Are you on a diet and find that you’re not losing weight like you expect to? We’ve all been there. We watch what we eat, try to get a bit more exercise, and generally take better care of ourselves, but in the long-run, the weight just isn’t’ coming off as quickly as it should be.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to this. Perhaps you are genetically predisposed for carrying more weight, or your metabolism is a bit more stubborn than average. However, while you may think that you are being strict with your diet, there are a number of simple, avoidable mistakes that you might be making that could be hindering your progress.
What Are Common Diet Mistakes?
Here are a few things that you may be doing that are keeping you from reaching your full potential when following your diet. If any of these apply to you, make the appropriate lifestyle changes to correct them and be better on the path to success!
Relying on the Scale Weight
This first one isn’t so much a mistake that is keeping you from losing weight, rather it is a confusion on whether you are losing weight or not.
If you are weighing yourself religiously, and not seeing your weight go down, you may think that you aren’t making any forward progress. What may be happening is that you are changing your body composition.
You could be losing fat, while at the same time gaining muscle, which could net out to not making any difference on the scale. Also, your weight can fluctuate throughout the day, depending on how much food and liquid you consume, which can skew the results when stepping on the scale.
Don’t worry yourself by stepping on the scale every day. Instead, weigh yourself once per week. This will take away the variation and will allow more time for progress to be tracked.
Consuming the Wrong Amount of Calories
The general rule of thumb has always been that if you cut 3,500 calories from your weekly diet, you will lose one pound that week (all other things remaining constant). However, this does not take into account that everybody’s metabolism differs. There is no “one size fits all” for how many calories are right for you on your weight loss diet. It will take some trial and error, but there is a level that is appropriate for your body.
Not Getting Enough Exercise
You may think that just cutting your calories to a low level will result in weight loss, but that ignores the importance of exercise. If you don’t get enough exercise, along with the fat you are losing during your calorie-restricted diet, you will also be losing muscle mass due to lack of activity. Musculature increases your metabolic rate. The more muscle you have, the faster and more efficiently you burn calories. Don’t ignore the importance of keeping your muscle mass – and building more!
Focusing Only on Cardio
While cardiovascular exercise will burn calories the fastest, don’t ignore the importance of weight training. For the reason listed above, it is important to have muscle composition to boost your metabolism. The best exercise routine combines aerobic activity along with weight training. Take a look at Jamie Eason LiveFit Trainer, in that regard.
Falling Trap to Low-Fat or Diet Foods
Just because something is labeled as “low-fat”, “no-fat”, or “diet”, don’t automatically assume that it is good for you. More often than not, these food items are loaded with sugars and preservatives and are unhealthy choices, despite the marketing saying otherwise. Plus, when consuming foods such as these, you are more likely to overeat and surpass your daily calorie count as you are under the assumption that it is healthy.
Not Enough Supplementation
When people think of supplements, they mostly think of protein powders for bodybuilders. However, when you are on a diet, using a diet pill can be a great way to speed up your progress. They can help to curb your appetite, boost your metabolism, and give you more energy to get through your workouts – all together are a great recipe for weight loss!
Related reading: For my top diet pill recommendation, check this review: dietpillreviews.com/brands/phenq
About Shaun Hudson
Shaun Hudson loves sports, being outdoors, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After many unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, he finally was able to drop 25 pounds and keep it off. The secret? He kept a journal of his activity, diet, and daily life. That journal changed his life, and has since evolved into this website. Read his full bio.