on a person's well-being, setting them up for failure. If it is starting to affect your mental well-being, it's time to lose it in favor of a healthier plan.

- You still feel terrible about your physique. Remember, slow and steady wins the race--weight loss isn't going to come right away. People who continue to feel negative towards their appearance usually have some body image issues that are not related to their diet or physique.

Remember, your diet shouldn't ruin your well-being--it should improve it. Continuing to feel depressed could have an impact on your motivation, setting you up for failure.

Sign 4#: You secretly sneak in bites of your favorite cheat foods--and it's not cheat day. Feeling deprived? Having trouble sticking to your diet plan? If these secret bites of food become a regular occurrence, it's usually a sign you're about to fail your diet. Consider re-evaluating if this diet is right for you.

Sign 5#: You constantly mess up your diet plans, but say you'll do better tomorrow. Let's be honest--things won't magically change tomorrow, or the next day, or the day after that when you valiantly vow to stick to your diet. People at this stage need to seriously re-evaluate their diet. Is it too restrictive? Too boring? Are the food choices or exercise plans dreadful? Regardless of what it is, evaluate it now--there's no reason why you should suffer if the weight loss plan isn't meeting your needs.

Sources:

Julie Moynihan and Maggie Villiger, "Do Diets Work?" (PBS.org)