by Jacob Jenkins

Created on: May 18, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2009

Even with a great desire to lose weight, a few simple mistakes are all that it takes to derail an otherwise successful diet plan. These are the Top 10 ways in which people, often unintentionally, sabotage their efforts to establish a healthy diet.

10. Using Fad/Celebrity Diets

When the urge to diet strikes, dreams of quick and painless weight loss coupled with visions of a beautiful body come to mind . Fad diets are created and marketed to potential dieters with these thoughts in mind. The truth they don't want to portray is that effective dieting relies upon more than simply taking pills or consuming only lean meats. Dieters should always maintain the goal of building a healthy and balanced body; this requires balanced nutrition, exercise, and knowledge.

9. Forgetting about Liquid Calories

Many dieters become so intensely focused on their food choices that they forget to account for their liquid caloric intake. Sugary or alcoholic drinks provide plenty of nutrient deficient calories without satisfying hunger. Drinking one 20 ounce cola a day adds up to a whopping 26 pound weight gain over the course of a year.

8. Excessive Weight Watching

Checking your weight daily often creates unnecessary diet frustrations. Keeping a diet log and exercising are far more important than scale watching. Set weekly dates to check your weight, and consistently check it in the morning when you are the lightest. Remember your diet is about more than the number on the scale, it is a commitment to your overall health and well-being.

7. Skipping Meals

Skipping meals is a frequently used method to compensate for large meals. While skipping a meal is often done in good faith, it actually increases the desire to eat sugary foods later in the day. A skipped meal causes blood sugar levels to drop, which in turn triggers the body's desire to consume more sugar later in the day. In addition, eating 4-5 meals spaced out during the day keeps the body's metabolism running, increasing the amount of calories burned.

6. Setting Unrealistic Goals

While committing wholeheartedly to a diet is a great first step for success, setting unrealistic goals and timetables can quickly diminish enthusiasm if they are unachievable. Start with goals that are challenging and then increase your standards once you are consistently achieving your goals. Talking with professionals and/or researching are great ways to learn about setting realistic goals that are

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