How many times have you tried to lose weight and promised to start losing right after some occasion or event passes?

We’ve all been there.

We gain 5 to 20 extra pounds (sometimes more), get disappointed, and vow to get the weight off before the next event.

But not thinking, we set ourselves up to fail every time.  Believing we can drop the weight quickly, we overeat until we find ourselves struggling to fit our jeans or to zip up our dresses on a regular basis.

Next thing you know, we’ve gained double the weight we were initially trying to lose, now making the task of losing it that much harder.  At this point we become frustrated, and some of us refuse to make the change, and our health goes by the wayside, thus further creating problems for us in the future.

What we fail to realize is: the older we get and the longer we wait to take action, the harder it is for us to lose the weight and the unhealthier our bodies become.

Here are five common misconceptions about dieting and five reasons why some people refuse to try them:

Misconception 5:  Losing weight is hard.

As we mentioned earlier, the longer you take to get into the gym, perform some activity, or change your eating habits, then yes, losing weight will become a challenge. 

Carrying lots of extra weight can be stressful on our bodies, hard to get rid of, frustrating, and emotionally draining, and it doesn’t get any easier the older we get or, the longer we wait to address the problem.

The continuous build-up over time, of subcutaneous fat around the belly, hips, and thighs becomes more stubborn and difficult to melt away, making the ability to lose weight much more cumbersome – which is one reason why many refuse to make the necessary changes to become healthy.

As soon as you realize you need to lose weight, if you make a plan and stick to it, you will find the task much less daunting than you will if you procrastinate and ignore the obvious.

Losing weight can be fun, especially if you team up with a buddy or join a group that’s dealing with the same situation.  Moreover, when you think of your overall health, and how you will feel once you’ve reached your goal, it will have been well worth the investment.

Misconception 4:  You can’t eat anything that tastes good.

The grocery stores stock their produce and refrigerated sections with mounds of healthy food choices — some honestly good and some not so good.

Shedding weight doesn’t have to be difficult, and the food in the plan doesn’t have to taste awful.  It just needs to serve its purpose, be healthy and nutritious.

Contrary to what they say about diet food, all of it does not taste bad.  Though, if you don’t want to change what you eat, the key is to cut back on portion sizes.  This way, you can still eat the tasty foods you prefer and not feel like you’re giving up anything.

For example, Weight Watchers allows you to eat anything you want, only in smaller portions, and to make sure you are staying on track, all you have to count is points per meal.

Then there’s the Keto Diet, which is a very popular diet if you can stand to relinquish carbs for some time — no pasta, no bread, no sugars, sodas, or juices.  It’s quite easy to follow, not to mention, affordable.

Wakaya Perfection offers a BulaFIT and ketogenic fat loss program that is getting remarkable results.  They also offer a ketogenic cookbook to help you get started.

Another favorite place for all things keto if you are a beginner and would like to consider this diet is ruled.me.

However, if lots of healthy smoothies are something you prefer, then the 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse would suit you perfectly.

This starter plan allows you tasty fruit smoothies that are high in protein and antioxidants while preparing you for the longer 30-day plan to lasting weight loss, Green Smoothies for Life.  This lifestyle change will transition you into eating small healthy meals — some of which are smoothies — that taste good and are created to help curb cravings as they hit.

Of course, if your budget allows, diet plans like Nutrisystem, South Beach Diet, Jenny Craig, may serve you well.

There are many choices out there.  You only need to pick one that you believe will work best for you, choose a start date and begin your healthy transition.

Just make sure it’s a plan you can genuinely stick with and includes food items that you truly like to eat.  Otherwise, you will ultimately fail the plan, and losing weight then becomes the daunting task you will dread even more.

Misconception 3:  Diets don’t work.

Let’s face it; there’s not a single diet out there that will work if you don’t follow it.  Not a single one.  Period.  Moreover, if you’re overindulging in tasty, delicious cupcakes like the ones in the image above or some other delectable favorite, then you might find yourself on the losing end of the weight loss battle.  Who hasn’t been there a time or two?

The key, plain and simple, is, you have to stick to the plan.  You have to make the change.  If you refuse to do so, then yes, no diet plan is going to work.

It would be best if you chose a plan that you can handle, one that includes foods that you can stomach, and that incorporates healthy lifestyle changes that you can adhere to, continually, over time.  Otherwise, the game is over, and you’re right back where you started.

Misconception 2:  Everyone at the gym will be staring at me.

No one likes to be stared at, judged, or made to feel as though they don’t belong or have no idea what they’re doing, especially if they don’t.  It’s a horrible feeling and can make one feel intimidated about being in the gym.

That’s why confidence is key.  People will only stare at you if you make it obvious that you are uncomfortable or feel as though you don’t belong.  The gym is where everyone goes to get healthy, and every person there is there for the same purpose: to lose weight, get healthy, and some are there to make friends.  Most aren’t concerned with staring at you, so try not to worry too much about that.

Stay focused on the task at hand and keep pushing until you begin to see your body changing.  At which point, you won’t care if people are staring at you, because they’ll be admiring the hard work you’ve put in and will notice the change in your body — which will be made obvious by their stares.  Moreover, you’ll probably motivate them in the long run.

However, if going into a gym is more than you can bear, there are lots of workout videos and programs you can do from the comforts of your home.  Perhaps you can motivate yourself to take a brisk walk around your neighborhood in the morning or during the evening after work.

If that doesn’t excite you, maybe you can try group dancing with friends.  You’ll be amazed at how many calories you will burn this way.

Whatever you do, make sure you stay with it until you begin to see your body changing, and when it does, perhaps then, you’ll feel comfortable enough to visit the gym.  If not, put the video back in and keep doing what you’re doing!

Misconception 1:  I don’t have time to cook and workout every day.

We all are familiar with the hustle and bustle of a busy work schedule.  Add to that, family-time, meetings, children’s activities, and all the things that consume a great portion of our day.

Yes, it can be difficult.  Moreover, if you are the only person dieting, who requires a different menu at meal time, sticking to a diet plan can be challenging, as can finding time to workout.

So, what do you do?

You prepare.

It may take a little extra effort to get your meals lined up and to find time to fit in a workout, but you can do it.  If you prep your meals in the evening for the next day, or pack a pre-made shake and a piece of fruit, and force yourself to take a brisk walk at lunchtime, you might surprise yourself with how much you can accomplish.

Also, don’t underestimate exercising at your desk.  Leg lifts and crisscrosses underneath your desk for 6o to 120-seconds repeated 3-4 times will work wonders on your legs, and arm lifts for the same amount of time will tone your arms in no time.  Add a can of soup or a bottle of water for resistance and up your challenge.

If you have the desire to lose the weight, and good health matters to you, you will develop a plan, and find a way to execute it – especially if it means a healthier more energetic and vibrant you.

Where there is will, there is always a way.

Conclusion

Often, when we think of going on a diet, we tend to focus on how long it will be before we come off the diet.  So much so, that we miss the planning and commitment it takes to transition into healthy changes for a healthy life.

Technically, if you think of losing weight as making a healthy lifestyle change that you can stick with permanently, it makes the idea of dieting easier to focus on and digest.

So why not focus on making healthy changes for a healthy life, permanently? 

We love to share tips and ideas on simple changes you can make that lead to a healthier you.

We also like to hear about any healthy changes you’ve recently made that have made you feel more vibrant and energetic.

Please share your ideas in the Comments Section below: