The internet has thousands of pages and links that talk about losing weight. From these pages, you can find thousands of different weight loss tips, and trying to follow them all can leave you feeling confused. The worst thing that can happen is that you decide to try the wrong weight loss methods on your own. Either you end up gaining more, or you acquire some adverse health risks that go with the bad diet regimen or procedure.
Depression and frustration are two of the most difficult situations to be in. You don’t want to end up becoming worse when you tried so hard to become better. So, to save you from wasting time on the wrong weight loss tricks you picked from unreliable sources, here are a 16 signs that show your fitness journey is on the wrong track:
1. Thinking That What Works For One, Works For All
Many people who venture into weight loss programs think that all ideas about losing weight can be useful to all. Please do not forget that people are different in many ways. Food sensitivities and allergies are two considerations when deciding on a diet menu plan. Your friend’s body has a distinct nutritional need compared to yours.
Moreover, a certain diet plan may not work for someone who sits in the office all day compared to another who works as a gym instructor.
2. Eating As Often As You Can
Some advisers recommend taking little binges in between meals, so you won’t eat more during proper meal times. This type of technique can be quite wrong because when you eat even when you don’t need it, the food is stored in the body and not burned. The main diet principle is to burn more than what you eat. You don’t have to splurge on cupcakes during snack time just to bridge the gap for dinner.
Experts say eat whenever you are hungry and consume in reasonable proportions, but never let your hunger get the best of you. Some research revealed that ultimately hunger can cause us to make the wrong food choices.
3. Not Tracking The Food You Eat
Some consider it a waste of time, but listing down what you eat guides you through your diet plan. You also don’t need to have a notebook and pencil to do this. Tracking down the food you consumed can be done through modern apps that can be installed on your mobile phone. The good thing with tracking is you can note what nutrients you were missing and when you have eaten more than required.
Tracking also allows you to build your sense of responsibility. You can monitor your progress, and you can be reminded of the things you should never do again.
Recording everything you had during the day will help you understand your needs and your areas of improvement.
4. Despising Whole Foods And Favoring Processed Meals
Fast food, instant meals, and processed meats are popular among millennials and those who are working hard each day. These foods are not only convenient, but they are also easier to buy and prepare compared to whole foods.
The problem arises with the fact that prepared and instant meals have an adverse impact on the gut and may lead to inflammation. When this happens, you not only gain more weight, but you are also risking your health to more serious complications.
5. Focusing On The Revelations Of The Scale
Monitoring your weight is important, but paying too much attention to it does not help. Losing one pound will not be evident on the scale at once. Some people lose their hopes and their drive to lose weight once they see that nothing is happening on the scale. The level shows your progress measured at a particular period. It does not necessarily reflect everything, including your body’s fluid content and even the food inside your body which still needs to be digested.
For instance, you may have lost a few pounds in the past, but your scale would show minimal progress because you just ate your meal. Women should understand that the body’s weight can also be affected by increased estrogen levels and hormonal changes.
If you want to track your progress, use a tape measure to gauge your waist size. Do this once a week or just when you feel that you have indeed reduced your body mass.
6. Cutting Bad Food All At Once
Sugar, dairy, and fried foods are known to be bad for the health. However, cutting these all at once can lead you to severe urges and cravings to have more. Uncontrolled cravings can result in binge eating and of course, weight gain.
If you want to start your fitness journey right, list down all the types of food that you need to avoid and make sure that you also take note of healthy alternatives. Experts also recommend that you create a nutritional profile of all the food you want to include in your diet.
Moreover, some good foods can be damaging, too. Indulging in too many avocados can lead to more stored calories. Consuming more berries can also hike sugar levels at once.
Choose your food and know what it contains to have an idea of what goes into your body.
7. Doing Too Much Or Too Little Exercise
A weight loss program will never be complete without exercise. Too little exercise will not burn more calories than what you consume. Too much exercise may strain your muscles and might even lead you to eat more. Moderate amounts of physical activity can burn your calories, strengthen your heart and muscles, and help you make wise dietary decisions.
Not getting enough exercise will lead to loss of muscle mass and decreased metabolic rate. When you engage in regular exercise, your metabolic rate will increase, and your muscle mass will be preserved.
If you intend to lose weight, do reasonable amounts of exercise on a regular basis. Get a mix of weight lifting and cardio in a few times each week.
8. Shooting For Extreme Goals
Having unrealistic goals is a sign you might need the help of an expert or nutritionist in your weight loss journey. Losing 20 pounds in a week or fitting into your old skinny jeans after three months are goals that can often simply be too much to attain. The problem with setting unrealistic goals is that they become too frustrating when you can’t accomplish them, and you end up discontinuing your journey to fitness.
Process-oriented goals are not only achievable but are also rewarding. Losing weight is a process and getting to the finish line by doing small steps makes it meaningful. Small goals like running for 20 minutes three times a week or eating five servings of vegetable for five days are possible.
9. Crediting A Simple Exercise For Burning Higher Levels Of Calories Than It Does
Most people justify their poor eating decisions by doing a little extra exercise. For instance, they run for 30 minutes, but they ate around three cups of rice for lunch. Well, it is true that running has burned a few calories, but it was not enough to compensate for the three cups of rice consumed.
Always remember that regular exercise can help you burn 200-300 calories. Anything more than that is a lie which will give dieters false hopes and expectations.
People must realize that exercising doesn’t allow them the license to eat as much as they desire. A good diet and enough physical activity should be done together in balance to achieve your fitness goals.
10. Not Eating In The Right Proportions
Meat is good for the body as a source of protein, but eating meat all day will not help you reduce weight. Everything when taken in excess is bad. The phrase “you are what you eat” doesn’t only pertain to the kind of food you put on your plate. It also refers to the amount and proportion. That is the primary culprit in weight gain.
A good example for this is when you decide to eat oatmeal for breakfast against doughnuts. Oatmeal is indeed healthier compared to doughnuts. However, you should realize that one piece of doughnut is better than a cup of oatmeal with two bananas and a handful of walnuts.
Remembering some portion control cues can help: the size of a golf ball for shredded cheese and nuts, a fist for pasta and rice, a baseball for fruits and vegetables and deck of cards for meats.
11. Missing Essential Protein Sources
Cutting down on your portions of food does not mean it’s ok to start lacking the sources of protein you need in your diet. You should never skip protein consumption in your meals. Without protein, you tend to lower down your metabolic rate, eat more, and you risk losing muscles.
There are a lot of protein sources you can consider including, such as legumes, fish, red meat, nuts, and chicken.
Start recognizing the power of protein to cut down your appetite and to help you lose weight quickly.
12. Consuming Flavored Sugary Beverages
Energy drinks, soda, and instant coffee mixes are not advisable when losing weight. These products are a bunch of sugar-packed junk with empty calories. Fruit juices may be filled with Vitamin C and fibers, but the amount of sugar content will worsen your weight problems.
Aside from the fact that these sugar-sweetened beverages don’t have nutritional value, they also contribute to increased risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Never confuse sugary drinks as a substitute for your regular meals. They just fill your stomach with sugar and liquid, and they don’t satisfy the appetite.
13. Believing In Low-Fat And No-Sugar Labels
Advertisements flaunting products to be low-fat or no-sugar content are not all real. These products contain the same amount of fats and sugar as the original versions, or at least far more than they would need to be considered healthy. Companies label them as such to entice consumers to buy. The manufacturers use these methods of advertising to lure clients and increase their sales.
Take for instance the fact that a cup of yogurt labeled as low-fat and low-sugar contains almost 12 tablespoons of sweeteners. And the problem is that one cup of this product does not satisfy your hunger, so you will still need to eat more. So, instead of losing weight, consuming “fat-free” and “sugar-free” products will make you gain more.
14. Not Eating Vegetables And Fruits
Viscous fiber is essential in trimming your body of fats. The fibers from fruits and vegetables can hold water and make you feel full. Eating a piece of apple can reduce your appetite. The fibers from the fruit move into the digestive track gradually while making you feel satisfied. As a result, you end up eating less because your body will refuse to absorb more while the fiber is retained in the stomach.
Dieters should remember that it is always easy to get fiber-rich foods. Consider buying beans, broccoli, carrots, apples, pineapples, whole wheat pasta, and oatmeal. Cereals in the morning can energize you and prevent you from loading more food into your stomach for the rest of the day.
15. Ignoring The Labels
Manufacturers usually opt for more glaring packaging techniques to entice buyers. If you want to lose weight, don’t get blinded by the front texts which are of great marketing value. Turn to the label and read the ingredients of the product you are buying. Many will claim to be healthy, but not all those displayed are good for your health. Read the labels to make sure you take in just the right amount of nutrients you need.
16. Indulging In Too Many Dietary Supplements
There are a lot of dietary supplements showcased in the market. Dieters can use them as additional sources of nutrients, but to make them as the primary source is a great mistake. Eating the right kind of food in the right proportion is still the key to achieving enough nutrition for what is needed by the body. Dietary supplements are just there for support in case some of your weight loss regimens are forgotten.
16 Signs You Need To Get Weight Loss Help From Experts Review Summary
Losing weight is a process which often requires the help of professionals. Trial and error is a common strategy in finding the best weight loss program for you. To start a worthwhile weight loss goal, always remember that regular exercise, healthy diet, and realistic expectations are important.
