Time to read: 5 min
5 Common Mistakes During Weight Loss
Trying to lose weight but it's not working at all? There's a good chance you're making one of these 5 common mistakes.
No stress, you can turn things around today. Here's where it often goes wrong:
1. You're starving yourself
To lose weight, you generally need to consume fewer calories than your body needs daily. However, if you starve yourself, your body will work against you. Your metabolism slows down, it starts burning muscles instead of fat, you're more likely to experience cravings, and your sleep and mood suffer. Aim for a small calorie deficit of no more than 20-25% of your daily intake for long-term results.
2. You're not eating enough proteins
Proteins play a crucial role in fat loss. By consuming enough proteins daily, you preserve more muscle mass and prevent your body from using your muscles for energy during weight loss.
Protein-rich foods also often provide better satiety, preventing you from giving in to the first red velvet muffin you come across.
3. You're still eating too much
Most people are pretty bad at estimating their daily calorie needs. You might also forget to add up everything you consume, including those spoonfuls of oil (240 kcal), honey (130 kcal), and that cappuccino (60 kcal). It adds up!
To lose about half a kilogram of fat per week, you need to eat about 500 kcal less per day than your body needs. Be consistent when preparing your meals and keeping track of what you consume, even on weekends. Using apps like Fatsecret or MyFitnessPal can help you monitor your daily calorie intake.
4. You're eating (too many) cheat meals
The idea behind these guilty pleasure snacks or meals is that you'll stick to your diet longer if you let yourself indulge occasionally. But be careful because before you know it, you might find the regular fare boring, and you'll cheat more and more often. Especially avoid going all out on junk food for a whole day or weekend.
5. You rely too much on exercising
The number of calories you burn during a workout is not as much as you might think. Exercise is always good as it contributes to a healthy lifestyle. However, when it comes to losing weight, your diet and daily habits weigh much more heavily.