Written by Orlando Weight Loss on . Posted in BLOG, Diet Tips, Weight Loss Tips
For many individuals losing weight is a tough nut to crack. It is a battle that tests your willpower to the limit.
But, keeping your body in shape is an incentive very few can resist. People want to lose weight not just for the sake of beauty, but also because it helps you stay healthy.
The growing awareness about health issues related to weight gain provides the required thrust to scores of people around the world to fight this deadly menace called obesity. After all, obesity increases the risk of several diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some forms of cancer.
Losing weight might seem a difficult task to accomplish, but it certainly is not impossible. In fact, there is nothing in this world that you can't do, all it requires is a bit of determination, some hard work, and the right kind of advice.
You must be aware of the basic mantra of losing weight - eat less and exercise more. But, when it comes to losing weight there is more to it than just move more and eat less. And, it is quite possible that the advices you are following are flawed or outdated.
No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. A mature person is one who learns from his or mistake and moves on in life.
In this blog, we will take you through some common mistakes individuals commit when trying to lose weight.
As mentioned earlier, nothing is impossible, all it requires is a bit of application, self-control, and determination.
There are methods you can adopt to lose weight, and do it effectively. For starters, eating a balanced diet and exercising on a regular basis are two things that is sure to keep your weight in check.
But, losing weight is a task which requires perfection. If you are not getting the desired result despite the best of your efforts, then it is quite possible that something is amiss.
Trying to Lose Weight? Don't Make These Common Diet Mistakes!
1- Focusing only on the scale weight - The scale reading does not always give you the correct picture. You are not alone if you feel that you are not shedding weight quickly enough, despite adhering to a strict diet and exercise regimen.
There are various ways to measure whether you are losing weight or not, and scale weight is just one of them. Several things can affect your weight, including water retention (or fluid fluctuations) and the food that remains in your system. Depending on what you have eaten and the amount of liquid you consume, your weight can vary as much as 4 pounds during a day.
If the reading on the scale is stagnant, you might well be shedding fat mass, but retaining water. There are a lot many things that you can do to lose water weight. Also, with a strict exercise regimen in place, it is quite possible that you are adding muscle mass to your body while losing fat.
Hence, even when the scale shows no positive movement, you might notice that your waistline has reduced (your clothes become loose, especially around your waist).
Don't concentrate too much on the scale weight, instead take a tape measure and start keeping a tab on your waistline. Alternatively, you can click your pictures on a monthly basis and see the difference.
2- Also, focusing too much on what you can't have - Losing weight is as much a psychological battle as it is a physical one. You should not just concentrate on things you can't have, instead focus on foods that you can eat.
You can get into depression if you keep thinking that you can't have dessert, alcohol, sugar, cheese and/ or bread. Instead, focus on the superfoods you are allowed to eat, which is not just good for your weight loss program, but is also excellent for your overall health.
Moreover, if you can have foods that you like the most in moderation, then you can have everything. But, the key here is "moderation'.
The main aim when embarking on a weight loss program is to keep negative thoughts at bay and focus on the positives.
3- Not keeping a check on calorie intake - You need to burn more calories than you consume if you want to lose weight. A calorie deficit is the need of the hour if you have plans to shed those extra pounds. Earlier, it was thought that bringing down the calorie intake by 3,500 per week would result in a one-pound loss of fat. But, recent studies show that calorie deficit needs are different for every individual.
Many people think that they are not consuming too many calories. But, the fact of the matter is that we tend to miscalculate and underreport when it comes to what we eat. You could have switched to healthy foods like cheese and nuts, but don't forget that they are high in calories. Hence, you have to control the amount you eat - portion size is the key here.
On the contrary, you should not decrease your calorie intake drastically. Unless you are strictly following the 800 calorie diet, if your calorie intake is less than 1, 000 per day, then it can slow down your metabolism and also cause muscle loss.
4- Not drinking adequate amount of water - We tend to concentrate too much on the food we can eat and those
that we can't, but forget the importance of water. More than seventy percent of our body is made of water. Drinking less water during your weight loss schedule can hamper your efforts.
Hence, always keep yourself hydrated, and if you're not a fan of water, try "infused water" and flavor it with lemons, limes, or cucumbers.
Research suggests that drinking water, soup, or having a water rich salad before the start of your meal can lower the amount of food you eat. Water decreases your appetite and you tend to eat less during your meal. Also, when you stay hydrated, it can ward off headaches, and headaches are known to trigger stress eating.
5- Exercising more or not exercising at all - Exercising is essential not just for weight loss, but also for keeping your health in good shape. And, when you cut down on your calories without doing any exercise, you are likely to lose more muscle mass, and it would also slow down your metabolic rate.
Exercising help you lose more fat, it decreases the loss of lean mass and keeps your metabolic rate in check.
But, exercising helps you if you don't overdo it. If you start over-exercising, even this can lead to a lot of problems. Excessive exercising is not manageable for many in the long run, and it also increases your stress levels. Too much exercise is not advisable if you are planning to lose weight and it is also not good for your health.'
Add cardio and weight lifting exercises to your schedule (several times a week) to keep your metabolic rate in check and lose weight.
6- Meal skipping - This is a mistake many people commit without realizing that it never helps the cause of weight loss. When you deprive your body of food, it hits your metabolism hard, which certainly does not help the cause of weight loss.
When you eat after a long gap, you tend to eat more than usual. This overeating can only increase your weight, instead of helping you lose any. You should not go hungry for more than 4 - 5 hours at a stretch. Always eat a healthy something during the meals.
Never skip a meal because it can only hamper your weight loss efforts.
7- Relying too much on "Diet" or low fat foods - Processed diet or low foods are not good for anybody's health, and it certainly is not recommended if you are on a weight loss program.
Many diet products need sugar to enhance their taste. For example, one cup of low fat or diet yogurt (fruit flavored) can have as much as 47 grams of sugar, (which is equal to 12 teaspoons of sugar).
Low fat or diet foods don't make you feel full; they can only make you hungrier. And, this is the reason that you end up eating more food.
Hence, try to have less of processed foods, and select a diet that is high in nutrition.
8- Not eating sufficient protein - If you want to lose weight, then you should eat protein in
abundance. Protein reduces your appetite, it increases your metabolic rate and it also decreases the intake of calories. Also, protein keeps your muscle mass intact during the process of weight loss and it makes you feel full.
A diet that is high in protein helps control appetite and also improves body composition.
You can get protein from a variety of sources, one of the most popular ways is in powder form like Primal Protein Powder from Julian Bakery. We like this brand because it only has 2 ingredients, both being organic, and it is free of GMOs, soy, gluten, hormones, and rGBH, and you can use it and stay in ketosis.
9- Not having sufficient amount of fiber - A diet that is low in fiber is not good for your weight loss regimen. Fiber is known to make you feel full and reduces your appetite. A diet rich in fiber can also help you decrease calorie absorption from other foods.
A rich fiber diet is not just good for weight loss; it is also excellent for your health because it keeps your gut in perfect condition.
If you are planning to lose weight, then you need to have a structured plan in place to maximize your efforts. There would be many questions in your mind like what you should eat, things that you must avoid, how much should you exercise and how to optimize your efforts.
Each person is different and so are their needs. To chalk out a workable weight loss strategy just get in touch with Solutions Weight Loss and speak to Dr. Newsome. The expert guidance will help you formulate a concrete plan that would allow you to lose weight effectively and quickly.
At Solutions Weight Loss, we make sure that you follow the correct path and reach your goal well in time.
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