1. Eating too fast
Gulping food may set you up for stomach troubles. You take in excess air, which can lead to bloating. You also might not be chewing well. Saliva begins to break food down, and too little time in the mouth leaves more work for the rest of the digestive tract. This will contribute to indigestion. Finally, eating too quickly doesn't give the brain enough time to catch up to the stomach. It needs at least 20 minutes to get the message that your stomach is full. You may end up gaining more weight.
Solution: Slow down.
2. Skipping breakfast
You'll probably have a lousy morning, as well as a higher chance of overeating later on if you skip breakfast. Blood sugar usually drops overnight, so your brain is running on empty until you eat in the morning. Studies have shown that cognitive skills and memory improve once you've fueled your foggy morning brain. Recent research shows that breakfast skippers tend to eat more calories during the day than people who don't skip this meal. Eating breakfast may actually help you achieve and maintain weight loss.
Solution: Eat a moderate breakfast and make sure you take in calories for a busy working day.
3. Binge-eating at night
Your metabolism slows down and burns food slower during the night. If you eat too much at night, the body will work harder to absorb the nutrition which in the end turns to fat. Also, organisms stay awake digesting the food, so even if you fall asleep part of your body is not "sleeping" thus you will not get a sufficient amount of sleep. The next morning you will not feel fully rested. Because you will need more sleep, it will be harder to wake up when the time comes.
Solution: Eating before going to bed is never a good thing. If you can’t avoid eating before bedtime, then simply snack on fresh fruits and vegetables.
4. Craving Coffee
Scientists from the Johns Hopkins Medical School recently reported that a person who drinks five or more cups of coffee a day is almost three times as likely to develop heart problems as a person who drinks no coffee at all. Another study conducted by Dutch researchers suggests that women who drink too much coffee can develop fertility problems. Also, some studies have shown that coffee stimulates the production of gastrin, and gastrin stimulates pancreatic hyperplasia and neoplasia. Drinking three cups of coffee a day may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Solution: Drink less coffee.
5. The sweet tooth
Diabetes is the worst and most dangerous side effect of eating too much sugar. Obesity is frequent among voracious consumers of sugar. People do not get fat because of the caloric content of sugar, rather because sugar has the capacity to affect your hormonal balance. Your appetite increases and the proliferation of fatty tissue and cellulite is increased.
Solution: You don't have to go off the sweet stuff completely—just replace it with some good (and natural) substitutions now and then.
6. Smoking after meals
Smoking cigarettes is harmful to your health at any time. It is also true when you smoke after a meal. Experiments from experts prove that smoking a cigarette after eating a meal is comparable to smoking ten cigarettes (thus the chances of cancer increase).
Solution: Do not smoke after meals.
7. Blowing your well-balanced diet on weekends
You have succeeded in maintaining a well-balanced diet throughout the week, but on the weekend people tend to reward themselves a little too much. As a result, you’ll potentially add more calories to your diet on weekends. This is not at all a good idea. If you want to maintain good health on weekends stay active.
8. Consuming too much raw food
Raw food diets are very popular these days. Many people have success with them. The truth is if you consume too many raw foods, you will more likely be affected by bacteria. Proper cooking or processing of food destroys bacteria.
Solution: Consume less raw food.
9. Eating more when in a bad mood
It is a fact that many people actually tend to eat more food when they are in a bad mood. Many people consume more carbohydrates and extra calories when they are confronted with poor circumstances or are in depressing situations.
Solution: If you are in one of those situations, maintaining healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle will actually help to resolve depression and stress. Turn to good habits as your stress reliever, rather than turning to junk food.
10. Not drinking enough water
Did you know that by the time you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated? Your body’s need for water is second only to its need for oxygen. Yet many of us don’t take the time to drink enough, and we go through our days in a mild state of dehydration. Being dehydrated makes us feel tired and hungry, which makes us reach for food when really we should be reaching for a glass of water.
Solution: Carry a water bottle with you and make sure you are drinking the recommended amount. Being properly hydrated will go a long way toward helping you control your appetite and lose weight.
