Losing weight can seem very tough and sometimes you feel like you’re doing everything right, yet you still not seeing results.
Often, when we make the decision to lose weight, we start off with the best intentions and a focused mindset. However, many of us frequently find that only after a few days we begin to slip back to old habits.
Here are 10 common mistakes that people make when they first set out to lose weight. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll lose weight safely, and keep it off for life.
Eating Too Often, Even If You’re Not Hungry
For many years, the conventional advice has been to eat every few hours in order to prevent hunger and a drop in metabolism.
Unfortunately, this can lead to too many calories being consumed over the course of the day. You may also never truly feel full.
Eating when you’re hungry and only when you’re hungry seems to be key to successful weight loss.
However, letting yourself get too hungry is also a bad idea. It is better to eat a snack than become hungry, which in the end, can cause you to make poor food decisions.
Skipping Carbohydrates At Meal Times
As you think that bread and potatoes are fattening is a big mistake.
Starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes are filling foods and should not be avoided.
It’s the portion size is what you have to watch.
Missing Meals
A major problem for many people who commonly believe that by missing a meal they are actually reducing their caloric intake.
This is often counterproductive, as you may become so hungry that you end up overindulging at your next meal.
Taking The Weekend Off From Healthy Eating
You should take the weekends off from your job, not your diet.
Sure, you can still have fun and go out to eat on the weekends, but make an effort not to stuff yourself with unhealthy foods or drinks.
Eating mindfully when you are enjoying good food can be enough to not wreck your hard work during the week. If the weekends are a problem for you, weigh yourself Friday mornings and Monday mornings. If you see that number going up on Monday, try changing your weekend routine to include more exercise and healthier food choices.
The Belief That You Have To Eat Less When You Want To Lose Weight
Many would avoid a full plate and many believe that we should be cutting back on food to lose weight whereas we really should be eating more.
The most important foods that we should be filling up on are vegetables.
Not Increasing Your Exercise Levels
Upping your exercise levels will maximize your loss of fat and minimise your loss of lean muscle.
It will also help you maintain your weight long-term and prevent weight regain.
Try to do around 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity at least four times a week.
‘All Or Nothing’
This kind of thinking is the downfall of many, so don’t make the mistake of thinking you should never have a treat.
A pizza is okay and there is nothing wrong with having a pizza; just make sure that you don’t follow it with a large portion of chocolate cake and ice cream!
Make Realistic Changes To Your Diet That You Can Stick To
Dieting severely is not advisable in the long term.
It may seem boring, but making a few small changes that you can stick to is far more likely to show results in weight loss that can be maintained over the long term.
Buying Foods Such As Chips And Chocolate For The Kids
Having these types of foods in the house can be a temptation. You are more likely to reach for the chocolate if it is at reach, whereas if you had to make the effort to go to the shops you probably wouldn’t bother!
Not Reading Labels
If you not doing so already, reading label information can cause you to consume unwanted calories and unhealthy ingredients.
Unfortunately, many foods are labeled with healthy-sounding food claims on the front but these may give you a false sense of security about choosing a certain item.
To get to the most important information for weight control, you need to look at the ingredients list and nutrition facts label, which are on the back of the container.
General Addict 