7 Warning Signs that Your Diet May Fail

When most people start a new diet they ask themselves, “will this diet help me lose weight?” they don’t bother to ask a more important question, “is this diet sustainable?”

Many dieters get very excited when they start a new diet and see the number on the scale dropping. They don’t realize that most diets are easy to stick to in the initial stages but as time goes by they become unbearable.

Instead of simply relying on the number on the scale, you need to know the signs of diets that fail. Below are warning signs your diet may fail.

1. IT ASKS YOU TO ELIMINATE AN ENTIRE FOOD GROUP.

Most diets are based on the concept of eliminating foods. Others are extreme and ask dieters to eliminate entire food groups. Nowadays, most crash diets will ask you to cut carbs. This can be quite challenging, since most foods contain carbs.

Stay away from diets that ask you to cut entire food groups. A healthy diet should contain adequate amounts of carbs, protein and fats.

2. YOU’RE CONSTANTLY CRAVING THE ‘FORBIDDEN’ FOODS.

We all crave certain foods every now and then, but constantly craving certain foods can make you fall off the wagon. Most dieters tend to crave the foods they’ve been told not to eat. 

The cravings could mean you’re not getting enough nutrients or that your diet is highly restrictive.

One hundred percent adherence to a diet is not necessary for weight loss. You can occasionally eat the not-so-healthy foods and still lose weight.

3. YOUR BODY REACTS NEGATIVELY.

Don’t be surprised to see dieters stick to diets that cause their bodies harm. A healthy diet should enhance your health, not ruin it.

If you’re on a diet that’s causing symptoms like bad breath, constipation, fatigue or thinning your hair, chances are it will fail.

4. IT KEEPS YOU HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

Hunger is one of the biggest obstacles when trying to lose weight. Some hunger is unavoidable after reducing food intake, but those on healthy diets can regulate hunger by consuming enough fiber, drinking water, eating protein and so on.

Stay away from diets that make you hungry all the time, despite your best efforts to keep hunger at bay.

5. YOU CAN’T EAT WITH YOUR FAMILY.

It’s okay to eat meals that are slightly different from what your family is eating, but it can be quite challenging to stick to diets that force you to cook your own special meals.

Unless your family eats junk food all the time, you should be able to enjoy meals together and still lose weight.

 6. YOU’VE NOT LOST ANY WEIGHT SO FAR.

It doesn’t make sense to stick to a diet that’s not working for you, simply because it worked for someone else. If a diet doesn’t help you lose weight in the first three weeks, it probably won’t work for you.

Research shows that overweight women who lose weight quickly in the initial stages end up losing more weight overall and keeping it off.

7. IT DOESN’T ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXERCISE.

Even though you can lose weight without exercise, those who combine diet with exercise tend to weigh less.

Focusing on diet alone doesn’t necessarily mean that you will fail, but you have better chances of success if you exercise regularly.