In the blind rush to lose weight and look slim we mindlessly adopt stupid crash diets and self harming drastic physical exercises which not only hinder your weight loss goals but in some cases reverse your progress. But do not worry as this is to warn you against 15 common weight loss mistakes that people commit, so that you learn from their mistakes and never commit them yourselves.
These days’ cunning marketing strategies have started selling packaged food with great health claims. This traps the innocent consumers in believing them. But if you are bit more vigilant you’ll realize that most of the false claims are not supported by any legitimate medical backing. They cleverly hide the SUGAR with terms like fructose, glucose, dextrose and what not.
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Another big mistake we all make when trying to lose weight is assuming one package means one serving which is completely wrong as they stuff much more in their smallest of packs too.
One serving means just 15 to 16 chips. The smartest way to counter these frauds is to check the list of nutrients and ingredients and look at the servings sizes which will regulate your calorie intake.
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Anything which is important for us to achieve is not gotten easily. We have to be patient and need to relentlessly persevere. Weight loss is one such thing, it does not happen overnight. If you maniacally keep weighing yourself daily it would lead to frustration at your slow progress and eventually derail you from your pursuit. Besides your weight fluctuates due to various other reasons such as menstrual cycles or gaining muscles through vigorous training. If you do this, you may start binge eating which puts you back to square one. Instead try using tape measures on your bust, hips, waist and thighs once a week to check progress. Check your weight check once in 2 weeks.
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If you notice that despite your best efforts in cardio, a well regimented diet and following a healthy lifestyle is still not helping weight loss, then you need to make some strategic changes such as a combination of cardio and resistance exercises. Resistance training helps you build your muscles, boost your metabolism and promote belly fat loss. All you need to do is to alternate the days of cardio and strength training and you’ll see the change.
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Our brain does not react to the liquid calories the same way as they do with the calories obtained by solid food. That’s why Soda, beer, wine and fruit drinks, contain alarming rates of sugar which leave you hungry. Popular Starbucks drinks have almost upto 60g of sugar in them. Instead drink water and if you do not like the bland taste of it, add some mint or lemon wedges for flavor, unsweetened green tea is also a good option.
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The biggest and probably the most common mistake people all across the globe make is to skip breakfast or dinner thinking, the reduction in calorie intake would help you get thin faster, but this cannot be further than truth. Skipping meals slows down your metabolic rates and increases cravings to snack on unhealthy items which defeat the whole purpose.
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Well logically speaking reducing portion sizes, if done properly does help in weight reduction, but in no way should you starve yourself. If you are constantly feeling hungry you are fundamentally going wrong somewhere. It is unhealthy and reduces your metabolism to preserve limited energy and retain fat. This makes it harder for you to lose fat.
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This is another common mistake made by many. In a bid to rush to work we neglect breakfast. The result can make you want to binge and overeat during the day. Incorporate a balance between your regular healthy diet. Consume a good breakfast of healthy carbs, good fibre and lean protein. Items like Greek yoghurt, oats and eggs are good choice.
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We never realize how the common little things go a long way in becoming obstacles in any weight and fat loss journey. Cutting out bad foods entirely makes you want them even more. The trick is to cut down slowly, for example: if you are habituated in adding two cubes or teaspoons of sugar in your warm beverages, add one. Eat less sugary snacks and in this way your taste buds will adapt to be satisfied even with the items that are less sweet. Another problem in cutting out such foods entirely too fast is that you end up giving in to food cravings and busting your diet.
Eat a portion that is sensible and not too much. Allow yourself a cheat meal once in a while like perhaps once or twice a week. This will ensure your diet is on track.
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People are magnetically pulled by the cunning marketing gimmick promoting so-called low fat and fat –free food which equals to healthy eating, but what innocent customers do not realize is that these food items are laced with sugar and additives to make it taste palatable. In fact, choose minimally processed or unprocessed food as they are natural and contain low fat or healthy fat. Make sure you scan the labels and ingredients to spot sugar disguised with fancy names.
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Although sleep and weight loss do not seem connected in anyway but they are. Sleep deprivation or insomnia leads to higher secretion of Leptin (the fullness hormone) while ghrelin the hunger hormones gets over productive that’s why the lesser you sleep more hungry you feel later on. As result you eat more and you gain weight. Lack of sleep also comes with a level of fatigue. The remedy for this is to try getting enough sleep and in case you have trouble sleeping, fixing bedtime routine would be the best.
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In pursuit of weight loss, a fibre-rich diet is an absolute essential. It absorbs water and turns to gel which makes you feel full for a longer period of time. It also has the tendency to slow down the absorption of fat, and keep blood sugar levels in check. Incorporate fibre-rich diet, including oatmeal, nuts, peeled fruits and beans with green leafy vegetables and fruit skins are fantastic source of insoluble fibre.
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Its human tendency that once one embarks upon the road of weight loss they want to be slim and trim as fast as they can. There is no short route to weight loss in spite of what you may read about miracle solutions on the net. Crash diets give an illusion of fast weight loss but its unhealthy and once stopped, you’ll be putting on weight in no time. Just do not get discouraged and stay on track like a true trooper. Have realistic goals like losing 2 pounds a week, which would work wonders for your long-term goals and get you there.
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Psychologically we think that we can overeat healthy food, and since they are good for you, so gorging on them won’t do any harm. Despite their reputation, they can still lead to weight gain. After all calories are calories and it does not matter which source they are coming from. Even the epitome of healthy food items such as fruits, nuts, avocado, hummus and brown rice, can all contribute to calorie intake. Instead of binging on these food items, eat single servings of healthy food and stick to it.
To give you an idea, a single serving of Avocado is just 1/3rd of an avocado, so keep such things in mind especially serving sizes against portion sizes.
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If you are trying to lose weight and fat, then exercising after lunch or an hour or two after breakfast doesn’t really make sense. Your work out will only burn the calories that you have just consumed. If you are a normal healthwise and not suffering from conditions of low blood pressure or low blood sugar, then exercising before breakfast on an empty stomach is beneficial as your body calls upon its fat stores for energy. Alternately if you workout in the evening after four hours from lunch, that too is ideal. However always consult a doctor or your nutritionist before you start exercising on fasting mode.
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