You probably started the year promising: new year, new you. And the one aspect you're looking to improve is your diet. This is a wonderful decision because what you eat plays a significant role in your overall well-being. You might've even created a dietary plan and have been following it religiously. 

But you don’t seem to be getting the results you want. Well, YOU might be the problem! You might have a few unhealthy habits that affect the effectiveness of your diet. Wondering like what? 

Here are a few.

1. Setting unrealistic goals

There are several reasons why you decided to go on a healthy diet, such as losing weight or reducing various health conditions and disorders. For it to be effective, you need to put some goals in place. Your goals act as a metric and guide, ensuring you're on the right track. 

But having unrealistic goals can make this a problem. This is because such goals are difficult to achieve, resulting in demotivating you. Instead, take the time to think about how you can achieve your main objective by taking a few steps at a time. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you can set a target to lose an inch on your waistline each month. It may seem small, but this would be better than trying to lose 1 inch each week, which may be impossible. Not to mention unhealthy.

2. Following a restrictive diet plan

As you know, dieting requires commitment and discipline. So, isn’t a restrictive diet plan an amazing idea? According to experts, (and me, a fitness instructor), it isn’t. Diets that require hefty sacrifices may do you more harm than good. 

For instance, it'd be a huge challenge to follow a diet plan that requires you (a non-vegan or vegetarian) to abstain from meat entirely. You'll find yourself craving meat, and the minute you get to satisfy this craving, you know you're going to overindulge. It's better to create a diet that creates balance, not deprivation. You can add various foods to your plan but in moderation.

3. Improper exclusion

Although it isn’t advisable to follow a restrictive diet plan, including some foods will hinder your expected results. The problem comes when the wrong foods are removed. Fats and carbohydrates are common food categories that are mistakenly removed from many diets. Trans fat and saturated fat are unhealthy. However, avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds contain healthy fats that could do more for you if included in your diet. 

Carbohydrates are important as they provide energy, minerals, and fiber. As such, its exclusion may not help you realize your goals. You should review your dietary plan and include various foods and other products like this one, to help you maximize your dietary results. Also make sure you include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your die. So you're always eating a balanced diet and not missing out on essential vitamins and minerals.

4. Skipping meals

It's a common misconception amongst some dieters that less is more. This is far from true. Skipping meals is never a good idea and can sabotage your diet efforts. On the surface, skipping a few meals throughout the day is a quick and easy way to avoid extra calories and avoid foods that aren’t healthy. But in reality, starving yourself for an extended period may cause you to overeat and mess up your diet. 

Breakfast is a meal skipped by most people, and this simple action could be sabotaging your results. As the name implies, breakfast breaks the fast you are on when you sleep. Skipping this important meal will make you feel tired and weak. It can also increase your blood pressure and your risk of experiencing frequent headaches and migraines.

Instead of skipping meals, getting three square meals a day is best. Starting with a healthy, hearty breakfast. If you're busy and always on the go, consider meal prep plans to help you get the nutrition you need. It also helps a lot if you eat healthy snacks between meals to stop yourself from getting too hungry. 

Going on a diet is a great decision in your journey to be healthier, and see great results. But, as seen above, some of your habits may be preventing that. Now that you know what could be sabotaging your efforts, it's time to make a change. And if you'd like, consider speaking to a dietician to make absolutely sure that these changes suitable for you and gain more insight into the right habits to implement.