5 Diet Mistakes You're Making Daily

When it comes to dieting, perception isn't always reality. With so many of us trying to eat right, [...]

When it comes to dieting, perception isn't always reality. With so many of us trying to eat right, how are nearly two-thirds of Americans overweight?  Even the most well-intentioned dieters can sabotage their efforts with little mistakes. Fortunately, many of these mistakes have easy fixes.

Tara Gidus MS, RD aka The "Diet Diva" shares the top five diet mistakes many of us make, with quick fixes to get us back on track:

protein rich foods and drinks

1. Your Diet Lacks Protein: recent study found that a diet low in protein drives overeating and causes higher calorie consumption. Try incorporating protein into your diet like new Egg Beaters SmartCups, which contain just 60 calories and 11 grams of protein per cup.

>> Check out 10 Protein-Rich Foods to Add to Your Diet!

no carbohydrates diet

2. Cutting Out Food Groups: U.S. News & World Report just released their annual diet rankings, and something many of these diets have in common is eliminating foods (gluten-free), groups of foods (Paleo) or even large amounts of calories (fast diet). However, eliminating large groups of foods from your diet isn't always effective or easy. Cutting out a wide range of foods for a period of several weeks means you risk not getting enough nutrients from a sufficient variety of foods.

woman eating healthy snacks and drinking water at work

3. Skipping the Snacks: Although you may feel guilty about eating more than three times a day, snacks aren't bad if you choose the right ones. To stay on track with your weight loss goals, try always keeping better-for-you snacks nearby. Nuts are a good snacking staple as they're loaded with protein and heart-healthy fats. 

>> Check out 39 Favorite Snacks Under 100 Calories!

watermelon cocktails

4. Alcohol: Unhealthy snacks and meals can quickly pack on the pounds, but so can alcohol. While we tend to be more conscious about the food we eat, we can easily forget about the calories in the beverages we drink. Instead of a sugary cosmopolitan, swap it for a wine spritzer or light beer to keep your calorie consumption lower.

woman eating popcorn while watching tv

5. Boredom: Eating is truly a social experience and when you're alone with a day of nothing ahead of you it's easy to fall into the pattern of overeating. To avoid this, try munching on filling foods like hummus paired with pita chips. It's a great whole grain, high fiber snack and the serving size is larger that many healthy snacks.

By avoiding these five common diet destroyers and following these simple fixes, you'll be back to looking and feeling great in no time!

For more information and diet tips from Tara Gidus MS, RD, visit www.dietdiva.net.

*Tara Gidus is a paid spokesperson for ConAgra Foods.

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