6 Mistakes To Avoid When Trying To Lose Weight

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Shocked mid adult woman adjusting balance weight scale at gym

Nowadays, there are endless fitness regimens available for anyone who wish to lose weight. If you want to have a leaner or more toned physique, you may feel tempted to try out anything just to see a change in the scale. However, it’s vital to determine which practices will help you achieve your goals and which ones will hinder you from it. So, here are six fitness mistakes you should avoid when trying to lose weight:  

1. Eating Too Little  

Your meal plan plays a vital role in your weight loss journey. After all, the key to sustainable weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. If you ignore what goes into your body, the efforts you put into working out may not make a difference in your physique. Hence, one of the first aspects you need to change in your lifestyle is your eating habits.  

If you wish to see a lower number on a scale, you may be tempted to cut your portions too much or eat too little to be in a deficit. However, doing so may actually prevent you from achieving your ideal body. Your metabolism may work slower if your body thinks you’re starving. Your body may also lack the essential nutrients it needs if you choose to eat too little.  

Hence, it’s advisable not to follow diets that tell you to eat smaller portions blindly. For instance, a 1,200-calorie diet may not be enough for you if your recommended calorie intake to retain your weight is 2,000 calories. A deficit of over 500 calories per day may hinder your progress, so it’s best not to go beyond that. You can check more tips here if you wish to learn more about the concept of dieting and the healthier way to do it.  

2. Focusing Too Much On The Scale  

If you’re trying to shed some pounds, you may have a target weight you want to reach. You may record your starting weight before starting your fitness journey to help you stay motivated to lower that number. However, only focusing on the digits you see on a weighing scale may affect your outlook and motivation to lose weight.  

The scale can’t tell you everything you need to know about your body. After all, it only shows your total body mass and not your physique’s composition. It can’t tell you the difference between your muscle mass and fat percentage. Remember that your weight loss is influenced by various factors, including fat loss, muscle gain, water retention, and calorie intake. 

So, if you don’t see a drop in your body weight during the first few weeks of your fitness journey, don’t feel discouraged. If you can, try to get a detailed physical examination to determine your fat and muscle mass. This way, you can have a better idea of what changes you should expect as you progress.  

3. Sticking To Only Cardio 

Exercising regularly is an effective way to improve your physique and also keep your body healthy. Some forms of activity like running or walking can aid your weight management and improve your overall cardiovascular endurance. However, sticking to only cardio may hinder your weight loss journey.  

If you wish to speed up your progress and also develop your muscles, it’s advisable to combine aerobic workouts with weight training. Adding weight training into your fitness regimen can help you burn fat more efficiently and build more lean muscle, which may eventually increase your metabolic rate. If your metabolism works efficiently, your body can burn fat faster and allow you to hit your target weight more quickly. 

4. Skipping Rest Days 

Once you build your routine and get used to your fitness lifestyle, you may feel driven to go to the gym every day to hit your goal weight faster. You may think that you’ll be able to lose more weight and build muscle more effectively if you include exercise in your daily activities each day of the week. However, performing intense workouts and skipping rest days may hinder your progress.  

Whenever you strain your body to perform various movements, your muscle tissues tear. That’s why you may often feel sore the day after your exercise. The pain you feel in your body may take a few days to disappear since your muscles need time to recover. If you insist on pushing your body past its limits, the tears in your muscle tissues may not have enough time to heal.  

So, if you want to get fit and build muscle efficiently, you should let your body take some time off from intense exercises.  

5. Getting Poor Quality Sleep 

Besides eating healthily and exercising frequently, you should also practice a healthy sleep routine. The quality of rest you get can influence your weight loss. Thus, it would help if you also prioritized your bedtime.  

Your appetite, especially at night, may be affected by your sleeping pattern. Lack of sleep may increase the activity of neurotransmitters related to hunger. Hence, you may be more prone to eating more than what your body needs. You may also feel less full even after a meal if you’re sleep-deprived.  

If you’re careful about your food consumption, it’s advisable to create a regular sleeping schedule. Also, try not to stay awake late at night after your last meal since you may feel the urge to snack on foods.  

6. Snacking Mindlessly  

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s helpful to be more mindful of everything you consume. Snacks like chips or bottled beverages can contain a lot of calories and cause you to go over your calorie limit.  

If you want to avoid overestimating your calorie intake, read the label of packaged products you drink or eat. Check your snacks’ serving size and nutritional value to ensure you won’t end up on a calorie surplus. This way, you can still enjoy foods you like without jeopardizing your weight loss journey.  

Final Thoughts  

You can effectively get fit and achieve the physique you want if you maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow a good fitness regimen. Be patient with your body and aim to lose weight gradually. Also, avoid making weight loss mistakes like eating too little or skipping rest days since it can hinder your progress.

 

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