7 Common Mistakes with Nutrition and Training

Do you regularly visit the gym and spend hours on the treadmill each week, but see little results? Or are you struggling to shed those extra kilos despite eating only 'healthy'?

Well, it could very well be that you're not doing everything quite right.

In this article, we'll discuss 7 common mistakes that many people make in terms of nutrition and training. Avoid these mistakes, and you'll likely notice that you're on a much faster track toward your goal.

Mistake 1: You blindly follow the media

Many people get their information about nutrition and health from the media. Often, these are poorly substantiated claims, half-truths, or even advertorials that lead to confusion and perpetuate various stubborn myths.

Don't let yourself be fooled, and don't blindly trust information from newspapers, magazines, or online articles. Always critically assess the source of an article. The same goes for information from self-proclaimed (internet) health gurus. Not everything written is necessarily true.

A good piece of advice is to get your information from reliable sources, preferably backed by scientific research.

Mistake 2: You follow the latest trend or hype

There are thousands of diet books claiming all sorts of things and promising results in a week. Or pills and powders that 'boost your fat burning' and various methods that make you believe you can sit on the couch all day eating chocolate while losing a kilo a week.

There are no magic pills or miracle cures. Stop believing in myths and focus on adjusting your lifestyle and making better choices. You don't have to give up everything, but achieving a leaner body requires a bit of discipline and good planning.

You'll definitely need to invest time and energy, but these factors ultimately determine the result, not eating berries from the Amazon.

Mistake 3: You focus too much on eating healthy (clean)

Losing weight (burning fat) and gaining weight (muscle building) is about energy balance. This is the foundation. The body consumes a certain amount of energy (calories) daily to function. If you eat enough calories, you maintain your weight; if you eat more, you gain, and eating fewer calories leads to weight loss.

To burn fat, you need to create a calorie deficit, meaning the body gets fewer calories than it needs over a certain period.

In a negative energy balance, you lose weight, and in a positive energy balance, you gain weight, and where these calories come from doesn't matter for weight loss.

The fact that you eat healthier products doesn't actually say anything about the number of calories you consume. Whether you eat oatmeal, green salads, walnuts, or a piece of cake, your body simply doesn't recognize specific products.

What your body does recognize are macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats), vitamins, minerals, and other substances. You can only eat 'healthy things,' but if your body gets more calories than it needs, you won't lose weight.

If your goal is to lose weight, it's essential not only to look at what you eat but also at how much you consume daily.

Of course, it's important to choose good, wholesome food with a generous amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These foods fit better into a healthy diet and not only ensure you get the right substances but generally contain (much) fewer calories and other substances contributing to your health.

Mistake 4: You eat too few carbohydrates

Many people avoid carbohydrates because they think they're fattening.

While it's wise to avoid 'fast carbs' (candy, cookies, pastries, pasta, white bread, etc.), healthy carbohydrates like (sweet) potatoes, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits can contribute to healthy weight loss, more muscle building, and a better mood during weight loss.

Carbohydrates provide energy to the body and also ensure you can continue to train optimally. It doesn't matter for weight loss whether you eat 'low-carb' or not. In fact, it can be disadvantageous if you regularly train on a low-carb diet.

If you're less active or have a lot of overweight, it may be better to eat slightly fewer carbohydrates.

However, active people stick to a diet with enough carbohydrates for longer, often have less hunger, reducing the urge to overeat. They generally feel much better with sufficient carbohydrates in their diet.

Mistake 5: You eat too few proteins

Proteins are essential for your body. They contribute to muscle preservation during weight loss, muscle growth, and overall body recovery.

If your goal is to lose weight, it is highly recommended to consume enough proteins. Moreover, a portion of proteins provides good satiety and boosts metabolism.

During weight loss, we recommend getting 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

Mistake 6: You do too much cardio

Spending hours per week on a treadmill, elliptical, or bike is not only boring (unless you bring a tablet and watch Game of Thrones), but in most cases, it's less productive for weight loss and fat burning. It can also lead to overtraining in some cases.

Unless you're training for the Rotterdam marathon or climbing Alpe d'Huez, you could spend your time much more efficiently (for example, by doing more strength training, see the next point).

While you generally burn a bit more fat during endurance training, fat burning is significantly stronger, especially after interval or strength training, leading to overall more fat loss.

So forget those endless cardio sessions and opt for a short interval or circuit training 2 to 3 times a week for 15-20 minutes.

Mistake 7: You do too little strength training

Everyone should incorporate some form of strength training. Strength training is not only good for a firmer body, more definition, and higher fat burning, but also for stronger bones, better insulin sensitivity, and a healthy blood pressure.

Strength training is, therefore, the best thing you can do for a firm(er) body and your overall health.

Conclusion

There can be several factors as to why you haven't (yet) reached your goal. That's why we've listed the most common mistakes that many people make in this article.

It's important to do something you enjoy, or you won't stick with it for long. If you love running or cycling, then by all means, continue doing that.

However, if you're doing it because you think it will help you lose weight faster or more, you might be better off choosing another method like strength or interval training.

During your workouts, focus on strength and muscle building. This will yield the best results in the long run.

Nutrition is one of the most important factors when it comes to weight loss. The right nutrition combined with the right (strength) training produces the best results for your body and your health.