5 Ways You’re Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Goals

weight scale

Photo credit: bigstock.com

If you have a goal to lose weight, or if you’re already in the middle of a lifestyle change, you may still be falling prey to some basic mistakes. It is human nature to want to look and feel better. Weight loss is part of that desire, but it can be more difficult than it sounds. Many people will start an exercise program or diet only to lose a few pounds. When this happens, it is easy to get discouraged. The good news? It is very possible that you’re sabotaging your diet plan with some common mistakes that can be easily fixed.

When you start working out, the weight seems to just drop off, but then it slows down. This plateau effect is common among those trying to lose weight, and it can be discouraging. It is important to stay focused when this happens. If you’re committed to making a lifestyle change, it is just as important to tackle the small problems as well as the big ones.

Let’s discuss some of the common mistakes people make when losing weight and how you can correct them or avoid them altogether.

 

Common Mistakes –

1. Getting off on the wrong foot

Breakfast is the most important part of the day, and eating breakfast is essential to losing weight. However, it is important to eat the right thing. You should avoid meals high in sugar, including adding a lot of sugar to your coffee. If you have sugar first thing in the morning, you won’t be satisfied all day long.

Instead of sugar, try to start with a protein-fueled breakfast. Protein is essential if you want to lose weight because it works to help curb your cravings. You’ll see better results and feel fuller than with any other option.   Breakfast will set the tone for your day, so start off right, and you’ll see some amazing results.

Continue to Page 2

Diet Woman At Grocery Store With Junk Food

Photo credit: bigstock.com

2. Depriving yourself 

One of the most common mistakes people make is depriving themselves of the foods they enjoy. If you restrict your diet, you can become irritable or even stressed out, but many people continue to think that deprivation is best when it comes to weight loss. Current data suggests that this method can do a lot more harm than good. For one, being hungry can be demoralizing — it can make you feel like you’re lacking something or missing something.

When you’re hungry, it can also activate areas in the brain that think you’re starving, making the impulse to eat even stronger. This can be a vicious cycle, especially if you are trying to lose weight. The point of a diet or workout routine is to make a lifestyle change, something you will do for the rest of your life. If you can’t imagine living the rest of your life the way you are now, losing weight will be difficult for you. Deprivation never works, and the key is to find not only foods you like, but also ones that are good for you.

 

3. Eating and exercise 

When you have a goal to lose weight, it is important to exercise. In fact, physical activity is one of the most important things you can do. However, exercise can also make you hungrier because you’re using more calories.Exercise makes you want to eat more, but you have to be aware of the amount of calories you’re taking in and never exceed what you are burning. You will always need to monitor your caloric intake when you’re trying to lose weight and keep your cravings in check. Don’t use exercise as an excuse to indulge in more food and think that you’re “working it off.”

Continue to Page 3

Stress - business person stressed at office. Business woman hold

Photo credit: bigstock.com

4. Not factoring in anxiety or stress

Stress can be a huge factor when it comes to losing weight. Stress can cause you to stop metabolizing fat due to proteins that are released during anxiety. This means that you don’t have the ability break down or use fat. Keeping your stress controlled is incredibly important when you’re trying to lose weight. It can also impact how you rest and the amount of quality sleep you get every night. If you’re not sleeping well, and you have a stressor in your life, you can find it hard to shed pounds. Managing your stress is an important component in your weight loss journey, and it is one that not many people consider. There is a definite link between the mind and body, so don’t neglect one while you’re trying to improve the other.

 

5. Drinking alcohol 

Cutting down on alcohol can be a critical component to your weight loss program, but many people find this particularly hard to do. Of course, cutting alcohol out of your diet altogether is the best option, but that is almost impossible for some to do. With anything, moderation is key to getting the most out of your diet routine. Beer, wine, and liquor contain many empty calories. This means they don’t offer any value to your diet. You don’t get any nutritional value from drinking alcohol, you only get the calories. For example, single servings of alcohol usually contain around 100-300 calories. That is just for a single serving!

How many people just have a single glass of wine or beer? Think about that when you’re trying to lose weight and hit that plateau. It may just be the happy hour that’s killing your workout routine. The only solution to this is to severely cut back on your alcohol consumption. This means one of two servings of alcohol per week rather than per day. It can sound like a challenge, but sometimes taking the first step is the hardest.

 

READ ALSO: Lose Weight Fast By Adding This One Thing

 

Losing weight can be a challenging and rewarding endeavor. It is something that many people undertake, but few are successful. Of course, there can be setbacks, but you shouldn’t lose motivation. Try to understand some of the common pitfalls that sabotage your weight loss goals. If you know these mistakes, you can fix them and achieve all of your weight loss goals!

References:

www.hsph.harvard.edu

www.helpguide.org

//

One Comment

  1. anqele

    Jul 1, 2016 at 7:52 am

    Intermittent fasting works. Low carb works. Straining the willpower by adding extra exercise to weight loss program at the same time does not work. About the only thing got right was nix the alcohol, for my Adrenal body type.