Many people struggle with the best way to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. They go on fad diets, try fasting, and cut out this and that, but they never seem to get results. Does this sound familiar? If you’re looking to shred a few pounds, then you may have tried everything under the sun. However, the answer may not be what you are doing, but what you shouldn’t do. To show you what we mean, we’re going to talk about the 19 things you should never do when trying to lose weight.
There are many things you should not do, such as not eating certain foods. For instance, you shouldn’t consume a lot of sugary drinks. You also shouldn’t avoid adding fiber and protein to your diet. There are also certain expectations you shouldn’t put on yourself. You shouldn’t set lofty goals that you can never expect to reach. You also shouldn’t put too much thought into what the scale tells you. Yes, there seem to be a lot of rules, but it’s all worth it in the end if you give it all and don’t quit.
To determine the things to never do when trying to lose weight, 24/7 Tempo consulted many different health and weight loss websites, including Medical News Today, Everyday Health, Mayo Clinic, and more. We believe that we’ve compiled a list that will help you on your weight loss journey. The other secret to weight loss is making smart meal plans. When you’re ready, check out the healthy options on our list of must-try restaurants in every state.
Don’t Rely on Supplements
When you’re trying to lose weight, there is no miracle cure. To that end, you should not rely too heavily on supplements. There are many dietary supplements out on the market today, and they all make a lot of promises. However, most won’t do what they say, and they will not make up for exercise and healthy eating. If you’re trying to get more of a certain vitamin, eat a food that has that vitamin, and you’ll get that and more.
Don’t Rely Too Much on the Scale
When trying to lose weight, many of us put too much of our focus on the scale. If it’s not moving, we feel like our exercise isn’t getting us anywhere. However, that would be a mistake that can cause you to quit too early. Even if you’re shedding pounds, your weight could still fluctuate based on the food you eat. Also, what may look like weight gain may instead be water that you’ll sweat out later. It’s also possible that you’ve been gaining muscle instead of fat, and that can impact the scale as well and account for the larger number.
Don’t Skip Sleep
One of the weight loss secrets that most people don’t talk about is the importance of sleep. It’s okay to wake up early to exercise, but you should still get to sleep early enough so that you get seven to nine hours of shut-eye. Sleep provides many benefits. It helps you to recover from workouts, strengthens your immune system, and helps with cell regeneration so you can get those big muscles. Sleep also helps you to fight stress, which is important, because when many people are anxious, they tend to eat.
Don’t Exercise too Much
In order to lose weight, you need to eat right and exercise. If you just eat less without exercising, you’ll also lose muscle mass, and that’s not good. However, it’s essential that you don’t exercise too much. If you put too much pressure on yourself, you could stress yourself out while trying to hit unrealistic demands. Stress can negatively affect your hormones and lead to weight gain instead of loss. Many health experts say that 150 minutes of exercise per week is often enough to do the trick. Try to fit in some cardio and weight training.
Don’t Eat Dinner Too Late
Try to avoid eating dinner or snacks too soon before bedtime. If you tend to eat late, you’ll find that you have trouble falling asleep. That’s because your body is working to digest your food. The process can cause you to get less sleep, and you won’t get the full benefits that rest provides. Experts recommend that you don’t eat within two to four hours of going to sleep. You also shouldn’t drink coffee late at night, or you may have trouble drifting off.
Don’t Fail to Read Food Labels Carefully
The major food companies know that many people want to lose weight, and so they try to try to sell low-fat and diet foods. While these may appear to be low in calories, it’s essential that you read the labels. To make these treats taste better and get you hooked, many are loaded with sugar, which can offset your attempts to burn calories. Ideally, you want to consume less than 12 teaspoons of sugar per day. Many of these low-fat products can also make you feel hungrier, so you eat more of them, which defeats the purpose.
Don’t Do The Same Exercises Every Day
Once you get into a routine of exercising throughout the week, try to mix up your workouts. One reason to do so is that you will keep yourself from getting bored. Do the same workout every day, and you may grow tired of it and stop exercising entirely. The other reason is that you need to switch it up so you can get stronger. By shocking the muscles with a different workout, you’ll improve your metabolic rate and see results sooner. Try to incorporate a new workout every 2-3 weeks.
Don’t Skip the Fiber
An element you should be sure to include when trying to lose weight is fiber. Specifically, viscous fiber helps you to stay full longer by forming a gel that helps your body retain water. This gel makes its way down your digestive tract, which gives you the feeling of fullness. It’s also believed that fiber interacts with your gut microbes to help you feel full. To top it all, fiber can also reduce your risk of chronic medical conditions. Make sure to include it.
