Healthy eating for beginners: 5 newbie mistakes to avoid

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest

Healthy eating for beginners is the start of an exciting journey. Still, it can quickly become overwhelming if you have the wrong mindset. Whether your goal is weight loss, weight gain or feeling better, there are two types of mistakes beginners make:

• You are seeking results quickly. Positive changes come through consistent lifestyle changes. The process has its ups and downs. Focusing on how well a healthy diet makes you feel would be best. The results will come eventually!
• You follow nutrition tips you find on unreliable websites. Please make sure you check the post’s writer and their studies.

If you are changing your diet to manage a health condition, always consult with a registered dietitian! Personalized advice from a registered healthcare professional is irreplaceable.

Here are a few common mistakes you may make when you are trying to improve your diet:

1. Overindulging in processed sugary snacks after exercising:

Many believe calories “don’t count that much” within a couple of hours after working out. Do you consume highly processed energy-dense foods without paying attention to portion sizes? You will probably consume way more calories than the energy you just burned (and it doesn’t matter what time it is)!

Most importantly, highly processed snacks do not contain the nutrients your body needs after a workout. After exercising, your body need water and a balanced meal with protein and healthy carbohydrates.

2. Excluding food groups for no reason

I am referring to gluten-free diets, keto etc. Carbohydrate foods are the number 1 victim of the diet industry!

• Unless you suffer from coeliac disease or a diagnosed gluten allergy/ or intolerance, gluten sources are not unhealthy for you. Check this post for more details.
• Low carb diets are increasingly popular because initially you will lose some water weight quickly.
• By excluding food groups you also exclude many nutrients these foods contain. For example, wholegrains are excellent sources of protein, fibre, magnesium, and vitamin B complex.

And in case you are wondering if there are specific foods you should eat less often:

• Preserved and processed meats (eg. sausages, salami): Although research is inconsistent, processed meat consumption has been associated with a higher risk for rectal and colorectal cancer in several studies. Processed meats are also often high in salt and eating them often can increase the risk of high blood pressure ^,. 
• Foods with trans fats: Fast food, repeatedly heated vegetable oils and pastries can be sources of trans fats. Consuming trans fats often has been linked to several health conditions, but they are still not banned in the UK .

3. Taking vitamin and mineral supplements you don’t need

If you have been diagnosed with a vitamin or mineral deficiency, there is nothing wrong with taking a supplement recommended by a healthcare professional. If you suspect you have a vitamin deficiency, please schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. They will be able to order the appropriate tests for you!

However, many healthy eating beginners start taking supplements because they think it’s beneficial anyway. For those who don’t have any nutritional deficiencies, randomized trial reviews have shown that vitamin and mineral supplements are not really effective at preventing cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

You can focus on eating a variety of fruit and vegetables, and include many food groups to your diet. If you are overall healthy, you will probably not need to spend money on extra vitamin supplements. Checking the eatwell guide is a great start!

NHS advice:

– Consider Vitamin D supplementation during autumn and winter in the UK.

– Folic acid supplementation for women trying to conceive and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

4. Trying to have 30g of fibre per day since day 1

If you are not used to eating fibre, please introduce it into your diet gradually. Your gut needs time to adjust to increased fibre intake. The process will be totally worth it, fibre foods are valuable sources of protein, healthy carbs and many vitamins and minerals! Check this post for everything you need to know.

5. Becoming obsessed with eliminating “unhealthy” snacks from your diet

Eliminating foods your love from your diet is one of the most common mistakes beginners make. At some point, it is highly possible you will start craving these foods and overindulge. Also, eliminating processed foods can be very limiting for your social life. Eating outside once in a while as a part of a healthy lifestyle is a skill you need to develop.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying your favourite treats in moderation. Pay attention to your portion size and the frequency you enjoy your fun foods!

References