When you try to lose weight, it can be a frustrating process. Even when you’re disciplined, there are common mistakes that can sabotage your progress.
It’s often a case of one step forward and ten steps back. Being aware of these common pitfalls can help you be more successful in reaching your weight loss goals. Here are six mistakes to avoid when trying to lose weight.
1. Being Too Strict with Your Diet
It’s tempting to try a very restrictive diet that eliminates entire food groups when you want fast weight loss results. However, diets that strictly limit calories or food options are nearly impossible to stick to for the long-term.
Depriving yourself will ultimately backfire and cause you to overeat or binge later on. To lose weight, it’s better to make more moderate, sustainable changes to your normal diet.
2. Not Tracking What You Eat
It’s hard to have control over your eating habits if you aren’t actively tracking what you consume. People often take “bites” here and there without realizing how calories add up. Meticulously logging meals and snacks keeps you aware of where you stand every day. Shooting for a modest calorie deficit is more realistic when you monitor intake.
Try using an app to log your food and drink consumption, as this usually makes it easier to record things on-the-go.
3. Ignoring Exercise
While weight loss largely comes down to dietary changes, adding exercise provides immense benefits. It builds metabolism-boosting muscle, increases daily calorie burn, improves heart health, and enhances mood.
Fitting exercise into your routine 3-5 days per week will make weight loss much easier to achieve. Going on occasional crash diets but remaining sedentary won’t lead to satisfactory results.
4. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Skimping on sleep negatively impacts weight loss efforts. Being exhausted lessens our resolve to work out and makes people typically reach for sugary pick-me-ups and calorie-laden coffee.
Research shows losing sleep can increase hunger hormones and insulin resistance as well. Stick to a regular sleep schedule and get 7-9 hours nightly so you’re refreshed to make healthy choices.
5. Choosing “Diet” Foods
Believe it or not, diet foods are not always the waistline-friendly choice that their marketing claims. Products boasting “low-fat” or “sugar-free” labels often load up on salt, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners trying to improve the taste.
Sticking to natural, minimally processed foods typically provides better nutrition for fewer calories. Opt for plain yogurt over fat-free flavored yogurt for instance.
6. Being Too Hard on Yourself
Punishing yourself for every small diet misstep or pound gained leads to destructive thinking patterns. Adopting unrealistic expectations about losing weight fast will contribute to feelings of failure. Having patience and showing self-compassion during the weight loss journey is key.
If you have a bad day, get right back on track the next day without shame or self-criticism. Progress takes time so be kind to yourself!
7. Avoiding Supplements
Certain supplements offer useful support when you’re trying to lose weight. Protein powders, for example, make it easier to eat less while still getting adequate protein for building and maintaining muscle mass.
Preserving lean muscle accelerates your metabolism so you burn more calories overall. Additionally, some supplements like konjac fiber and glucomannan expand in your stomach, promoting feelings of fullness.
Supplement ingredients like green tea extract found in a thermogenic fat burning pill and conjugated linoleic acid may also help amplify fat burning. While not magic bullets, targeted weight loss supplements can provide modest improvements in body composition when combined with proper diet and exercise.
Using evidence-based supplements strategically enhances your ability to manage hunger and maximize fat loss.The path to weight loss is paved with possible pitfalls. Avoid these six common mistakes in order to set yourself up for success.
Making moderate lifestyle changes, tracking habits, adding exercise, getting enough sleep, eating wholesome foods, and being self-compassionate will help you shed pounds in a healthy, sustainable way.
Stay positive through frustrations and be proud of every small victory along the way! Consistency is a vital key!
