One thing I’ve learned? There’s a lot of confusion out there, thanks to endless diets, wellness trends, and mixed messages on social media.
So today, I want to cut through the noise and share my top 3 diet don’ts, the most common pitfalls I see, and what to do instead.
Demonising food groups
With the rise of low-carb and keto trends, I’ve seen a growing obsession with cutting out whole food groups, especially bread.
Now don’t get me wrong: ultra-processed, refined bread (looking at you, floppy white sandwich loaf) isn’t doing anyone any favours. But cutting out bread entirely? That’s not going to be the magic solution to your weight loss goals.
I’ve had many clients proudly tell me, “I went out for dinner but didn’t eat the bread!” Cue me- delivering the bad news that skipping the bread basket won’t cancel out the 500-calorie dessert and 27 wines from the same night (sorry guys, I wish it did ).
Bread is not your enemy. Let’s stop demonising individual foods and start focusing on the bigger picture.
Unrealistic expectations of weight loss
Weight loss is hard enough—so why pile on the pressure with unrealistic goals?
Here’s the truth: 0.5 to 1kg per week is a healthy, sustainable fat loss rate. And yes, that’s something to celebrate.
It breaks my heart when someone says, “I only lost 1kg.”
ONLY?! That’s a kilo of fat gone. That’s consistency. That’s progress.
Let’s stop chasing quick fixes and start honouring steady wins.
Because unrealistic expectations don’t just mess with your mindset, they mess with your motivation.
Aiming for the perfect food diary
This is one of the biggest downfalls I see in clinic: aiming for the “perfect” food diary—then falling completely off the wagon when it doesn’t happen.
Let me be clear: I have never, and will never, expect perfection.
Life happens. Birthdays happen. Holidays and weekends definitely happen.
One slice of pizza on a Saturday night isn’t going to derail your health goals for the week.
What I am looking for in a food diary is balance.
I want to see meals out, sure—but I also want to see healthy meal prep, veggies, quality protein, healthy fats, and your supplements.
Perfection isn’t the goal, progress is. So let go of the pressure, honour your efforts, and remember: balanced, consistent habits will always win in the end.
Teresa
