Are You Ready to Start Your Diet? Here Some of the Pitfalls to Avoid!

Here you are: you have those pounds to go right along with the x-large clothes hanging in your closet. You want to get rid of them all, pounds and clothes alike. You begin looking at weight loss plans. The choice is unlimited; however, some choices come with a risk. Let's take a look at some of the don'ts of dieting:

1. Do not follow the liquid only, meat only, or anything only diet! The body needs a variety of vitamins, proteins, starches, etc. to function properly. You will need a balanced diet.

2. Do not fall for the "no diet, no exercise" plan! If you don't follow a sensible diet, you will not lose any weight. If you don't exercise, your body will lose fat, but along with fat it will also lose muscle mass. Remember: you want muscles... they burn calories even when at rest.

3. Do not set unrealistic goals! Remember that two pounds a week weight loss is the sensible way to lose weight and will increase your chances to keep it off.

4. Do not use chemical help! Anything chemical introduced into your body is bound to have adverse reactions.

5. Do not skip meals! When you skip meals, your body goes in reserve mode. Not knowing when the next meal will come, your body will store every single ounce of fat and sugar you ingest during the day.

6. Do not start a weight loss program without consulting with your doctor! You need to make sure that you have no medical conditions that could worsen with a certain diet plan.

7. Do not measure your progress by weight loss alone! As you exercise, you build muscles. Muscles weigh more than fat. As long as the inches come off, you are on the right track!

8. Do not do it alone! There is strength in numbers. Join a group, even it is an online group.

9. Do not beat yourself up if you slip! Forgive yourself and start from there.

10. Do not think that dieting is temporary! When done properly, dieting is a new way of life. At the beginning you will follow a diet to lose weight and inches. Once that goal is reached, a sensible maintenance diet will follow. Can you imagine if, after working hard at losing that weight and those inches, you started overeating again?