by admiller

Created on: May 15, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2009

Countless diets end with frustrated people failing to meet their weight loss goals. You can ensure success by avoiding the10 biggest weight loss mistakes.

1. Skipping Breakfast. Dieters come up with many reasons to skip breakfast: not feeling hungry, saving up calories, or recovering from overeating the day before. Whatever the reason, it is a mistake to skip the most important meal of the day. Study after study shows that breakfast eaters lose more weight and are able to stay slender.

2. Drinking Your Calories. When losing weight, your only goal is to burn more calories than you eat. With a limited number of calories, why waste them on drinks? Even drinks labeled "healthy" can bust a diet. Instead of drinking fruit juice, eat an apple. Drink water. It has zero calories and people who drink their 8 glasses of water a day are more successful at losing weight.

3. Oversized Portions. Okay, you are eating healthy food now. But, that doesn't mean you can eat lots of it and still lose weight. Going to the salad bar is great, but going to the salad bar and consuming 2,000 calories is not. Count those calories and be conscious of the amount you are eating. Keep portion size in check and remember, the only way to lose weight is to consume less calories than you burn.

4. Treating Food Like a Chore. A diet does not mean you have to stop enjoying your food. You can avoid boring food and still lose weight. Search for low-calorie recipes of your favorite dishes and become adept at reading labels. Simply changing your bread to a lower calorie, higher fiber option can work wonders. Experiment with healthy food alternatives and you might be surprised at how good "good for you" can taste.

5. Going it Alone. Develop a support network. Keeping your diet a secret and not getting support from your friends is a recipe for failure. In the 21st century, a diet support group is only a click away. Check out forums, online blogs, and weight loss websites.

6. Failing to Journal. A simple thing like a daily food journal has been proven to help weight loss. Keeping track of what you eat will help focus your goals. Even if you don't count calories, record everything you put in your mouth. Journals work because they provide a reality check and help you cut back on in-between meal munching.

7. Using Food as a Reward. It's been a long day, so you reward your hard work with a big bowl of ice cream. Sound familiar? This behavior causes weight gain. Try viewing food as nutrition and find other entertaining rewards-a bubble bath, a spa treatment, or a phone call to a friend.

8. Using Excessive Artificial Sweetener. Artificial sweeteners are great when used in moderation. Research is starting to suggest that too much sweetener can actually cause weight gain. A sweet taste can trigger your brain to expect more food and cause hunger. Avoid diet soda and use other sweeteners sparingly.

9. Not Snacking. You feel like you are dieting and should avoid food, right? Wrong! You should be eating every 2-3 hours. Snacks like apples, carrots, and low-calorie fiber bars are great for in-between meals.

10. Viewing the Diet as Temporary. Think you can stop dieting once you hit your target weight? Think again. That's the quickest way to gain the weight back. Your diet is a lifestyle change not a quick fix.

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