Six Signs You May Be Overdieting

By: Julie Michelle Smith

4. You cannot enjoy a good meal anymore

Whenever you're invited for dinner, you'll make up an excuse why you can't come. Restaurants are a no-go area, and so are most cafés and pastry shops. Your friends invite you over less and less, because they know you won't come anyway.

Solution:

Don't let your social life be the victim of your dietary habits. If you're invited for dinner, let the host or hostess know that you are trying to lose weight. Don't be afraid not to eat everything that's on your plate. If you're still feeling guilty, say it's delicious but too much, and ask if you can have the recipe. You can also share your portion with someone else. In restaurants, order something that seems tasty but is still not too unhealthy. Stop eating when you're full.

5. You have an insatiable hunger, all the time

You always seem to be craving for food, which makes it much harder to eat healthy. Even right after dinner, you're starving again.

Solution:

If you're always hungry, this might be an indication that your leptin levels have declined. Leptin is an important hormone that helps your body to regulate weight. An insatiable hunger often goes along with a metabolic rate that's much slower than normal. Try to eat more carbs during the day, and also eat some fast-burning carbs like bagels with jam and rice cakes every week. Don't overdo cardio: 45 minutes of cardio, four times a week, is more than enough.

6. You start commenting on other people's eating behavior

When you first started dieting, you were focused on yourself and your own goals. Now that you've achieved your goals, you start criticizing people around you who don't have the perfect figure. When you see a heavy person eating something greasy, you can't help but ask him or her if they know how many calories they just ate.

Solution:

Don't become the person everyone dislikes. You probably remember how tough it was for you to lose weight when you first started dieting. Give advice only when asked for it, and always treat the other person like an equal.

(Sources: 'Diet dangers: here's how to avoid dietary pitfalls so you can keep your muscles and shed fat' by Chris Aceto, The Long slow burn keeps hunger at bay, Bupa.co.uk, Calorie-count.com, thedailyplate.com)