Let’s imagine this hypothetical scenario.
You’ve just started a diet in an attempt to losing weight, but after two weeks, you are not seeing any results and for no apparent reason; even though you have started exercising.
You’ve started wondering what it might be that you are doing wrong. You’ve been limiting yourself from certain foods and want to see some progress. Now you feel desperate and want to quit.
Before that, you want to make a final check on the internet and find an answer to your “failure.”
Lucky you, we might have it for you.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes that you might be making that prevent you from losing weight:
Overeating
The most common reason for the scale to stay at the same place or even go up might be that you are overeating.
“But I’ve been on a diet the last two weeks; that’s impossible.” This is a common trap that new beginners fall for. Even though you started eating “healthier,” it doesn’t mean that you will lose weight. The primary condition to lose weight is to be in a caloric deficit.
This means that you have to burn MORE calories than you consume.
Sure, you may have started making healthier food choices, but are you sure you are eating the right amount?
If the answer is no, you might be consuming more calories than you burn, which means you are NOT GOING TO LOSE WEIGHT.
Drinking too much Alcohol
Alcohol is not only famous for its distinctive taste and scent. Alcohol has hidden calories, which are quite a lot, and EMPTY!
You’ve read that right. One gram of ethanol has seven calories.
Now, if you do the equation, if you drink two beers for the night, that’s around 450 calories extra for the day.
Four hundred fifty calories, out of which ZERO go towards constructive processes like the calories you get from other foods.
Need we say more?
High Stress
Being overburdened by work, chores, meeting deadlines has a price.
When your cortisol levels rise, you might experience difficulties doing specific tasks such as focusing.
What do you think happens with your body when it’s under an enormous amount of stress?
Even if you are training and following a proper diet, your performance will suffer if you have a high amount of stress.
You won’t lose any weight, and you may experience other problems such as headaches, tiredness, lack of concentration, muscle cramps.
Most importantly, stress may lead to emotional eating, which gets you even further from your weight loss goals.
Fix your mind before you take care of your body!
Decreased Physical Activity
Not enough physical activity can slow down the process of losing weight.
In fact, it might even stop the whole process.
Even if you are already hitting the gym a couple of times a week, your physical activity might still not be sufficient for your goals.
If you are the type of person that goes by car to the office, then to the gym, and comes back home, then guess what, you lack physical activity!
When was the last time you checked how many steps have you made during the day?
If you are not close to 8-10k steps per day, you have something to work on!
Some valuable tips for making more steps:
- Park your vehicle as far from the supermarket entrance as possible
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator
- Take a quick 10-minute walk after a meal
- Walk to the office if possible
- Implement some cardio in your program
Not Giving Your Program Enough Time
Sometimes, getting obsessed with the scale might have the opposite effect.
It’s an excellent thing to scale yourself every day; however, some people feel bad if they see the scale has gone up.
Weight loss fluctuates daily. Most of the time, that’s related to water retention. So, for example, that can happen if you’ve consumed more salt or carbs on the previous day.
However, after seeing that, you may panic, and the chance you start binging on food because “everything is lost” is high.
Give yourself time, and follow your coach’s plan for you.
You will only see the benefit if you are dedicated enough.
Don’t give up that easily, and don’t let a scale scare you from achieving your goals.
The takeaway message for weight loss
- The most important factor for losing weight is being in a caloric deficit with your diet. I say all the time that a calorie is not a calorie – but for weight loss or muscle gain, this is the baseline, from there working on which foods you eat will make everything “easier”.
- Being put under pressure raises our stress levels, which may slow down the process of losing weight. Find ways to control your stress. Of course, exercise makes a significant difference, but scheduling time for de-stressing is extremely helpful.
- Being physically active (outside of your workouts) is vital for maintaining overall health and losing weight.
- Be patient, find something sustainable that feels seamless, and the results won’t be late!
- Don’t create mental resistance on your way to better body composition.
