No one is perfect.  Let’s face it, everyone eats things once in a while that are not good for your diet.  But, if you screw up with your diet daily, then you will gain weight.  It is that simple.

I had a slip and put on a few pounds and couldn’t lose them.  I follow all of my own rules and I finally figured out what I was doing wrong.  I fixed it and lost half of a pound a day since doing it.  I was eating just a few too many nuts.  If you don’t count them out, it is like the Wild West and you end up doing too many calories and carbs.  So, I am off nuts for a while and only get them in my protein bars.  I will use lite cheese to cut my hunger when it comes between my 6 protein meals and for now, I am off the nuts because I can’t trust myself.

So, what do you do that sabotages your diet?  Here are some ways people sabotage themselves.

1.  Eating too few calories will lead to binging.  Women need about 1,200 a day, men need about 1,500.  Carbs are between 50-100g.

2.  Forbidding foods.  I cannot forbid myself from chocolate or I will go nuts.  So, my compromise, I have it in diet things like my protein bars, lite chocolate pudding or shakes.  I can have a bite of a chocolate cake if absolutely necessary, but I would prefer to stick to eating a chocolate PROTEIN item.  Very little protein and too much sugar in brownies and cake.

3.  Skipping breakfast and slowing your metabolism.   You have to get your body going.  I have a hard-boiled egg and run out the door.  But, you can make eggs, chicken sausage, have light cheese.  Find a protein.  Toast, Pop Tarts and McMuffins will not help you on a diet, but for less than two dollars, you can get a side of eggs and bacon at a fast food place, if you so desire.

4.  Don’t overguessestimate your portions, grazing or calories.  An example is salad dressing or like in my case–the nuts.  You have to count carbs.

5.  Don’t binge on weekends and think you can make up for it all week long.  You will be setting yourself up for failure.

6.  Don’t overeat after a workout.  Drink water and eat a normally counted meal or a small protein like a stick of lite string cheese, a piece of chicken, etc..

7.  Don’t eat late at night.  And if you need a protein snack fine, but watch the carbs.  A Lindora.com hot chocoate is good!

8.  You must care and find time to work out.  Period.  Schedule it like you schedule your work.  I do elliptical minimally 3 days a week and minimally, half an hour.  I do my IPAD at the same time.  You can find a way to make it work.  I schedule my pilates and yoga as part of my week schedule.  You have to care about it as much as a pedicure or MORE!

9.  Watch the liquor.  Lots of carbs.  If you have to have a drink, a mixed drink with vodka or gin, one, small one.  Not often.  Fruit drinks, wine and beer=carbs.

10.  Starting and stopping diets with excuses.  But, it is a wedding, but it is Saturday, but but but.  No yo-yo dieting.  And don’t do crazy HCG diets and stuff.  Just stick to a good routine and exercise.