By: Hannah Daidone
Listed are the 3 most common unhealthy dieting strategies and ways to improve according to the Cleveland Clinic.
- Setting unrealistic goals
Vowing to lose 10 pounds within a week may sound like a good idea, but it’s not the sort of goal that sets you up for success, says psychologist Susan Albers, PsyD. It’s simply too much to lose so quickly. It’s not realistic.
Research indicates that losing 1 to 2 pounds a week is a reasonable goal, depending on your body type. This gradual approach is more likely to result in sustainable behaviors that help keep lost weight from returning.
Setting more achievable short-term goals also lets you build on accomplishments. Every pound lost becomes a reason to celebrate your effort and commitment.
“Don’t underestimate the power of positive reinforcement,” says Dr. Albers. “When you do actions that make you feel good, you want to keep doing them.”
Another option is to focus less on the numbers on your scale and aim to establish healthier eating patterns and lifestyle changes. That typically leads to weight loss and your body feeling better.
2. Skipping meals
If cutting calories equals weight loss, then skipping meals should work wonders, right? Not exactly, says Czerwony. Food is fuel for your body, after all. You can’t just let your tank go empty.
“Skipping meal after meal can keep your body from getting the nutrients it needs,” she explains.
It also may slow down your metabolism, which means your body burns fewer calories, a physiological adjustment that can lead to weight gain.
Now, there are intermittent fasting programs that limit your eating hours and can be effective for weight loss and management. But these plans maintain nutrition intake and aren’t based on skipping meals.
On a related note, be cautious of low-calorie diets that fall below 1,000 calories a day. Eating such a minimal amount of food often requires extra nutritional support through vitamins and supplements. Talk to your healthcare provider to make sure you avoid any deficiencies.
3. Overdoing high-intensity exercise
Working out is good for you and can certainly help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. But overdoing it in an attempt to shed pounds quickly is not recommended.
Excessive high-intensity exercise can suppress your immune system and make you more susceptible to injury, says exercise physiologist Katie Lawton, MEd, ATC.
Combining tough workouts with a low-calorie diet may bring unwanted results, too.
“If your body doesn’t get enough fuel for the workout, it can actually store fat and burn muscle,” she explains. “Your metabolism slows down as you deplete muscle, which can lead to weight gain.”
Bottom line: Limit high-intensity training to two to three days per week.
