We all know of Myths & Mistakes made whilst trying to lose weight, but it can be challenging to change old habits even though we are sabotaging our own efforts.
1. Fad diets
The latest miracle pills or shakes may sound tempting but in the long run they won’t get you anywhere. They may promise mind blowing results but are never sustainable. They are a waste of your time, money and sanity! Stick to eating clean foods in small portions and combine this with a structured training program to get the best results.
2. Panicking over one bad meal
One meal will not make or break a weight loss program. If you have slipped up getting back on track for your next meal should be the focus of your attention, not beating yourself up. Remember a lapse can be managed a collapse can mean total failure of your fat loss efforts. Stick to the 80/20 rule (80% of the time you eat a clean balanced diet, 20% of the time you eat what you like). This way you will always get better results.
3. Alcohol
Alcohol is full of calories and heightens your inhibitions, once these are lowered, how many have reached for peanuts in the bar of a kebab on the way home? Even a single glass of wine at night can add an extra 1500 kcal to your weekly total, play havoc with your sleep pattern and leave you dehydrated.
4. Skipping meals
If you eat less you will lose more weight, right? NO! Starving yourself backfires. Greatly decreased calorie intake leads your body to think that it is literally starving. It responds to this by slowing your metabolic rate (the rate your body burns calories). Start your day with a healthy breakfast and try to eat small meals every three hours. This will help to make you feel more satisfied and therefore less likely to binge at night.
5. Not hitting the gym
Dieting alone will not get you to your overall goal. Combining cardiovascular exercise (running, rowing, etc) and strength training (free weights, kettle bells etc) in a balanced program will help you see maximum results in minimum time.
6. Dropping food groups
If you leave out entire food groups (carbs, dairy, fats) from your diet, this is a sure fire way of increasing the likely hood of you having cravings and feeling unsatisfied. This in turn leads to a greater chance of failure. Balance every meal with healthy fats, carbs and proteins to effectively lose weight.
7. Not getting eight hours a night
Research shows that people who sleep more are on average thinner than people who are sleep deprived. Sleep deprived people are less able to control their appetites and have higher body glucose levels which can both lead to weight gain.
To summarise fat loss is a balancing act! If you can balance structured training with clean healthy nutrition and good quality sleep then you are on the right track!