Weight loss seems simple in theory. Burn more calories than you eat. But many of us who have tried this simplistic theory have failed, making mistakes without even realizing it!
Have you starved so badly, eating extremely low calorie diets and not lose any weight? have you LIVED at the gym for weeks and not lose a pound? Do you do your daily cardio routine with no results?
Keep reading then....
Here are 7 common "Weight Loss Mistakes" and how to fix them:
Starving Yourself
Oh, I've seen this way too often- skip breakfast, a soup for lunch, and a "Lean Cuisine" for dinner. Or eating extremely low-fat because that way you don't gain fat: "it's very low-calorie, shouldn't I lose weight?" The problem is eating too little (usually less than 1,200 calories for women, although it depends on the person) tells the body you are "starving" and thus, the body slows down, stalling your metabolism, because it wants to keep everything you eat inside for energy.
*It is important to eat enough calories and the right combination of them- usually something like 40% carbs (made up of mostly VEGETABLES); 35% protein (making these options LEAN); and 25% healthy fat (think avocado, nuts, and olive oil- in SMALL amounts!).
Ignoring Sleep
Did you know appetite and hunger hormones are greatly influenced by how much sleep you get?
Studies have shown that leptin, a hormone that signals satiety to the brain (the one telling the brain "I'm full!"), is reduced by sleep deprivation. At the same time, ghrelin a hormone that signals hunger (the one saying "I'm hungry!") elevates during shorter sleep. This increase in hunger and appetite, has also been found to be for foods with high-carbohydrate contents.
*So, if you want to lose weight, make sure to get your zzzz's!
Working-out = Food Fest
One recent study in "Marketing Letters" found that people who were told a one-mile walk was for exercise ate about twice as much afterward as those informed the outing was for fun.
So many people think if they exercise they can eat more, or eat whatever they want. No!! No! NO! Exercise and a good diet go hand in hand, if you want to lose weight. While you might get a little hungrier when you exercise, it doesn't mean you can just binge!
*Drink a LOT of water after exercising and have a small, simple snack (try 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt with a handful of blueberries) to sustain you until your next (healthy) meal.
Same Exercise Routine
So you walk 4 miles every day. Or ride the bike for 45 minutes every day, or even run 5 miles a day! That's great, problem is your body starts seeing this as your new normal and enters into a "plateau". You need to surprise the body!
*To get better results, follow the FIT principle: Vary the "frequency", "intensity" and/or "time" of your exercise routine.
Cardio (is not) King
Many people think cardio is king when it comes to weight loss. Right? you sweat and your heart rate goes up. Makes sense, but actually building muscle ramps up your metabolism and helps you burn fat.
*Alternate your cardio with strength training to keep your metabolism going strong.
Ignoring Diet
Many people devote themselves to exercise to lose weight, thinking this will be enough. You might lose a bit of weight at the beginning, if you haven't exercised in a while, but the reality is you can't lose weight ignoring your diet. This does not mean, as previously mentioned, you need to starve yourself- you just need to know WHAT to eat. Healthy and balanced eating is what is all about!
Ignoring Exercise
Here's the other side of the coin. Your diet is perfect. But honestly, if you are like me (that is, older than 35.. ; ) you will likely need more than a "perfect diet" to lose weight, unless you starve yourself, which we already established doesn't work either!!
*Exercise helps ramp up your metabolism by building muscle and burning fat, and it is essential for sustainable weight loss.
Hope this helps on your weight loss efforts! Of course, dieting and weight gain can be highly individualized and VERY psychological, so find the help you think you need.
Lastly, and most important in embarking any "weight loss" program, challenge, or diet is to:
FIND YOUR (REAL) MOTIVATION.
COMMIT.
and SUCCEED!
Have you starved so badly, eating extremely low calorie diets and not lose any weight? have you LIVED at the gym for weeks and not lose a pound? Do you do your daily cardio routine with no results?
Keep reading then....
Here are 7 common "Weight Loss Mistakes" and how to fix them:
Starving Yourself
Oh, I've seen this way too often- skip breakfast, a soup for lunch, and a "Lean Cuisine" for dinner. Or eating extremely low-fat because that way you don't gain fat: "it's very low-calorie, shouldn't I lose weight?" The problem is eating too little (usually less than 1,200 calories for women, although it depends on the person) tells the body you are "starving" and thus, the body slows down, stalling your metabolism, because it wants to keep everything you eat inside for energy.
*It is important to eat enough calories and the right combination of them- usually something like 40% carbs (made up of mostly VEGETABLES); 35% protein (making these options LEAN); and 25% healthy fat (think avocado, nuts, and olive oil- in SMALL amounts!).
Ignoring Sleep
Did you know appetite and hunger hormones are greatly influenced by how much sleep you get?
Studies have shown that leptin, a hormone that signals satiety to the brain (the one telling the brain "I'm full!"), is reduced by sleep deprivation. At the same time, ghrelin a hormone that signals hunger (the one saying "I'm hungry!") elevates during shorter sleep. This increase in hunger and appetite, has also been found to be for foods with high-carbohydrate contents.
*So, if you want to lose weight, make sure to get your zzzz's!
Working-out = Food Fest
One recent study in "Marketing Letters" found that people who were told a one-mile walk was for exercise ate about twice as much afterward as those informed the outing was for fun.
So many people think if they exercise they can eat more, or eat whatever they want. No!! No! NO! Exercise and a good diet go hand in hand, if you want to lose weight. While you might get a little hungrier when you exercise, it doesn't mean you can just binge!
*Drink a LOT of water after exercising and have a small, simple snack (try 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt with a handful of blueberries) to sustain you until your next (healthy) meal.
Same Exercise Routine
So you walk 4 miles every day. Or ride the bike for 45 minutes every day, or even run 5 miles a day! That's great, problem is your body starts seeing this as your new normal and enters into a "plateau". You need to surprise the body!
*To get better results, follow the FIT principle: Vary the "frequency", "intensity" and/or "time" of your exercise routine.
Cardio (is not) King
Many people think cardio is king when it comes to weight loss. Right? you sweat and your heart rate goes up. Makes sense, but actually building muscle ramps up your metabolism and helps you burn fat.
*Alternate your cardio with strength training to keep your metabolism going strong.
Ignoring Diet
Many people devote themselves to exercise to lose weight, thinking this will be enough. You might lose a bit of weight at the beginning, if you haven't exercised in a while, but the reality is you can't lose weight ignoring your diet. This does not mean, as previously mentioned, you need to starve yourself- you just need to know WHAT to eat. Healthy and balanced eating is what is all about!
Ignoring Exercise
Here's the other side of the coin. Your diet is perfect. But honestly, if you are like me (that is, older than 35.. ; ) you will likely need more than a "perfect diet" to lose weight, unless you starve yourself, which we already established doesn't work either!!
*Exercise helps ramp up your metabolism by building muscle and burning fat, and it is essential for sustainable weight loss.
Hope this helps on your weight loss efforts! Of course, dieting and weight gain can be highly individualized and VERY psychological, so find the help you think you need.
Lastly, and most important in embarking any "weight loss" program, challenge, or diet is to:
FIND YOUR (REAL) MOTIVATION.
COMMIT.
and SUCCEED!
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