Diet Mistakes to Avoid

Dietary Mistakes to Avoid After the cold and long winter months, the sun has started to show its face. Soon, the thick winter clothes will be replaced by lighter garments, and the weight gained will become more visible.

For this reason, as summer approaches, almost everyone is seized by the urge to lose weight. However, some mistakes we make unknowingly or thinking they will help during dieting can prolong the weight loss process, or we can regain the weight we lost significantly when we return to our normal eating habits. Moreover, while trying to lose weight, we can face many health problems. Ezgi Hazal Çelik, Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist at Acıbadem Bakırköy Hospital, notes that very low-calorie diets in particular adversely affect our health, and states: "Even if we see the deficits reflected on the scale, we should not forget that this is temporary weight loss, and we should know that insufficient nutrition brings along many problems such as muscle loss, headaches, hair loss, constipation, blood sugar imbalance, dry skin and concentration problems. Very low-calorie diets should be avoided, and permanent weight loss should be achieved through healthy and balanced nutrition." So what are the most common mistakes we make during the dieting process? Ezgi Hazal Çelik, Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist at Acıbadem Bakırköy Hospital, explained 8 mistakes to avoid while dieting; and provided important recommendations and warnings!   

Very low-calorie diets

Our body needs a certain amount of calories daily to function properly. We obtain these calories from foods and beverages we consume during the day. Very low-calorie diets may make you feel good initially with the numbers reflected on the scale, but after a while we see that these numbers are not real results. Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist Ezgi Hazal Çelik states that these diets, which are usually in liquid form or contain a single type of food group, result more in fluid and muscle loss, and therefore the weight lost is regained at the same rate, adding: "Furthermore, because the body's energy expenditure adapts to this level, very low-calorie diets cause the metabolism to slow down, resulting in slower weight loss."  

The right approach: Avoid very low-calorie diets because they do not provide long-term weight loss and are not sustainable. Proceed with a nutrition plan suited to your needs without rushing. Although it varies from person to person due to individual differences, ideal weight loss should be between 0.5-1 kg per week.  

Eating fat-free

During the dieting process, like all nutrients, fat intake is restricted somewhat to create a calorie deficit. However, cooking meals without fat to reduce calorie intake not only prevents you from consuming healthy fats like olive oil, which is rich in omega-9 fatty acids and vitamin E, but also negatively affects the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. This situation, which adversely affects health in the long term, can cause weight loss to stop or slow down after a while during the dieting process.  

The right approach: While dieting, you can consume healthy fats by eating foods like olive oil (approximately 45 kcal per serving), avocado, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts in a manner suited to your needs. However, do not forget the energy content of these foods in the fat group and add them to your diet while avoiding excessive consumption.  

Drinking mineral water instead of plain water

In spring and summer months, we get thirsty more frequently due to rising temperatures, and our desire to consume acidic, cool beverages increases. The first choice for people on diets is usually mineral water because it is calorie-free. However, when water—which is essential for many metabolic processes in our body—is not consumed in sufficient quantities daily, or when different fluids like mineral water are preferred over water, the weight loss process can slow down.  

The right approach: Although the beverages we consume support fluid intake, the best source of fluid is water. Therefore, make a habit of drinking an average of 2-2.5 liters of water daily. In addition to your water consumption, you can drink at most 2 bottles per day of mineral water containing low sodium (Na<100mg).   

Drinking plenty of lemon water

Drinking lemon water contributes to increased daily fluid and vitamin C intake, but contrary to the common belief in society, it does not burn fat during the dieting process. Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist Ezgi Hazal Çelik also points out that squeezing plenty of lemon into all water consumed throughout the day can lead to stomach problems and damage to tooth enamel in the long term.  

The right approach: If starting your day with lemon water makes you feel good and you have no stomach problems, you can consume a large glass (approximately 300 ml) of water with half a lemon squeezed into it.

Not consuming enough carbohydrates

One of the most common mistakes during dieting is removing foods containing carbohydrates such as bread, rice, pasta and legumes entirely from the nutrition plan. However, because carbohydrates—which are the body's primary energy source—contain fiber, B vitamins and minerals, completely eliminating them from the diet can lead to slower weight loss in the long term, disruption of intestinal function, and increased cravings for sweets. This situation can result in diet failure or cause you to consume restricted foods in excessive amounts.  

The right approach: Do not deprive yourself of foods containing carbohydrates while dieting. Speaking about "the most important point here being the type of carbohydrate consumed," Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist Ezgi Hazal Çelik continues: "You should stay away from processed foods containing added sugar, fructose syrup and white flour. However, it will be beneficial to consume whole grain products, bulgur, buckwheat and legumes with high fiber content by controlling portions."  

Eating a protein-heavy diet

High-protein diets, frequently used for rapid weight loss, increasing muscle mass or body shaping, negatively affect kidney function and can also lead to high animal fat intake. Protein requirements are individual, and protein intake beyond need poses a risk factor in terms of kidney function, intestinal problems and heart disease. High-protein diets not tailored specifically to your needs not only negatively affect your health but also prevent weight loss due to their high caloric content.  

The right approach: Protein requirements vary based on factors such as age, gender, body weight, activity level, and presence of chronic disease. If you are not a professional athlete or doing heavy resistance exercise, your daily protein intake should not exceed 1-1.2 g per kilogram of body weight.  

Not paying attention to sleep schedule

Reduced work pace in hot weather, increased social life activity, and vacation periods causing sleep schedules to extend into late hours are another important factor that can prevent weight loss. Insufficient and poor-quality sleep affects the levels of hormones like leptin and ghrelin that regulate satiety and hunger processes in the body, which can both increase your appetite and cause you to turn to high-calorie foods.  

The right approach: Getting adequate and quality sleep while dieting will allow us to manage the process more easily. Although more individual timeframes have been mentioned recently, research shows that we should not sleep less than 6 hours or more than 9 hours.    

Weighing yourself constantly

After starting a diet, we may want to weigh ourselves frequently and see the results of the diet as soon as possible. However, body weight changes throughout the day for many reasons. Many factors such as the foods you ate that day, your fluid intake and your sleep schedule affect the result reflected on the scale. Therefore, there may not be consistent daily weight loss during the dieting process. Not seeing the desired result on the scale can also reduce diet motivation.  

The right approach: Weighing yourself once a week, on the same scale, in the morning on an empty stomach, after bowel movement and without clothes will be a more accurate choice.