5 Mistakes People Make When Trying to Lose Weight

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight but ultimately abandoned your goal, it is likely that you fell victim to one of the common mistakes that people make while trying to lose weight. While no weight loss plan will work perfectly for every single person, there are many mistakes we see across the board that everyone should always avoid. Make sure you are not falling into the trap of any of the following 5 mistakes.

1. Not Having a Plan

The worst way to go about losing weight is to not have a plan. If your only guideline is to lose 50 lbs in any way possible, you will quickly burn out. Attempting to achieve that goal without any set of directions on how to exercise or eat will only yield little to no results. Not only should you have a plan, but you should also create a plan with realistic goals for the long term. Weight loss is something that must be achieved over an extended period of time and maintained in the future; otherwise, you will be setting yourself up for failure.

2. Eating Too Little

The most unhealthy and unproductive mistake you can make when trying to lose weight is eating too little. Many believe that if they skip meals they can lose weight faster or save up their calories for a big dinner. However, skipping meals or eating fewer than your required number of calories per day will only slow down your metabolism making it harder for you to lose weight.

3. Relying Too Much on Cardio

When it comes time to choose an exercise plan, many choose to get their cardio through running because it doesn’t require a gym membership. However, if your only exercise is running, your body will adapt and burn fewer calories each time. You will also be hungrier and eat more without noticing. You will ultimately stop losing weight. Rather than only running, try adding resistance training, which burns calories both during and after your workout due to EPOC, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.

4. Not Knowing When to Use Cheat Meals

Another common mistake that many make is being too strict about their diet. Many give themselves an all or nothing mindset, meaning that if they mess up one day, they should give up on the entire plan. Others believe that if they eat too much for one meal, they should be able to cheat for the rest of the day, too. Instead, allow yourself a cheat meal every once in a while. This will satisfy your cravings but allow you to get back on track.

5. Carelessly Trusting Food Labels

Finally, another common weight loss mistake is putting too much reliance on food labels. There are a ton of foods out there labeled “low-fat,” “sugar-free,” and other “healthy” buzzwords. However, eating too much of these self-proclaimed “healthy” foods will still put calories into your body. Rather than focusing on labels from processed foods focus on label-free whole foods.

Link...  http://dailyhealthpost.com/5-mistakes-people-make-when-trying-to-lose-weight/2/