Dieting Mistakes to Avoid this Summer

Here at Central Ozarks Medical Center, our main priority is to make sure that you’re healthy! Along with the joys of summer, comes dieting for some people. Whether you’re trying to shed some winter weight or get swimsuit ready, here’s 7 dieting mistakes to avoid this summer. Need professional advice concerning your diet and health? Learn more about our practice and healthcare providers at the Lake of the Ozarks on our website at www.CentralOzarks.org. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give our Lake of the Ozarks health clinics a call.

1. Don’t Skip Breakfast- Whether you’re busy or trying to cut back on calories, skipping breakfast won’t help you lose weight. You could be missing out on important nutrients that are essential to your health or you may end up snacking more throughout the day as a result (causing you to gain weight, instead of losing it).

2. Don’t Eat at Irregular Times- Eating your meals at regular times during the day is important when it comes to losing weight. Eating or snacking too late in the night (after dinner or outside of your regular sleep schedule) can lead to the calories that are being consumed stored as fat rather than being stored as burnable energy.

3. Don’t Forget to Exercise- A common mistake when it comes to dieting is only watching what you eat rather than combining healthy eating with regular exercise. Exercise isn’t confined to going to the gym though. For an exercise program, you’re likely to stick to, find an activity that you find enjoyable. Think outside of the box when it comes to exercising—some examples include taking a walk around your neighborhood, kayaking or dancing. Finding an exercise practice that you enjoy will help you stick to it!

4. Don’t Keep Junk Food in the House- When beginning your diet, get rid of tempting unhealthy food in your house. You’re probably less likely to drive to the store to buy a certain food while craving it than just walking to the kitchen to grab it. Instead, keep healthy snacks on hand to grab when you’re in need of something to tide you over until the next meal.

5. Don’t Focus Only on the Scale- Most people weigh themselves often while dieting to keep track of their progress. Many things can affect scale weight though. If you’re regularly exercising, a gain in muscle weight could balance out the fatty weight you’re losing. In addition, water weight may be affecting what the scale reads. A more effective way to measure your diet journey is to regularly measure your waist with a measuring tape and take pictures weekly or monthly to track your weight loss.

6. Don’t Ban Foods- Banning yourself from fatty or high calorie foods that you love is only going to make you crave them more. Instead, a more effective plan is to cut back how frequently you eat these foods but allow for a treat every once in a while. This will also help when you’re done with your diet. Instead of binging on a food post-diet, you’re likely to eat it in more moderation.

7. Don’t Cut Protein Out- Protein intake is very important when it comes to dieting. Consuming the right amount of protein can help decrease your appetite and calorie intake while increasing your metabolism and protecting your muscle mass while losing weight. High protein foods include: eggs, almonds, chicken and turkey breast, lean beef, broccoli, and oats.

If you’re trying to shed a couple pounds like summer, make sure you’re avoiding these dieting mistakes. Our health clinics in Mid-Missouri are here to help become your healthiest self. Part of having a healthy lifestyle is scheduling an annual health check-up. You can count on Central Ozarks Medical Center for affordable, quality healthcare. Find the closest location near you on www.CentralOzarks.org.

Central Ozarks Medical Center

Keeping Lack of Insurance From Being a Roadblock to Quality Healthcare