Dr. Diane Hamilton's Blog

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10 Mistakes People Make When Dieting

Part of my training I received as a pharmaceutical representative included receiving a certification from the Certified Medical Representative Institute.  The CMR courses were amazingly comprehensive, and made me appreciate all of the training people must undertake in order to become medical doctors. The courses I took were graduate-level and gave me in-depth knowledge about body systems such as the cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine, and immune systems, and so on. The courses covered not only human anatomy and physiology, but also disease processes, medical treatments, and scientific/medical research.
 
Everyone I meet seems to have issues with their bodies.  I am often asked questions about how I stay healthy and if I have any advice for weight-loss.  I would recommend that if you’re going to diet, try to avoid these common mistakes:
 
1.  Don’t skip meals. You’ll just be hungrier later, and overeat.
2.  Don’t expect to lose too much too quickly. Crash diets are unhealthy.
3.  Watch how many calories you drink. Sodas, juice drinks and many other beverages have lots of calories.
4. Watch your portions. Try to leave a little on your plate when you’re finished. You don’t have to clean your plate.
5. Watch the condiments. Adding a lot of condiments adds a lot of calories.
6. Watch your grazing. Nibbling on little things can add up.
7. Eat several small meals during the day rather than a few big ones.
8.  Try not to eat late at night.
9. Be sure you’re drinking enough water.
10. Don’t buy junk food. It will be easier to avoid it when you’re at home.

 I am a fan of the book Food Rules by Michael Pollan (2009).  He suggests 64 rules that people should follow in order to be healthy.  I recommend checking it out!