Losing weight is hard. But there are a lot of things that you could be doing wrong that might be hindering your progress. This list is not from an expert, but from my own personal journey where I learned that there were a lot of things that I was doing wrong, and you might be to.
Here’s the list:
1.”Go Big or Go Home” Mentality:
Now while this mentality might be great in some cases, when it comes to working out, it’s better to start off small. If you haven’t worked out in years, do not jump on the treadmill and aim to run for 30 mins straight because chances are you will crash and feel discourages. Take small steps – a brisk walk for 15-20 mins is a great way to kickstart your workout routine and slowly build it up from there.
2.Lack of Motivation:
The only thing that works for weight loss is consistency. So it is essential to have realistic goals that keep you motivated with the progress you see in your body. Please remember, that if you put on the weight in 5 years, it isn’t coming off in 1 month. Set your goal to be a fitter, healthier you. After all, fit is the new skinny.
3.Not Investing in Proper Workout Gear:
Before you set out to be a fitness freak, look the part. Get the right shoes, sports bra and all the workout tights you need because if it doesn’t fit right, working out will become a real hassle. If your shoes are uncomfortable, you might end up with sore muscles or even a workout injury. Better to be safe than sorry!
4.Stuck in a Workout Rut:
It might be time to shake things up a little. Our bodies learn to adjust real quick. So if you’ve been doing the same routine for a while, it might be time to take things up a notch. If you’ve been doing 100 squats for over a week or even 10 days, it might be time to push it to 120 or even 150 squats. Time to crank up the heat!
5.Take a Day Off
According to the Bible, even God rested on the 7th day. It doesn’t help your body if you workout like a gym rat. Take a day off so that your muscles can recover and your body can heal better.
6.Starving Yourself:
People have the misconception that they can starve themselves to their desired weight. That’s totally wrong! As much as calorie counting and eating healthy is required for weight loss, it is never a good thing to starve yourself. Maybe it will lead to short term weight loss but it may have serious side effects such as low metabolic rate, fatigue and malnutrition which have a variety of diseases that accompany it. This can also result in hair loss! Please remember, starving yourself is NEVER the solution. Slow and steady wins the race!
7.Not Calorie Counting:
So you took a 30-minute walk to the park and you feel so fulfilled, you decided to reward yourself with junk food…and after a month of this unhealthy habit, you go to weigh yourself and find out that you’ve gained more pounds instead of reducing and you become frustrated. The key to weight loss is also calorie counting. Know how much you’re putting into your body as well as how much you’re burning. Downloading apps like My Fitness Pal always helps in knowing how much you’re consuming during the day.
8.Dehydration
Water is an essential when it comes to weight loss. Remember, it helps in increasing your metabolism which helps to lose weight; it nourishes the skin and gives its a smooth, softer, and brighter look. It also helps reduce bloating and helps stimulates the thyroid hormone that aids metabolism and also so that you don’t eat more than you need. Always carry a bottle of water with you wherever you go.
9.Not Enough Sleep
If you’re not sleeping for a minimum of 6 hours, your body and muscles aren’t getting the rest they need after a day of rigorous workout. Sleeping right is absolutely necessary for a healthy body and, most importantly, sleeping on time also ensures that you do not binge eat at night before bed.
10.Focusing Too Much on the Scale
Forget the numbers on the scale – they are just numbers. Learn to focus on your measurements. Measure yourself before you begin your weight loss journey to see how many inches you’ve lost. After all, when you start to workout, your end up gaining muscle too. So the numbers on the scale might be fooling you. Measure yourself so that you don’t feel discouraged.