The Real Way To Lose Weight
Having trouble keeping the weight off? Don’t worry, you’re not alone—experts say that nearly 80% of people who shed weight will gain some of it back within a year. Luckily, they’ve also pinpointed some reasons why some of us struggle to see success on our weight loss journeys. So, before you get too disheartened from not meeting your weight loss goals, make sure you’re not falling into any of these bad habits.
1. You’re Trying To Do It Too Fast
You may not want to hear it, but if you’re trying to lose weight as fast as you can, that’s only going to backfire and set you up for a series of yo-yo diets. When it comes to healthy weight loss, you’ve got to think long-term and ditch strict, short-term diets like the keto or paleo diet.
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Diets like keto and paleo may help you lose weight quickly, but these aren’t sustainable and leave you more susceptible to putting the weight back on once you’re off the diet. Strict diets and detoxes also only work as long as you have the willpower to stick to them—for most of us, that’s anywhere from two weeks to two months.
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To lose weight and keep it off, plan for a long-term diet that’s well-balanced with things from a variety of food groups. You should also incorporate some healthy treats, to reward yourself for your efforts.
2. You Think It’s All Or Nothing
If you’ve got a short-term view of weight loss, chances are you’re also looking at it from an all-or-nothing perspective. For a lot of people, that looks like drastically cutting out all processed foods and carbs. But categorizing foods as strictly good or bad is an easy way to slip into malnourishment.
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An all-or-nothing attitude towards weight loss can also create feelings of shame or guilt around food if you slip up and eat something that you consider unhealthy. This can turn into a dangerous cycle between sticking to a restrictive diet and over-indulging in perceived guilty pleasures.
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All-or-nothing thinking also shows up in fitness routines. If you find that you’ve been working out often but not getting any stronger, you might actually be exercising too much. The key here is to slow down and give your muscles time to rest and recover between workouts. You can also try switching up your routine and focusing on form as well as consistency of movement when you’re working out.
3. You Don’t Have A Good Support System
Having supportive friends and family can make all the difference on your weight loss journey. In addition to having people motivate you and cheer you on, a good support system will keep you accountable and help you stick to a healthy diet. That’s especially important if you’ve got naysayers around you.
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It sounds silly, but sometimes people do get fun of for trying to eat healthy or lose weight. Sometimes, the ridicule can come from your own family, especially in places where food is a big part of culture. If that’s the case, be clear that while they don’t have to change their eating habits, they can’t make fun of you for yours, or make fun of you for trying to make positive changes.
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Luckily, if finding support in real life is hard, there are lots of online communities that you can turn to. Flex and Flow is a popular one on Instagram and people have also said good things about Intuitive Eating Community and Health At Every Size. These online communities not only give you support but also take some of the focus off weight loss—the goal here is to be healthy, which can help if you’re struggling to look at weight loss as a long-term, stress-free goal.
4. You Put To Much Focus On Exercise
We should all know this by now, but if you’re exercising and still indulging in a poor diet, you’re not going to lose weight. Weight loss starts in the kitchen, with a healthy diet that can be supported by a good fitness regimen.
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The problem with relying on exercise alone is that a lot of people overestimate how many calories they lose during a workout. For example, a person who is 160 lbs is only going to lose about 300 to 500 calories in a one-hour workout, with the number of calories fluctuating based on the type of exercise they do. If that person doesn’t keep track of their diet, it’s easy to gain all those calories back.
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Putting too much emphasis on exercise can also create an unhealthy relationship with exercise. Some people get into cycles of working out too much, to make up for extra calories they think they shouldn’t have eaten while others feel like they have to earn their food only after burning calories with exercise.
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Pair your workouts with a diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains. If you stick to this combo, you can steadily lose weight in a healthy way and keep it off once you reach your weight loss goal.
5. You’re Stressed And Sleep-Deprived
When it comes to healthy weight sleep is your friend and stress is your enemy. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep contributes to making poor food choices, increased hunger, and a lack of physical activity and motivation to workout. All of that can get in the way of your weight loss journey—and stress is just as dangerous.
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Chronic stress can quickly sap any motivation to eat healthy or workout. If you’re feeling too drained or overworked, you’re more likely to skip a walk in favor of relaxing on the couch. And the moodiness from feeling stressed also makes use more likely to go for some comfort food, like the nearest drive-thru, rather than a healthy meal.
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To be successful in your weight loss journey, you’ve got to pair a healthy diet and exercise with sleep and stress management. Make time to alleviate stress with self care like meditation, walks, and aromatherapy. And more than just keeping you alert during the day, you need adequate sleep to help your muscles recover between workouts.
6. You Rely On Supplements
No one likes to hear it’ll take more than miracle weight loss pills and fat burning supplements to help shed those pounds. While some supplements like creatine and green tea extract can be beneficial, you’ve got to use them correctly if they’re going to make any difference in your weight loss journey.
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A daily protein shake in the morning is an example of a useful supplement, since it can help you feel fuller during the day and helps build muscle. But don’t overdo it with the shakes—most people shouldn’t have more than two daily protein shakes. Anything else can make you sick, and gets in the way of healthy, long-term weight loss. And while some weight-loss supplements are showing some evidence for their effectiveness, there’s only one tried and true way to lose weight and keep it off: eat less calories than you can burn.
