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Common Diet Blunders

Avoid the most common blunders

By Michele Bloomquist
WebMD Feature

Reviewed By Gary Vogin

The dreaded "D" word, diet, brings images of deprivation and failure to the minds of many. Nobody who has been there would claim that it is easy to stick to a weight-loss plan for the long haul, but it can be easier to stay motivated if you watch for and avoid the most common blunders.

Eating Regular Meals

Many dieters try to reduce their calorie intake by skipping meals, such as breakfast, but this common mistake is a sure recipe for failure. Most diet plans aim to spread meals out over the day, usually breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack or two so that you never feel "hungry" and are therefore less likely to indulge in that bag of chips after lunch.

The "All or Nothing" Mentality

So let's say you did eat the bag of chips. Don't make the mistake of allowing the negative self-talk to start discouraging you from your goal. You know, that little voice that says, "You may as well just give up. This diet isn't going to work. You've blown it now." The key to success is persistence, not perfection.

Planning Ahead

Make a list of all the groceries you will need for this week's meal plans and buy them all at once. Not having the ingredients you need on hand makes it easy to justify getting off track. Make lunch the night before so you have no excuse to go to the deli instead.