Weight Loss Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

When we make that big step to start losing weight, our journey usually starts with enthusiasm and willpower; we are going to take over the world!

The problem is that there are so many factors that can throw us off our rhythm, hindering our success in the long run.

But this really doesn’t have to be the case for any of us. If we know the pitfalls to watch out for before they happen, we can power through and reach our goal!

Keeping in mind that many of you reading this are starting that exact journey, I have put together a list of the most common weight loss mistakes so you know what to look out for.

Unrealistic Expectations

Humans naturally want things to happen fast and happen NOW.

Well, really, nothing in life works that way, and patience truly is a virtue! Naturally, the lack of fast results makes us want to give up, which will never get us anywhere.

The best way to avoid this is to remember why you started dieting in the first place. You must be reminded of this daily to stay on track, so something tangible is necessary.

Maybe you have decided to lose weight to be healthier for your children.

Take a large bristol board or piece of thin cardboard, and decorate it with images of your children and healthy foods, associating them with each other, and place this board somewhere in your house where you can see it every day.

Or, perhaps you just really want to shed the dead weight and get back into your “skinny” clothes?

You could hang that special dress or jeans up outside of your closet, where you can see it every day you wake up and remember why you’ve decided to change your life!

Drinking Too Much Sugar

Sure, we know we need to watch the sugar in our foods, but what about our drinks?

Drinks are easy to forget about when it comes to dieting, yet they can be packed with a lot of sugar and calories, considering they barely fill us up.

Think about this: Would you rather have a small healthy meal with good nutrients that keeps you full for 3-4 hours or a travel-sized bottle of pop?

They are often around the same amount of calories, so I would much rather the former, and so should you. If you generally get really thirsty during the day, buy a reusable water bottle and keep it with you all the time, filled with water, of course.

This will prevent you from buying a soft drink last minute and drinking your calories. Or, try freshly squeezed lemon or grapefruit juice mixed with water (the store-bought juice is filled with sugar).

Really, it’s all about preparation! Be prepared, and success will follow.

Too Many Processed Carbs

Carbohydrates are essential to our health. However, if we eat the wrong types, we make it harder for our bodies to lose fat.

This is simply because eating too many, especially too many of the wrong ones, causes our hormone insulin levels to go haywire.

Of course, I am not recommending cutting out carbs, but you need to minimize, if not eliminate the processed ones. The more processed, the worse they will be for your weight loss.

If you’re not sure exactly what processed carbs are, think white bread, rice, pasta (any white grains), and candy. Instead of cutting these items out of your diet, just switch them for more healthy versions.

Opt for brown rice, an unprocessed whole grain like quinoa, organic multi-grain bread, and whole wheat pasta. And, of course, try to avoid eating sugary candy and chocolate, pop, and store-bought fruit juices.

Not Enough Water

One of the most common mistakes in weight loss is not getting enough water.

When you think about it, it is actually really easy to drink water, and yet our busy lives render us to forget. Water is so important because if we dehydrate ourselves, we slow down our metabolism, not burning calories as fast as we’d like to.

As I mentioned above, avoiding this is all about planning!

Keeping that handy water bottle in your bag or with you at all times gives no option for dehydration or, for that matter, sugary drinks! It is also advisable to always drink one large glass of water before you go to bed and right when you wake up.

This not only keeps you hydrated but genuinely makes you feel better and more energetic.

Crash Dieting

When someone makes the decision to lose weight, they can often go on what we call the “crash diet”. They do a complete 180, seeing every food and drink as their enemy, except for salads and soup.

First off, let’s just say “congrats” for the difficult life change, but no need to go overboard! Losing weight is actually simple in theory; we, as people, just like to complicate things that need not be.

Food is not evil, and eating things outside of veggies and liquid is ok. The key to losing weight in the long term is a healthy and balanced diet.

Try and eat 5 small meals a day containing veggies and fruit with varied lean proteins, drink lots of water, keep track of your calories, and incorporate some physical activity into your life.

If you are doing that and still don’t see the results you want, try incorporating a diet supplement that can help you along the way in your weight loss.

PhenQ is a dietary supplement designed to lessen appetite and increase energy through the use of all-natural ingredients.

It does not contain any controlled substances and is available online without a prescription. To learn more about PhenQ or order your first bottle today, click here.

As we all know, weight loss isn’t easy, but it is possible.

The first, and maybe hardest, step is believing in yourself, and you have clearly already done this, or you wouldn’t be here!

Now, you just need to stick to it and avoid the traps. We always give lots of tips on how to stay on track, eat healthily, and maintain your fitness levels, so if you ever feel lost in motivation, you can come here.