Maintaining control over your weight can be a real challenge, as there are various ways to gain a few pounds. You may be getting heavier due to an increase in muscle mass, water levels, or simply because you’ve gained fat.
It’s true that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight requires following a balanced diet and exercising. Do you feel like you’re doing everything right but can’t lose weight, or worse, end up gaining weight? It can be frustrating to gain weight without knowing why
Gaining weight doesn’t just mean you’re consuming more calories than you burn. Some of these things may be very obvious, yet others may be completely unknown to most people. Did you know that hormones and metabolism also play an important role? In fact, there are several factors that cause weight gain.
As summer approaches and temperatures rise, the amount of clothing worn starts to decrease. Many people are now betting on ”magical” diets, aiming to achieve the much-desired ‘summer body’.
Are you making any of the following mistakes?
- Weighing yourself daily – Your weight varies throughout the day. Choose to weigh yourself once a week, always at the same time and with the same scale.
- Eating as little as possible – Opting to eat practically nothing is not a healthy way to lose weight. In fact, it’s one of the biggest mistakes. Reduce the amount of food you eat, but mainly eat better quality food. By starving, you lose weight, but you also lose muscle mass, which has serious implications, so don’t stop eating.
- Exercising on an empty stomach – It can be dangerous to exercise with an empty stomach. This way, you may also burn fewer calories.
- Following a ‘rabbit diet’ – Salads and vegetables should be part of your diet, as they are great sources of vitamins and minerals, and contain few calories. However, your body needs more than salads to function properly.
- Choosing the wrong diet – Just because a specific diet worked for a friend or a celebrity doesn’t mean it’s ideal for you. Your diet should be personalized and take into account your lifestyle and food preferences.
Long list I know, stay tune…
- Unrealistic goals – Try not to get overly excited about setting unrealistic goals that are unlikely to be met. This way, you’ll feel frustrated and end up giving up on your plan.
- Telling others you’re dieting – Don’t tell other people you’re dieting. Some people tend to give their opinion and may influence your plan.
- Extreme restrictions – Eliminating certain food groups or being overly restrictive in your diet can cause anxiety states that may lead you to overeat.
- Keeping temptations at home – Don’t buy sweets and snacks if they are too tempting for you. Keep them away from your pantry.
- Excluding carbohydrates – Carbohydrates are essential in diets, as they provide energy to the brain and muscles in the form of glucose and give you the feeling of satiety.
- Going to bed hungry – If you go to bed hungry, you may be harming the quality of your sleep. This can cause anxiety and lead you to overeat when you wake up.
- Going to sleep right after eating – Try to eat at least 3 hours before sleeping, otherwise, it may harm your digestion and cause you to burn fewer calories.
- Breaking your diet on weekends – Your new healthy lifestyle is forever, not just temporary. Stay true to it every day. Try not to overindulge in alcoholic beverages on weekends, as this may affect your weight and goals.
- Sedentary lifestyle – The combination of a healthy diet and physical activity will help you control your ideal weight and increase your energy levels.
- Not consulting a professional – Don’t underestimate the help of a professional. They can help you find the most suitable diet and physical activity for you. Being accompanied and receiving extra motivation from someone can make all the difference when it comes to control your weight.
More tips to control your weight
- Long intervals between meals – Waiting too long between meals can deplete your body’s nutrients and make you feel unwell. This can also lead you to overeat at the next meal.
- Eating too quickly – It’s important to eat slowly and chew your food, as this gives enough time for your brain to realize you’re no longer hungry.
- Consuming diet products – This is a big mistake when it comes to weight loss. Sure, these foods have zero calories and are marked ‘diet’. They have chemical sweeteners that are even worse than common sugars.
- Not choosing whole foods – Opt for whole, unprocessed foods to get the most nutrients and less added sugar and fat.
- Letting your anxiety win – Anxiety can lead many people to eat emotionally. Take care of your emotional health so as not to use food as emotional compensation.
- Not rushing the process – Losing weight takes time, as results don’t appear overnight. Stay calm, patient, and confident.
- Looking for a quick result – There is no secret formula for losing weight. It takes effort, determination, patience, and dedication.
- Giving up – The most important thing is not to give up. Stay focused on the goal and the simple magic formula. Eat quality food and stay active. Sooner or later… You’ll become your best version!