Don’t Eat All the Time
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important. The more you eat, the more weight you’re likely to gain. With that said, for many years, there’s been a belief that you should eat something every few hours to prevent a drop in metabolism. That’s not entirely true, and you will get more calories than you need. Instead, eating the traditional two to three meals a day and the occasional snack is the way to go. You also don’t need to eat a filling breakfast every day unless you’re hungry. Eating when you’re actually hungry is the answer.
Don’t Skip the Weights
If you believe that lifting weights is only good for people who want to build big muscles, that would be a misconception. While that’s part of it, resistance training with weights has been found to increase your metabolic rate, which can lead to weight loss. It’s also a good way to decrease your belly fat. A workout should include a combination of weights and cardio for ultimate results.
Don’t Set Unrealistic Expectation
Be careful not to set lofty goals or you’re destined to let yourself down. Many of us want to lose 10, 20, 50 pounds or more, but you can’t expect it to happen overnight. If you set big goals and don’t reach them, you may give up, and that’s no good. Instead, set smaller, short-term goals, like losing a pound per week, and see how it goes. If you set small goals and reach them, you’re more likely to be motivated to continue setting goals until you reach your desired weight.
Don’t Forget to Track Your Food
If you’re trying to lose more than a pound, you need to keep track of what you eat and what’s in the food you consume. When you keep a food diary, you can keep track of exactly how many calories you’re consuming, so you can make the proper adjustments over time. Many studies have shown that people who track their food are more likely to lose weight than people who don’t. There are also many apps and trackers online, so it’s easier to do than ever before.
Don’t Drink Sugary Beverages
If you need to drink anything, try to drink water. If you want to drink anything else, drink it in moderation. Soft drinks have too many calories. You might think fruit juice is the answer. However, even if you drink 100% fruit juice, you may not realize that it’s often loaded with sugar. Too much sugar will not help you to lose weight. What’s worse, consuming a lot of sugar can also lead to health problems down the road. Plus, many sugary drinks don’t make you feel full, so you’re more likely to drink more of them.
Don’t Do It Alone
Weight loss is a hard journey, so don’t try to do it alone. The chances are good that you have friends or family members who also want to lose weight, so get them in on the act. By joining forces with others, you have a better chance of exercising and eating the right foods. You can hold each other accountable, and that’s essential. Make a pact that if you are ever tempted to eat badly, you can call each other.
Don’t Eat While Watching TV
Many people do their snacking in front of the TV, but there are many reasons why this is a mistake. For one, the snacks you’re eating are probably not very healthy. On top of that, studies have shown that when your mind is distracted, your brain can get confused, and it may be less likely to warn you that you’re full and that you should stop eating. So, you just keep eating, even if you’re not that hungry. That’s one of the worst things to do if you’re trying to lose weight.
Don’t Forget to Plan Out Your Lunches
If you work at an office and you only have a 30-minute lunch, you’re likely to be in a rush when it comes time to eat. That’s a mistake. People who are crunched for time will often go to get fast food to fill their cravings. To fight this possibility, plan your lunches at the beginning of the week and buy what you need at the grocery store. That way, you can read the labels and ensure that you’re getting healthy options, and you can stay on your weight loss plan.
Don’t Rely Strictly on Exercise
In order to successfully lose weight, you must combine exercise with healthy eating. Many people think that they only need to exercise, and that’s because they believe that their workout routine is burning more calories than it really is. You need to pair your exercise with a proper diet. Even if you run as fast as you can or ride your bike with absolute gusto for an hour, you may still only burn about 500 calories. If you still eat pizza or a bag of chips after that, you could erase all of that progress. That’s why tracking your food intake is so important.
Don’t Forget to Drink Enough Water
You’ve probably heard the advice in the past that when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually just thirsty, and water is the solution. To stop cravings and avoid eating more, bring a water bottle with you wherever you go. It’s one of the easiest ways to lose weight and be healthier overall.
Don’t Skip the Protein
When trying to lose weight, you need to add protein to your diet. Among the many perks, protein helps to reduce your appetite and increases your feelings of fullness and your metabolic rate, among other perks. Basically, it’s the secret weapon for weight loss. In fact, you should include protein in every meal you have, whether you’re trying to lose weight or not. Protein can include beans, legumes, flaxseeds, dairy, and meat. When it comes to meat, be careful about what you consume. For extra guidance, check out this list of the meats you should never eat well-done.