Not eating your favourite dessert is a mistake; 5 signs your 'healthy diet' is not actually healthy

Being healthy is not about starving yourself or making yourself miserable by avoiding things you love. Here are signs your healthy diet is not actually healthy.

Weight loss is important to keep chronic diseases at bay and maintaining high energy levels, yet going on a diet is a journey that is full of ups and downs. Many people end up piling on more kilos than before and feel cheated when on a 'healthy diet'. All those efforts of depriving yourself of your favourite food and going on an extremely low-calorie diet can initially reap brilliant results, but very soon you may find yourself back to square one, as the bodies may retaliate and ask for compensation in the form of sugar and fatty foods. (Also read: Feeling distressed after over-eating? Here's the right way to recover from a binge episode)

"The label of ‘healthy diets’ is very unstable. What you may feel like a healthy practice may not always be good for you. Being healthy is not about starving yourself to cut down calories or making yourself miserable by avoiding things you love. It's about understanding what your body needs," says Nutritionist Bhuvan Rastogi in his recent Instagram post highlighting the important of consistent healthy eating practices combined with the power of physical workouts.

"Just follow the basics. Eat a balanced diet, enjoy your favourite dessert now and then, and stay consistent with your workouts because that is enough to get and stay fit and healthy," says Rastogi.

HEALTHY DIET MISTAKES

As per Rastogi these are the healthy diet mistakes everyone is at risk of making:

1. You are cutting out entire food groups

Whether it's rice, grains, carbs or fats (in some cases, even fruits or legumes), cutting out food groups completely always puts you at risk of nutritional deficiencies

2. You are placing food in good and bad categories

Assigning moral values to food is an example of black-and-white thinking when it comes to eating healthy. Putting meals in moral categories creates anxiety and restrictions around meals. You will not be considered bad for eating Maggi or pizza once in a while, the same way you will not be thought to be good for eating a salad always.

3. You are always opting for low-calorie foods

Low calorie does not mean healthier. A calorie is a unit of energy, and you need energy to function. If you are always trying to reduce your energy intake, you may suffer from side-effects like fatigue, brain fog, and poor physical performance. In extreme cases, reduced immunity, muscle mass, and libido may also be an outcome.

4. You stop eating food you used to love

Avoiding comfort food from the diet can increase preoccupation with these foods, risk of binge or overeating and impact your mental health. You should always keep foods that you love a part of your diet (in moderation, if needed)

5. You are always trying new diets and detox plans

The diet industry relies on us feeling bad about our bodies and coming back again and again for short-term solutions. So, consider, focusing on sustainable changes. The basics will help you get consistent results without going to any extremes.