11 common mistakes of those who want to lose weight

Most people know that if you want to lose weight, you must reduce your caloric intake and exercise regularly. That simple. However, there are many other important details to keep in mind if you want to lose a few pounds.

We, from awesome.club, we researched the most common mistakes in the weight loss process and shared them with you in this post.

Packages with expressions such as “light”, “less saturated fat”, “high fiber” and others are misleading. Before purchasing, check the Nutrition Facts chart on the back. And, in this table, be aware of terms that end in “ose”: fructose, glucose, dextrose, maltose and sucrose. They refer to different types of sugar.

What to do? Front-of-pack advertisements are designed to hook the consumer who doesn’t pay much attention to nutritional values ​​- which really matter. Pay special attention to the expression % DV. It indicates how much a portion of that food represents the total indicated for that same food. For example, for carbohydrates, the indication is an average of 300 grams of consumption per day. A cookie containing 17 grams of carbohydrates is equivalent to 6% of the daily recommendation.

While weighing yourself every day is not a direct obstacle to the weight loss process, it is a habit that can cause a lot of frustration. Losing weight safely and healthily often takes a while. The actual weight on the scale can be affected by different reasons from day to day, for example, natural fluctuations during the menstrual cycle or the onset of muscle mass gained through strength training. When you don’t see the results you want, you can get discouraged and eat again, which can set your goals back.

Instead, try doing the following: try using a measuring tape around your waist, hips and thighs to track your process once a week. If you really need to weigh yourself to stay motivated, once a week is fine.

Aerobic training (running, cycling, swimming or dancing, for example) accelerates weight loss. But it’s important that it be combined with strength training for two reasons: (1) it improves your cardio performance – you’ll finish a run or dance session more ‘full’; (2) avoids injuries in cardio workouts. And imagine that, if you have shin splints, for example (frequent in runners), you will have to spend a long time without training or participating in competitions and then, goodbye weight loss. Finally, it is worth noting that strength training not only helps build muscle, but also stimulates metabolism and accelerates the loss of abdominal fat.

Instead, try doing the following: combine your cardio workout with resistance exercises for best results. You can do the workouts on alternate days, or even on the same day if you have enough time.

Shakes and smoothies can sound healthy. But in most cases it only seems. Do you know how much sugar is in one of Starbucks’ most ordered drinks? The best sellers have between 40g and 60g! That’s about 2-3 times more than the maximum recommended amount to be consumed in a day, and that’s just the amount in one cup! Sodas, fruit juices, beer, and wine are also full of carbohydrates and calories that still leave you hungry because the appetite control center in your brain doesn’t react the same way to liquid calories as it does to solid foods.

Instead, drink lots of water! If you don’t like the lack of flavor too much, you can add slices of lemon, your favorite fruit or some mint leaves to give it a little taste. Unsweetened green tea is also a good drink option.

One of the most common mistakes in the pursuit of weight loss is skipping breakfast or dinner. It may seem logical: if you reduce your calorie intake in this way, you will lose pounds faster. However, skipping meals not only slows down your metabolism, it also makes you more likely to crave and therefore more anxious to eat and end up overeating during the day.

Instead, try doing the following: always try to eat a healthy and nutrient-rich breakfast that will give you enough energy to do all your daily activities. The perfect breakfast combines good carbohydrates with fiber and protein: oatmeal, eggs and Greek yogurt with fruit are excellent options for a healthy first meal.

Reducing portion sizes is one of the most common tips for people trying to lose weight. When done correctly, it really works. However, you should never eat portions so small that you feel constantly hungry. First of all, this is obviously not healthy. And second, when your calorie intake is too low, your metabolism slows down, trying to maintain what limited energy it has, which makes it harder to lose weight.

Another mistake related to restrictions is to eliminate your favorite “unhealthy” foods altogether. This usually leads to cravings and, to satisfy them, either you overeat or, if you restrict yourself for a long time, you end up making the serious mistake of eating those favorite “forbidden” treats, which will lead you to completely abandon the diet, that it’s usually so hard to get started.

Instead, try doing the following: eat medium-sized portions that make you feel satisfied but not too full. Once or twice a week, allow yourself to eat certain ‘fats’ that you like. This will help you control cravings and stay on track with your weight loss process.

Low-fat or fat-free foods are often touted as healthy eating options, and many people believe this. What they don’t know is that they are usually full of sugar and other additives to improve the taste. For example, a fat-free yogurt can contain as much sugar as a chocolate bar. Surely, that dairy doesn’t seem so healthy anymore, does it?

Instead, try doing the following: choose minimally processed or unprocessed whole foods, both those that are naturally low in fat and those that contain healthy fats. If you need to buy something low in fat, always remember to read the nutrition facts label to make sure the product is not full of sugar or additives and that it actually has fewer calories.

At first glance, it seems that sleeping and losing weight are unrelated, but this is far from the truth. Lack of sleep causes leptin (“the fullness hormone”) to drop to minimal levels, while ghrelin (the “appetite-regulating hormone”) rises. As a result, you will always be hungry, overeat and, accordingly, increase your weight.

Also, the less sleep you get, the more you’ll crave foods high in fat and carbohydrates. And since you will feel very tired, it will be practically impossible to deny yourself these unhealthy cravings.

Instead, try to get enough sleep. Adults need between 7 and 9 hours to stay healthy. If you have trouble falling asleep, try creating a bedtime routine and disciplinedly following a schedule.

In the pursuit of weight loss, it is important to increase your intake of fiber-rich foods. This nutrient is especially useful because it absorbs water and makes you feel fuller for longer. We also all know that fiber slows the absorption of fat and keeps blood sugar levels in check, which helps the body store less fat.

Instead, adopt a high-fiber diet. Oats, nuts, fruits and vegetables are rich in soluble fiber, while whole grains, brown rice, leafy greens and nuts are good sources of insoluble fiber.

In these times when miraculous diets are just a click away and many bloggers display sculptural bodies on Youtube and Instagram, it is natural to be anxious about losing weight fast. But don’t get carried away by these stimuli. Healthy weight loss requires effort and discipline. So set realistic goals. Fast and miraculous diets will only lead you to the dreaded accordion effect. People aware that weight loss must be a long process, but planned, leave the kilos behind and never get fat again.

Instead, try doing the following: adapt your goals to a more realistic goal. Aim to lose 0.5 kg to 1 kg per week for best long-term results.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if food is healthy, you can eat as much as you like. As the saying goes, the difference between medicine and poison is the dose. So even water in large quantities can provoke intoxication. Foods like nuts, avocados, hummus (chickpea puree), quinoa and brown rice can be fattening if eaten in excess.

Instead, opt for individual servings of healthy foods and adjust accordingly. One serving of avocado, for example, is equivalent to one-third of the entire fruit. It’s okay to eat more than that, but you need to know how to measure a portion.

Were you surprised by any of these errors? Know others or have some healthy eating tips you want to share with everyone?