We will embark on at least one diet in our lifetime and for some, constant dieting is a reality. However, are you dieting and not seeing any results? Here's 5 hidden reasons why your diet might not be working.

The average person ends up gaining weight for every diet that they go on. Worse still, when they lose weight, they also lose muscle and fat. When they put weight back on, they gain back all fat. Muscle burns at a rate of seven times and yo-yo dieting means your metabolism is slower than when you started the diet in the first place.

There are many people who are overweight who don't eat particularly much but because of yo-yo dieting, they have completely messed up their metabolism.

The key to losing weight and keeping it off are two simple things. Firstly, by fixing what drives you to overeat and over-indulge in the first place. The second is to automatically increase your metabolism so you burn more calories all day long. Sadly, most diets do the complete opposite, they increase hunger and end up slowing down metabolism.

Here are the five reasons most diets fail and how you can succeed.

Hunger

Feeling like we are hungry is the most obvious reason that we eat but funnily enough, it is not exactly why we eat. If you find that you eat too much and that your meals are too large, you might be able to cut down your hunger pangs with different food choices. Pick foods that are higher in fibre and build meals around protein. These will certainly help you feel fuller for longer.

Skipping meals

Eating more often may help you to avoid binge eating at mealtime, but eating more often also increases your chances to consume too many calories. If you eat 2-3 large meals during the day and snack often because you're hungry, try 4-5 smaller, calorie-controlled meals. On the other hand, if you have a meal every three hours and you're not losing weight, you may be eating too often.

You're on a fad diet

There are so many diets out there that claim to be the best way to lose weight however most require you to avoid whole food groups, such as Keto and Paleo. Although this may lead to temporary weight loss, they’re not sustainable for the long-term. A more balanced diet may mean taking longer to achieve your weight-loss goals but it will mean the weight stays off for good and you learn to have a more healthy relationship with food.

Portion size

Most of us make portion size mistakes. If you find that your diet isn't working, get a small digital scale and start to measure each portion of food. Chances are good that you are eating a bigger serving than you are supposed to be of most foods.

You're not drinking enough water

The benefits of water work in several ways. First, water is good for the workings of your body, it helps fill you up, so you eat less. It's also healthier than other liquids like juice or soft drinks.