Here are my top 5 mistakes that people make when trying to lose weight…
1) Focusing On Calories
Calories are not created equally.
If you are the type of person who needs to count calories then know this;
It matters where you get your calories from.
500 calories of ice cream will have a totally different effect on your body compared to 500 calories of vegetables, chicken or cheese.
Calories can be useful if you are using them as a guide.
For example, a skinny person trying to gain weight can aim to eat a certain number which forces them to eat more then they would normally.
Or for someone who mindlessly overeats it can be useful to help them control their portions.
I’d much prefer to focus on the quality of the food rather than the calories they contain.
2) Only Doing Cardio
Many people still believe to this day that cardio is the best way to lose weight.
When they say weight, what they really want is to lose fat.
Cardio is not the best way to lose body fat.
Weight training is far superior followed by high intensity interval training and then in last place comes straight forward cardio.
Cardio is great as an overall addition to other forms of training and will help to maintain a healthy heart and circulatory system so it is still worth doing.
3) Not Considering Toxins
As you get older your body will have stored more and more toxins.
Many of these toxins can be incredibly difficult to remove from the body and often once they are in there they are not coming out.
Over time these stored toxins can interfere with many of your body’s processes and eventually they can start damaging your cells, metabolic pathways or even your DNA.
If you’re in your 50’s or older you should really be focusing on removing these toxins.
If you don’t you’ll have a much harder time losing weight.
4) Avoiding Fats
Fat is still the enemy to many peoples’ diets.
It has a bad rep because of its shared name with fat around the body.
Although it is the same word it really is a totally different substance.
Fats are essential for producing energy, making you feel fuller for longer and for providing the building blocks to your hormones, nerves and even your brain.
Without fats you may experience poor memory, hormone imbalances, a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease and many more.
5) Trying To Lose Too Much Too Soon
I totally get it.
You’ve left it too late and your holiday is just around the corner.
So you only have a few weeks to lose a few stone.
So you smash yourself in the gym and starve yourself of food.
Of course you’re going to lose weight.
Probably quite a lot too.
However, this will be mainly muscle and water weight and some fat weight too.
But as soon as you get on holiday and start drinking the booze as part of your all inclusive holiday and going back for seconds at the breakfast bar, you will pile the pounds back on and more.
Studies have shown that those who lose a large amount of weight on a rapid weight loss diet end up regaining their lost weight and more.
If you want to lose weight, do it properly.
Choose a healthy plan, follow it daily and stick with it… for at least 6 months.
Then you’ll start to see the hard work paying off!
Are you guilty of any of these mistakes?
If so, let me know in the comments section below.