7 Errors people often make when on a weight loss routine

The desire to give off those extra pounds of body weight often sees people engaging in different activities - to burn calories. In some cases, the effort normally pays off, but some persons may not be so fortunate at accomplishing their desired weight loss goal. It could even be worrisome when you know that you are not having any underlying medical condition that could be stopping you from losing weight. It may, however, be that there is something wrong with how you are going about your weight loss routine. So, in this article, we have elected to discuss some of the errors that people often make during - or before - their weight loss programs.

Unrealistic weight loss expectations

This is one of the most common reasons people get frustrated with observing weight loss routines. It's quite commendable that you are starting your weight loss program, but you should be mindful not to set unrealistic expectations from the get-go. For instance, an obese person aiming to lose between 10 - 15% of body weight in one or two months will only be attempting to take things above board. Such a weight loss rate is hardly achievable. Let's even assume the person eventually pushes himself/herself to get the weight off in that timeframe, the chances of sustaining the outcome are usually slim. These unrealistic expectations could truncate the entire weight-loss process or make an individual disinterested in the long run. Therefore, you should consider sticking to a weight-loss rate of 1 - 2 pounds per week as recommended by the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).

Not being mindfully engaged

It is not unusual to see folks hoping to lose some considerable body weight being mindlessly engaged in the program. They just don’t seem to take the routine seriously enough, and this makes it easy for them to be conscious of the greater goal. While you do not really have to be hard on yourself, you must take certain things close to heart as you go about your weight loss program. By this, you will be able to better monitor your progress and take note of the point where you are at a plateau – in which case you may have to review your exercise routine. Whether it’s about your dietary intake or the exercise routine you’re doing, maintaining mindfulness will go a long way to ensure a satisfactory weight loss outcome – one that may even last for long.

Overly fixated on either diet or exercise alone

Again, there are instances where individuals attempting to lose weight fix their attention on dietary interventions or exercise routine alone – this is a huge error. If anything at all; both dietary interventions and exercise routines should be done together in a complementary fashion. You should embrace one and consider the other unnecessary. To paint a scenario; let's assume you’re more about exercises and care less about what you consume, you will end up adding back the number of calories – or even more – you might have burned during exercises in no time. Always remember that you need to burn more calories than you’re consuming to shed off some extra body weight and maintain a healthy BMI. And, if you are following a particular weight-loss diet while leaving out exercises, the tendency to take to a sedentary lifestyle becomes higher, and weight gain may not be far off.

Skipping meals

“If the consumption of more calories will increase the chances of gaining weight, why not let go of your meal then?” This may sound logical at first, and most persons have embraced it without batting an eye. But the truth is that this is not always [or necessarily] the best route to take as it could cause to subscribe to snacking in a way that is not regulated. In other words, you may eventually consume more calories than needed as you snack. So, you should learn to always have a healthy meal – for breakfast, dinner, and lunch. Similarly, people are also fond of going with the extreme restriction on meals; this is in relation to portion size. As a result of this, they may predispose themselves to deprivation of essential nutrients that would have helped in achieving a better weight-loss outcome.

Overeating

Overeating is yet on the other side of the food consumption extreme, and most persons are caught in this trap as they tilt towards over-compensating for their weight-loss observances. For instance, an individual who had burned a substantial number of calories during his/her exercise routine may feel the need to eat more at some point. This sort of uncontrolled food intake may ultimately lead to weight gain, and before you know it; the profit of the exercises will be all gone in a moment. This is yet another reason you have got to exercise an appreciable degree of mindfulness while doing your weight loss routines.

Consumption of drinks with added sugar

Guzzling some refreshing cold drinks with added sugar after a workout can be tempting sometimes, and many persons have fallen into this (temptation). But it can bring about significant weight gain so, it is crucial that you take note and try to put your craving for such drinks in check. You should go for water instead of those drinks with added sugar.

No rest days

The push or urge to hit the mark as you strive to reach your weight-loss goal can see you spending more time at the gym or doing workouts – without having enough rest. This should not, however, be the case as you will end up stressing yourself and may not even have enough time for your body system to recover from the exercise routine. All these could see you gaining weight thus making your weight loss routine of little or no impact in the long run.

Final word

These errors have been discussed to give you an inkling of what may be attainable during a weight loss program. And, as anyone can find himself or herself making these mistakes, it is expedient that you take note of them before starting your weight loss program and guard against them appropriately. I hope you hit the right chord and have a successful shedding of those extra body weight.

References

Lesser, L.I., et al. (2015). Nutrition myths and healthy dietary advice in clinical practice. Am Fam Physician 91(9):634-638.

Dixon, J.B., et al. (2014). Fat-free mass loss generated with weight loss in overweight and obese adults: what may we expect? Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism 17(1): 91-93.

Brown, R.B., et al. (2016). Calorie estimation in adults differing in body weight class and weight loss status. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 48(3): 521–526.

Benoit Pétré, B., et al. (2018). Weight loss expectations and determinants in a large community-based sample. Preventive Medicine Reports 12, Pp. 12-19.

Almiron-Roig, E., et al.  (2013). Factors that determine energy compensation: A systematic review of preload studies. Nutrition Reviews 71(7): 458–473.