There's no doubt about it, losing weight is hard! Oftentimes, dieters are setting themselves up for failure without even realizing it.
It took many years, and countless times of trying to lose weight before I figured out I was sabotaging myself! Learn from my mistakes, and avoid these common pitfalls! Expecting instant results - It's not going to happen.
It will take at LEAST a month to see results, and those are going to be small results.
You need to focus on getting healthier and stronger, and not the number on the scale! Setting Unrealistic Goals - If you somehow manage to lose five pounds in a week, I am willing to guarantee you it will not stay off, and it will come back with friends! Rather than saying you want to lose "X" amount of pounds, aim for goals such as eating five servings of fruits or vegetables a day, or drinking eight glasses of water a day.
These are tangible goals you can cross off a list daily, and see that you are keeping to your plan.
Make a goal of taking a walk everyday - even if its only ten minutes.
It's these small steps that are going to make you successful! Weighing Yourself Frequently - You will never notice a real decrease in weight on a day to day basis.
Our bodies weight naturally fluctuates within a five-pound range.
If you get on the scale and see you are a pound heavier than the day before, you are going to feel discouraged, when really, this is quite normal.
If you insist on weighing yourself (I do not own a scale - it keeps the temptation away to step on it every morning) I would do so only once every two weeks (at most.
) Keep a chart or spreadsheet with the date and your weight.
Over the course of a couple of months, you should start to see your weight decreasing.
If you do not, you need to re-evaluate what you could be doing better to encourage weight loss.
Drinking Sweet Drinks - Diet sodas, fruit juice and even Gatorade will keep you wanting more sweets and in the case of fruit juices and Gatorade they will also add unneeded calories.
The effects of diet soda are still being debated, many nutritionists thing that diet soda, although it is technically calorie free, does much damage to weight loss.
Reach for a bottle of water instead! Water, water, & more water.
Water should always be your first choice when you are thirsty.
There is no substitute.
Skipping Meals - Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day! Not only does it give you energy to start your day, it also gives your metabolism a jump-start to get moving! After a night of sleeping and lying still, your metabolism is almost at a standstill and eating something in the morning helps to "wake it up.
" Fat Free Foods - They may have no fat, but the sugar content is usually astronomical and sugar will make you gain weight faster than fat! Also, do not make the mistake of thinking a diet "meal replacement" bar or drink is healthy.
Your body needs the nutrients from real foods: fruits, vegetable and proteins, and not a liquid version of them! Solid food also speeds up your metabolism faster! Not Drinking Enough Water - Your body needs water! At least eight glasses a day! Water increases your metabolism and fat burning speed, flushes toxins from your body, keeps you energized and is also good for your skin! Did I mention water yet? Water.
Not Allowing Yourself "Treats" - One of the worst things you can do is tell yourself that a certain food is "off limits.
" Nothing will make you want that food more than thinking you can't have it! It's OK to allow yourself a treat every now and then.
If you're craving a snickers bar - eat half of it and save the rest.
If you want a piece of pizza on Friday night, have some - just don't gorge yourself on it!
It took many years, and countless times of trying to lose weight before I figured out I was sabotaging myself! Learn from my mistakes, and avoid these common pitfalls! Expecting instant results - It's not going to happen.
It will take at LEAST a month to see results, and those are going to be small results.
You need to focus on getting healthier and stronger, and not the number on the scale! Setting Unrealistic Goals - If you somehow manage to lose five pounds in a week, I am willing to guarantee you it will not stay off, and it will come back with friends! Rather than saying you want to lose "X" amount of pounds, aim for goals such as eating five servings of fruits or vegetables a day, or drinking eight glasses of water a day.
These are tangible goals you can cross off a list daily, and see that you are keeping to your plan.
Make a goal of taking a walk everyday - even if its only ten minutes.
It's these small steps that are going to make you successful! Weighing Yourself Frequently - You will never notice a real decrease in weight on a day to day basis.
Our bodies weight naturally fluctuates within a five-pound range.
If you get on the scale and see you are a pound heavier than the day before, you are going to feel discouraged, when really, this is quite normal.
If you insist on weighing yourself (I do not own a scale - it keeps the temptation away to step on it every morning) I would do so only once every two weeks (at most.
) Keep a chart or spreadsheet with the date and your weight.
Over the course of a couple of months, you should start to see your weight decreasing.
If you do not, you need to re-evaluate what you could be doing better to encourage weight loss.
Drinking Sweet Drinks - Diet sodas, fruit juice and even Gatorade will keep you wanting more sweets and in the case of fruit juices and Gatorade they will also add unneeded calories.
The effects of diet soda are still being debated, many nutritionists thing that diet soda, although it is technically calorie free, does much damage to weight loss.
Reach for a bottle of water instead! Water, water, & more water.
Water should always be your first choice when you are thirsty.
There is no substitute.
Skipping Meals - Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day! Not only does it give you energy to start your day, it also gives your metabolism a jump-start to get moving! After a night of sleeping and lying still, your metabolism is almost at a standstill and eating something in the morning helps to "wake it up.
" Fat Free Foods - They may have no fat, but the sugar content is usually astronomical and sugar will make you gain weight faster than fat! Also, do not make the mistake of thinking a diet "meal replacement" bar or drink is healthy.
Your body needs the nutrients from real foods: fruits, vegetable and proteins, and not a liquid version of them! Solid food also speeds up your metabolism faster! Not Drinking Enough Water - Your body needs water! At least eight glasses a day! Water increases your metabolism and fat burning speed, flushes toxins from your body, keeps you energized and is also good for your skin! Did I mention water yet? Water.
Not Allowing Yourself "Treats" - One of the worst things you can do is tell yourself that a certain food is "off limits.
" Nothing will make you want that food more than thinking you can't have it! It's OK to allow yourself a treat every now and then.
If you're craving a snickers bar - eat half of it and save the rest.
If you want a piece of pizza on Friday night, have some - just don't gorge yourself on it!
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