{"id":755,"date":"2015-02-24T05:40:41","date_gmt":"2015-02-24T03:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/?p=755"},"modified":"2015-02-24T12:03:13","modified_gmt":"2015-02-24T10:03:13","slug":"top-3-excuses-for-giving-up-on-a-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/top-3-excuses-for-giving-up-on-a-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 2 reasons for failed diet attempts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Eating \u201chealthily\u201d is an important ideal for many \u2013 whether it is to achieve weight loss, lower cholesterol levels, manage diabetes, perform better in sport\u2026or simply to just \u201cfeel better\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Most people know the basic fundamentals of \u201chealthy eating\u201d, i.e. eat more fresh fruits and veggies, limit portion sizes, drink more water, use complex and not refined carbohydrates, and limit fat intake.<\/p>\n<p>Yet translating this basic knowledge into a practical, day-to-day, meal-by-meal, plan is often a challenge to many.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are some of the stumbling blocks \/ barriers that those trying to follow \u201chealthy eating plan\u201d experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/diet-scale.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-779\" src=\"http:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/diet-scale.jpg\" alt=\"diet-scale\" width=\"259\" height=\"194\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">1. \u00a0Lack of planning<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It is true that \u201cto fail to plan, is to plan to fail\u201d: many people fall into the trap of spontaneous shopping (without a list), spontaneous meal preparation or, at times resorting to fast-food or a ready-meal.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Spend some time each week planning a 7-day menu: keep it simple!<\/li>\n<li>Simple, healthy breakfasts, e.g. muesli, fruit and yoghurt OR Soya-Life instant porridge + milk and fruit; or wholegrain toast + boiled egg.<\/li>\n<li>Use leftovers from supper for lunch OR prepare a tasty healthy sandwich of rye or low GI bread + a low fat filling such as low fat mozzarella and tomato, or tuna and low oil mayo with salad; or make a colourful salad with added protein such as tuna \/ chicken \/ chickpeas \/ feta and have this with some Provitas or Ryvita.<\/li>\n<li>Keep the balance at supper: use a fist-size portion of starch (brown rice \/ baby potatoes) + a palm-size portion of protein (lean steak \/ chicken \/ hand-size portion of baked fish) + 2-3 colours of veggies..either as salad or steamed or stir-fry veggies.<\/li>\n<li>Plan mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks to keep that blood sugar level steady and sustained: fresh fruit is first prize OR Provitas + avo \/ cottage cheese etc.<\/li>\n<li>Shop accordingly<\/li>\n<li>Make a list!<\/li>\n<li>Eat something filling before going shopping!<\/li>\n<li>Read labels: &lt;5g fat\/portion and if \u201csugar\u2019 appears in the first 3 ingredients on the label: avoid that food!<\/li>\n<li>Include chicken and meat 3-4 x\/week; and add in fish and vegetarian options 2-3x\/week.<\/li>\n<li>Buy fresh veggies and fruit that are in season<\/li>\n<li>Add some frozen and\/or ready prepared veggies for stir-fries, to save time on those ultra-busy days.<\/li>\n<li>Have the foods at the ready, even snacks\u2026 so that when \u201ctime becomes tight\u201d the healthy options are ready to \u201cgrab and run\u201d.<\/li>\n<li>Keep all meals simple yet balanced ( \u00bc of your plate as your protein, \u00bc as your starch, and \u00bd as your veggies)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">2. \u00a0Excuses, excuses\u2026<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #339966; font-size: 16pt;\"><strong><em>I have no will-power! I see good food and I cannot resist it!\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>TIP: if you are going to a function or a meal out: ensure that all meals and snacks prior to the event are still eaten, and are healthy and balanced\u2026 this way, when you arrive at the event, you are not starving and over-eat or drink too much.<\/p>\n<p>Enjoy the good food, and especially enjoy the company\u2026 Even eat a little of something you would not otherwise eat on a \u201chealthy eating plan\u201d: control your portions\u2026 and SAVOUR! Nobody enjoys the company of an obsessive \u201cdieter\u201d at an event\u2026 so let this event just be part of the normal course of events.<\/p>\n<p>Remember if you eat 3 meals + 2 snacks per day \u2026 this equates to 35 meals and snacks per week: having a \u201ctreat\u201d meal (don\u2019t use the word \u201ccheat meal\u201d!) and a \u201ctreat\u201d snack once a week is not going to destroy all your good habits and intentions!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #339966; font-size: 16pt;\"><strong><em>\u201cI have no time to prepare healthy foods\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Plan ahead, shop and stock up on good healthy choices once a week\u2026 and time management becomes a breeze.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In cases where there is genuinely not enough time to eat, then choose a healthy, balanced meal replacement drink: Soya life Instant Meal Replacement Drink, to ensure sustained blood sugar levels and thus energy levels.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #339966;\"><strong><em>Cost: healthy foods are expensive<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fresh vegetables, fruit, beans and soya products (all components of a healthy eating plan) are cost-effective, filling and sustainable foods.<\/li>\n<li>By planning half a plate of veggies and reducing your protein portion size you save on costs.<\/li>\n<li>Add beans and lentils to meat \/ chicken dishes to extend the meal.<\/li>\n<li>Grow your own veggies.<\/li>\n<li>Junk food is expensive!<\/li>\n<li>Drink water!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span style=\"color: #339966; font-size: 16pt;\"><strong>Confusion about foods:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>what IS actually healthy; and should whole food groups be excluded?? The media hype worsens this confusion\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Stay with a healthy balance: choose foods in moderation from ALL the food groups. This way you cover a healthy nutritious balance of all macro-nutrients and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #339966; font-size: 16pt;\">Stress and food<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong><em>I eat the wrong things when I am stressed\u2026.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>This is a<\/em><\/strong><em> common complaint amongst those with all the best intentions in the world of eating correctly.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Follow the above-mentioned tips of:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Planning<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Eating regular meals and snacks<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Drinking enough water (2l\/day)<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Choosing foods that sustain blood sugar levels and thus energy levels (low GI breads and crackers; soya-based cereals e.g. Soya-life porridge \/ Soya-Meal replacement shake; fruits and veggies).<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This way one ensures at least that the body is adequately \u201cfuelled\u2019 as an important tool to manage and cope with the stress.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Sue Scharf\" href=\"http:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/sue-scharf\/\">Sue Scharf<\/a> RD(SA)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eating \u201chealthily\u201d is an important ideal for many \u2013 whether it is to achieve weight loss, lower cholesterol levels, manage diabetes, perform better in sport\u2026or simply to just \u201cfeel better\u201d. Most people know the basic fundamentals of \u201chealthy eating\u201d, i.e. eat more fresh fruits and veggies, limit portion sizes, drink more water, use complex and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[49,50,51,48],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4CNFS-cb","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=755"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dieticiansatwork.co.za\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}