Iv’e spoke with 100s of people about nutrition. Some of them have had great success. Others, unfortunately, haven't quite been as successful. 

I’ve noticed some really clear patterns as to what separates the two camps. So, here we're diving into the five most common mistakes people make when it comes to dieting. 

1) Focusing on restriction - what to cut out It's tempting to approach nutrition with a mindset of restriction, but this often leads to a cycle of craving and bingeing. Instead, shift your focus to positive additions to your diet, such as basing your main meals around protein and plants, eating more wholegrains, upping your fruit intake and trying new recipes. These are known as approach goals - as opposed to avoidance goals like trying to eat less of something.  Approach goals tend to be more successful, and sustainable and leave you with a more positive outlook.

2) Exercising just to burn calories Viewing exercise as merely a means to burn calories can create a really negative relationship with physical activity. Besides, it contributes remarkably little to your overall calorie demands. Instead, focus on your food choices and day-to-day activity - these have a far greater impact on calorie balance. By reframing exercise as a way to get fit, have fun, and improve overall health, you can achieve sustainable results without fixating solely on calorie burn.

3) Perfectionism Striving for perfection in your diet sets unrealistic standards and can lead to an all-or-nothing mindset. Instead of aiming for perfection, embrace flexibility and acknowledge that setbacks are a natural part of the journey. Approach your health and fitness habits like a dimmer switch, where you can scale down your efforts as and when you need to. However, you’re always doing something - unlike a light switch that is either on or off.

4) Avoiding social events Cutting yourself off from social gatherings can detract from your quality of life and hinder long-term adherence to healthy habits. Instead of shunning social events, learn to navigate them by making conscious choices that align with your health goals. Strike a balance between enjoying social occasions and maintaining progress towards your health & fitness goals. 

5) Changing too much Overhauling your entire lifestyle overnight takes a huge amount of effort. Often, a more gradual approach, focusing on small changes is more sustainable. Identify the low-hanging fruit—the simple tweaks that can yield significant results with minimal effort—and build upon them over time.

These five mistakes are common stumbling blocks on the path to achieving sustainable nutrition and fitness goals. 

If you need more guidance and support please head over to the enquiries page and we can organise a chat.