10. Too few meals. Infrequent eating leads to overeating. Spreading 3 meals out over 5-6 smaller meals will fire up your metabolism and prevent you from feeling lethargic throughout the day. Planning your meals and portion control is the key.
9. Lazy lifestyle. Treat every activity like a workout. Choose the stairs over an elevator, or park your car at the very end of the parking lot. Burning these extra calories will add up, and in time, weight will begin to shed.
8. The use of diet pills. The best way to lose weight is to find a diet that is not overly restrictive and to exercise. Almost all these pills are not FDA approved and there is no use to take a supplement with no long term health reports available.
7. Dehydration. This should come as no surprise but people eat when they feel hungry. Feeling hungry is a symptom of dehydration so it is important to stay hydrated throughout the day. Grab a glass of water before each meal and you may be able to curb your appetite.
6. Skipping Breakfast. Not eating breakfast increases obesity risk by 450%! During sleep your body uses all available nutrients for repair and energy. When you wake up you need to refuel or your body will begin burning lean muscle for energy.
5. Turn a cheat meal/day into a cheat weekend. It is good to plan a day where you take a break from your diet. It will give you a day to look forward to and it will help to re-set your metabolism. You still need to have self control and do not turn a cheat meal into an all you can eat buffet
4. Live and die by the bathroom scale. Your weight is going to fluctuate day-to-day based on hydration levels. The idea is to not be over fat so body fat percentage is a better gauge. If you can not do that, then your clothes are a good indicator. If your clothing becomes more loose in the hip/waist area you are making progress.
3. Focus on calories. 1500 calories of junk food is not the same as 1500 calories of healthy food. Use your head and do not try to rational making poor choices.
2. Not keeping a food log. There is a difference between what you eat and what you think you eat. Seeing what you eat each day on paper will have a powerful effect.
1. Trust.Trust that a one size fits all diet is going to fit you, trust that the calories burned estimates on the treadmill are accurate, trust that those food labels are correct, and so on. The weight loss industry is a booming business and inaccurate claims are going to be made for products. It is your job to find what fits best into your life.
