You’re going on a diet…again. You exercise but just can’t seem to lose weight. Or maybe you’re frustrated because the weight just won’t stay off. Successful weight loss can happen and
reaching your goals doesn’t require magic. Avoiding some of these mistakes that may be sabotaging your success can help keep you on the right track.
Not Being Prepared Sticking to your diet is easy if you aren’t hungry and are at home to cook healthy meals. But in reality, life isn’t perfect. You may get hungry in the middle of the afternoon or want to go to dinner with your friends. Decide what you will do ahead of time to stay on track. Have healthy snacks available and read nutritional information to find the healthiest menu options. Avoid unhealthy or calorie laden add-ons to otherwise healthy menu items. Mindless Eating You may be doing fine at meals, but those stolen bites in between can add up. Eating while cooking, finishing what the kids left on their plate, or frequently having “just a taste” of something to satisfy a craving may be adding more calories than you think. Eating while you’re distracted is another big one. If you’re snacking in front of the TV or eating lunch while working at your desk, you’re not consciously paying attention to what and how much you’re eating and you’ll end up eating too much. Avoid these types of situations when you can, divide snacks into appropriate portions ahead of time and don’t eat out of the bag. Not Holding Yourself Accountable Many people start a diet and workout plan but don’t have a way to effectively measure results or keep track of progress. You could write down what you eat and when you exercise with old-fashioned pen and paper, use a smartphone or web app to track progress, join a support group, or work with a personal trainer. Whatever you choose should be motivating and help you avoid making excuses. Using Workouts As An Excuse To Overindulge Thinking you can binge on fast food or overindulge in alcohol because you spent 15 extra minutes at the gym is setting yourself up for failure. Workouts should complement a healthy lifestyle. Varying your routine to avoid boredom and making a consistent effort to work out even when your schedule is hectic will get you better results. If you need a little extra help reaching your weight loss goals, consider an effective customized workout routine from a personal trainer like Ralph Roberts. Seeing and feeling results can give you just the incentive you need to continue on the track to a healthy lifestyle. |
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