Weight loss is one of those things that many people try and fail over and over. I am an expert at losing weight. I have been doing it my whole adult life! It’s frustrating!
Here are some of the most common mistakes that people make when they’re trying to lose some weight- Me included! How many of these do you recognize?
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight
Focusing on the Scale
Rather than looking at all the different aspects which come into play when you start losing weight and shedding fat, many people are concerned with one thing only: the number on the scale. While this is a great indication that you’re becoming lighter and losing weight, it’s definitely not the only way to measure success.
The best way to judge improvement is to take measurements of different parts of your body, such as your waist, thighs, hips and arms. Look for changes in clothing size and in the way you feel too.
Eating too little
Yes, it’s possible to not lose weight because you’re not eating enough. People think that if they starve themselves and don’t allow themselves to eat proper meals, they’ll lose weight quickly. This happens most commonly when people are trying to lose weight quickly for a special occasion or event.
However, starving yourself will cause your body to cling on to the fat that it has already, since it believes it won’t be getting food for a long time and goes into ‘starvation mode’.
Too Much Stress
You can become very stressed when trying to lose weight, and whether the stress is coming from your desperation to lose more weight or other factors in your life, it’s never a good thing. When you’re stressed, your body produces stress hormones, which in turn, cause you to gain weight or hold on to any excess weight you already have.
Not Sleeping Well
Getting a good amount of sleep each night can have a massive effect on how easily your body is able to lose weight. People who sleep badly release high levels of the hormone Cortisol, which is one of the leading hormones which make it difficult for the body to lose weight.
Overestimating Calorie Burn
You might feel like you’ve done a massive workout and you deserve a huge meal afterwards, but one of the main problems that people have is massively overestimating the amount of calories they have burned.
In order to get a more accurate result, buy a monitor that you can wear on your wrist or ankle that tracks the calories you burn based on your individual fitness levels, weight, and height, as well as your heart rate.
I know I have struggled with all of these. What about you? Knowing the triggers can allow us to make changes for the positive. Weight loss is always a work in progress…do you agree?
Share your thoughts about these 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight
Hi! I’m Chris! Just a Midlife Wife sharing about life’s journey; screaming and kicking through it while supposedly aging gracefully…
Focusing on healthy living, low carb & keto, things I am loving right now, and life in general.