We have compiled a nice collection of articles on the subject of weight loss and weight management. Just like with our other categories, with this article, we aim to provide an overview of the most common mistakes when it comes to losing weight. Often, people start with the right intentions, but it’s the lack of correct information that stands in their way. Therefore, read our article on the most common mistakes and see for yourself if you’re guilty of any. Each mistake is accompanied by a weight loss tip, so you have the information you need to get back on track.
Starving Yourself
Mistake number 1 in losing weight. Starving yourself because you get fat from eating too much, right? It’s true that you gain weight from a calorie surplus, but that doesn’t mean starving yourself will lead to desired results in the long run. When you starve yourself and eat significantly fewer calories, your body goes into survival mode, making it more efficient with energy. The energy your body receives is more likely to be stored as fat in survival mode than when energy is readily available. Additionally, your body breaks down muscles to obtain energy. Finally, you can’t sustain a diet where you starve yourself for long, so you revert to your old patterns. Your body doesn’t forget your crash diet and prepares for the possibility of another time you decide to do it again, storing more energy in the form of fat. Thus, the yo-yo effect.
Expecting Too Rapid Results
A good number 2 when it comes to the most common mistakes in losing weight is expecting too rapid results. Your body has taken years to look the way it does now. Your body composition of muscle mass and fat mass is a result of years of neglect or years of dedication and discipline. That means you won’t see immediate results after one week of exercising and eating healthily. Of course, you’ll feel the impact of the physical activities you’ve undertaken in the form of (initially) muscle soreness and improved endurance, but weight loss often occurs at its own pace. The rate at which you can lose weight healthily and responsibly is around 0.5 – 1 kg per week. So don’t expect to lose kilograms after 1 week. Additionally, becoming aware that you’ve embarked on a healthy lifestyle may be sufficient, and the results will eventually show.
Giving Up Too Quickly
At number 3, a combination of 1 and 2, is giving up too quickly. Short and sweet, that’s often the thought of many people wanting to lose weight, but unfortunately, your body doesn’t work that way. There are no shortcuts to success; realize that when you start following a healthy lifestyle. Giving up too quickly often stems from a combination of eating too little, expecting too rapid results, and having too little or the wrong motivation. Go back to basics and recall why you started. Was it the pants that didn’t fit or the colleague who wrongly congratulated you on a pregnancy? Don’t quit and set realistic goals if you want to lose weight.
Overemphasizing Exercise
Did you know that 60 to 70 percent of how you look is determined by what you eat? It’s great that you’re exercising a lot and aiming to burn extra calories that way, but realize that you can achieve a lot in the kitchen. Always dreamed of a flat stomach and maybe secretly of a six-pack? The phrase “abs are made in the kitchen” wasn’t coined for nothing. The fact is that the combination of exercise and nutrition will ultimately bring you the best results, but weight loss simply occurs through a negative calorie balance: the negative calorie balance. How easy is it to achieve this through a few smart tweaks in your diet?
Do you encounter more common mistakes in losing weight? Leave them in the comments below!
