5 Nutrition Mistakes That Will Make Your Diet Fail!

Dear blog readers,

Summer is just around the corner, and many people are desperately trying to quickly shed the excess and unsightly pounds they gained during the cold season (known in bodybuilding as the “bulking phase”).

To ensure you aren’t one of those for whom the “last-minute diet” backfires, we’d like to warn you about the main mistakes that can lead to your diet’s miserable failure.

1. Consuming too few calories

Even though drastically cutting calories may seem like the right approach at first glance, this is actually a mistake. Extreme, radical diets are neither healthy nor do they lead to sustainable weight loss.

On the contrary: After you see good initial results on the scale (though these are largely due to water weight and muscle loss!), you’ll quickly hit a plateau. The reason is that your metabolism quickly adapts to the drastically reduced nutrient intake. This is further exacerbated by the fact that, on extreme diets, your body aggressively breaks down the metabolically active (and thus calorie-burning) lean muscle mass. To continue losing weight, you’d have to cut your calorie intake to rock bottom. Otherwise, once your calorie intake returns to normal, the pounds you lost (and even more) will quickly come back (the yo-yo effect), accompanied by the unfortunate shift from muscle mass to fat mass.

2. Consuming too many calories

Another very common mistake is essentially the opposite of point 1—consuming too many calories! The reason for this is often that people trying to lose weight hide behind a specific diet or healthy foods but still eat too much. 

In plain language, this means: If you follow a specific diet and/or focus on healthy foods, that’s great! But under no circumstances should you view this as a free pass to overeat.

The psychological reason behind this phenomenon is also clear: When eating healthy foods or following a specific dietary plan—such as a low-carb diet—people eat with a “clear conscience,” while often ignoring the number of calories they’re consuming. However, a diet can only work if the energy balance is negative—that is, if you burn more calories than you consume. You should always keep this in mind!

3. Neglecting protein

You need protein not only for building muscle but also for sustained weight loss success. If you neglect protein, the following happens:

1. Protein protects your muscles from breakdown and thus keeps your metabolism high. Therefore, too little protein in your diet causes your body to draw protein from your muscles and break them down, which is also accompanied by a significantly lower calorie expenditure.
2. Protein is highly satiating. If you consume too little protein, it becomes very difficult to feel full and satisfied while dieting, which ultimately jeopardizes your ability to stick to the diet.
3. Protein requires the most energy (calories) to become bioavailable, which means that by not prioritizing protein, you’re preventing your body from burning calories efficiently.

During a diet, try to consume at least 2–3 g of protein per kg of body weight from food and, if necessary, supplement your protein intake with protein shakes.

4. Focus on Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate-rich fruits, potatoes, etc., are considered true diet foods. However, as with carbohydrate-rich foods in general, fruit and potatoes should only be consumed in moderation while dieting, as they can slow down fat loss and may even increase your appetite. A carbohydrate-heavy diet is therefore not a wise strategy for losing excess weight quickly and sustainably.

Try to limit your carbohydrate intake to the morning and after workouts whenever possible, and avoid carbohydrates, especially late in the evening!

5. The “Fat Makes You Fat” Myth

Many people still make the mistake described in point 4: relying on carbohydrates and, above all, avoiding fat while dieting. Instead, be smart and include a moderate amount of fatty acids in your diet, because:

1. Fat slows digestion and helps control hunger. If your diet contains too little fat, it will be difficult for you to achieve a long-lasting feeling of fullness.
2. Certain fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids, boost metabolism and calorie burning. If you don’t consume enough of these valuable dietary fats, your body won’t be able to burn body fat optimally.
3. Fat keeps levels of fat-burning hormones—such as testosterone in men—high during a diet. Therefore, not getting enough fat also puts you at a hormonal disadvantage when it comes to losing weight.

More on the topic of fat and dieting: Fat Makes You Healthy, Strong, and Slim

With athletic regards

Your Peak Team