We all have that ideal weight in mind, especially when we start a diet or weight loss program.
1. Expectations
Are you trying to lose 50 pounds and getting frustrated you haven’t hit your goal in the first two months? It’s understandable to want results sooner rather than later, but it’s not realistic. For healthy weight loss, you should expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week. That means, losing 50 pounds should take you about six months.
It’s a little deflating, but it really is the healthy way to lose weight. So try and be patient and aim for that 1-2 pounds per week and celebrate that.
2. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sounds a bit strange right? But not getting enough sleep can seriously affect your weight loss. When you don’t get enough sleep, you have higher levels of cortisol (stress hormone). Which in turn, increases your appetite.
So the next time someone wants you to wake up early, tell them you can’t, you’re weight loss sleeping. 🙂
3. Not Eating Enough
It probably seems like a great idea to really limit your food intake while you’re trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, when you don’t eat enough, your body starts doing some ugly things. When you haven’t eaten enough, your body doesn’t go after your fat stores. Instead, your body starts to cannibalize your muscle.
How can you fix it if that’s what you’ve been doing? According to Jillian Michaels:
“What can you do to break the cycle? If you’re a woman, set your calories at 1,400 steady — don’t vary them. I almost NEVER say that, but in order to get your metabolism back up to speed and set your body right again, you’re going to need consistency and time.”
4. Focusing On What You Can’t Eat
We all know that we’re adults and we can do what we want. If we want chocolate ice cream for breakfast, we could. So it isn’t that you can’t eat chocolate ice cream for breakfast, it’s that you shouldn’t eat chocolate ice cream for breakfast.
Stop focusing on what you shouldn’t be eating and start enjoying the right foods for weight loss. Focus on protein and fiber – they take longer to digest through your body and keep you feeling full longer.
5. Avoiding Fats
Not all fat is created equal. There are many healthy fats that you should be eating for weight loss. Fats also give us a sense of satisfaction, even if they are healthy fats. Your metabolism is also improved by these healthy fats. It’s really a win-win.
Here are some high-fat foods that you should be eating for weight loss.
– Avocado
– Cheese
– Dark Chocolate
– Walnuts & other nuts
– Olives & Olive Oil
– Salmon & Tuna
– Tofu
– Full-fat milk & yogurt
– Nut (or seed) butter
– Sunflower & Chai seeds
– Edamame
– Eggs
– Lean Beef & Pork
6. Not Exercising Or Not Exercising Enough
Not exercising is a huge weight loss mistake. Diet alone won’t get you the results that you want. Which means you’re going to have to work for it. And while exercising may increase your appetite, when you’re eating the right things, this shouldn’t hinder your weight loss goals.
Exercise will help you burn calories which means you can have something special on a cheat day or just increase your ability to lose weight for a time. Remember, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn in a day. There’s little downside to moderate exercise, so help your weight loss along.
7. Not Eating Enough Protein
Protein is not only an essential part of your diet but an essential part of weight loss. So if you’re avoiding protein because you’re trying to lose weight, you’re making a mistake. Eating protein reduces hunger while increasing your metabolism. So as long as you stay within your normal calorie intake, you’re good to go. Definitely, make protein a part of your weight loss diet.
8. Forgetting About Liquid Calories
You might not think about what you drink during your weight loss, but they make a big impact. Bigger than you might think. Look at Starbucks, as an example. Their infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte, if you order it without any extras, just how it would normally come, packs 380 calories in a grande. So if you’re hitting up your local Starbucks in the morning for your seasonal treat, you’ve already taken in almost 400 calories by 9 AM.
Liquid calories are sneaky and show up in almost everything from orange juice to soda to smoothies. So keep an eye on your liquid calories to avoid this weight loss mistake.
9. Skipping Breakfast
When you skip breakfast you’re not doing anything for your weight loss efforts. Eating breakfast actually helps you lose weight. How? By jump-starting your metabolism for the day. When you jump-start your metabolism it leads to weight loss, lower BMI and keeps you fuller throughout the day.
10. Too Many Cheat Days
We need to celebrate the small wins, right? I’m guilty of this. I had something great happen the other day so I went to Starbucks to “treat myself”. Maybe you go out and celebrate with friends or co-workers over drinks and have a few too many, or have that piece of chocolate cake just because you can.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating life’s little wins or giving yourself a treat now and then, Just make sure it doesn’t happen too often and hinder your weight loss goals.
