5 Weight Loss Mistakes

I think that any of us have ever had the urge to lose weight. And here we make the most common weight loss mistakes. The reason for this, as a rule, are some special events – celebrations, vacations, New Year’s Eve or corporate parties, where you need to get into your favorite dress. And no matter how ridiculous it may sound, all of us in one way or another leave an average of 1 month to lose weight. Sound familiar?

Most Common Weight Loss Mistakes

It often turns out that losing weight becomes a race to chase the numbers on the scale. It is very exhausting and your motivation quickly disappears. I propose not to wait for a special event, and start getting in shape now, eliminating the mistakes discussed in this post and getting stable results for a long time.

Mistake #1. Drastic Reduction Of Calories

80% of all people make this most common mistake. Having heard or read about the fact that the fat-burning process is triggered by a calorie deficit, many people go on a literal hunger strike, allowing themselves only low-fat or very low-calorie foods.

In the beginning, the numbers on the scale will actually start to strive downward. But, alas, soon the process of weight loss will stop, and there is no point in waiting for any result. 

Let’s understand why this happens? The answer to this question lies in the concept of Basal Metabolic Rate.

On average, healthy person needs 1500 calories just for body functions! Of course, this figure depends on sex, age, physical activity, gender, nervous system, and even ambient temperature – if the temperature is very low or very high, the body has to work harder to maintain a normal body temperature, which increases BMR.

If you are interested in knowing your BMR, you can calculate your BMR using online calculators or by yourself using formulas:

For men
BMR (kcal/day) = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (full years) + 5

For women
BMR (kcal/day) = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height t (cm) – 5 x age (full years) – 161

Now imagine what happens to your body when suddenly the beloved figure of 1200 calories appears on its horizon. In simple words, the body experiences a shock, because it does not have enough calories to provide for itself.

The body starts to slow down all its processes in order to accumulate this energy. At this point, you start to see your weight decrease. But along with your weight, your metabolism starts to decrease.

With drastic weight loss and extreme calorie deficit, the following processes are triggered in the body:

The nervous system suffers. Lack of important substances in severe diets can lead to a violation of the production of hormones responsible for psychological stability – dopamine, oxytocin and leptin. Slimmers complain of unstable mood, depressive disorders and anxiety.

Immunity decreases. During strict diets, the body does not receive enough of the necessary nutrients, which leads to a decrease in the body’s resistance to pathogenic viruses and bacteria.

Appearance. Due to the deficiency of essential substances, the skin begins to suffer, which becomes flabby and dry; hair and nails become brittle.

Conclusion

Strict diets will help you lose excess weight, but this result will stay with you for a short time. As soon as you remove all food restrictions, the weight will return again, and quite possibly with additional kilograms in addition.

Mistake #2. Belief In Diet Foods.

i. Sugar substitutes and sweeteners

As we begin to lose weight, we all start to reduce or eliminate sugar from our diet. But very often during the transition to a healthy diet or on a diet, we want something sweet. The store shelves are full of “Product Zero” labels, bars, chocolates, candies and other sugar-free sweets.

Most often these products contain sugar substitutes, which make diet products sweet. It is very important to understand that not all artificial sweeteners are safe for health. If you are serious about eating right, it is better to know the types of sugar substitutes and be able to recognize them on labels. You can read more information about sweeteners HERE.

Although dietary products contain a safe sweetener or sweetener substitute, they should not be consumed thoughtlessly and in large quantities. Massachusetts General Hospital warns:

“…Artificial sweeteners do not enter the blood stream and do not raise blood sugar directly. Instead, they stay in the digestive tract until they pass in the stool. Additionally, some studies have found artificial sweeteners, particularly sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin, can alter the microbiome, the healthy bacteria that live in your gut. These microbiome changes can disrupt how cells recognize insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels when normal carbohydrate-containing foods are consumed.”  

“…Other studies have shown these artificial sweeteners may change our appetites and response to the taste of sweetness. Since artificial sweeteners can be 100 to 700 times sweeter than regular sugar, when our taste buds register that level of sweetness, a signal is sent to our brain that a large influx of calories is coming. But because artificial sweeteners contain few or no calories, our brain and taste receptors remain confused. This may cause stronger sugar cravings to develop.”

Conclusion

If you choose to give up sugar during weight loss, you should also give up products that despite the inscription “Sugar Free” still have a sweet taste.

Dairy products with a minimum fat percentage.
Often under the guise of diet cheese, or as manufacturers may indicate on the labels of “light” cheese, is a product made from cheese.

This is not natural cheese because instead of milk fat, vegetable fats – such as palm or coconut fats – are added. Firstly, these fats help to reduce fat content, and secondly, they are much cheaper than milk fat. Producers are in a win-win situation – a low-fat, low-cost product.

If you feel like cheese, eat your favorite cheese with the usual calorie content of cheeses. Remember that the % fat content listed on the label is the fat content of the dry ingredients, and you are getting a finished product. Therefore, your cheese will not contain all of the % fat percentage that is listed on the package.

Most importantly, by choosing natural cheese, you are not benefiting your health.
Products with 0% or minimal % of fat content are empty calories. Calories are there in any case, but there are no health benefits.

Mistake #3. Unregulated Daily Regimen.

Chaotic daily routines and meals can be an obstacle to a healthy body and the weight loss process.
Our body lives by the clock. In science, this is called circadian rhythms. You can read more about circadian rhythms HERE. Our hormones and organs work according to these rhythms.
Have you ever wondered why it is recommended to avoid fatty foods for dinner? The fact is that after 19:00, according to circadian rhythms, the pancreas will not be able to fully cope with the digestion of fats.

Fruits and sweet foods are recommended in the first half of the day, so that glucose has time to be transformed into energy, not fat stores.

Another prime example of circadian rhythms relates to breakfast. You have probably heard that doctors and nutritionists do not recommend skipping breakfast, and moreover advise to take the first meal between 6:00 and 10:00 am. At this time, the body starts the activity of all processes for the coming day.

For the efficient operation of all systems, a timely and optimal supply of energy is necessary, and if it is not there, the balance in the body will be disturbed. Thus, by evening, metabolic processes slow down, and everything that is eaten in excess will be stored in reserve. Skipping the morning hours for the first meal, you will probably start to overdo it in the evening.

Being an owl is also not a good decision when you want to lose weight. Our bodies have several hormones that work at night, and in order for them to work well, you have to go to bed on time. These hormones work at certain times of the day:

  • Melatonin is a sleep hormone. Its peak production is between 22:00 and 2:00. This is the time when you should sleep in a dark and well-ventilated room. It has antioxidant properties and is responsible for fat burning and hormonal background. In addition, melatonin has an anti-stress orientation, which is also important in weight loss.
  • Somatotropic hormone – growth hormone. Peak production from 12:00 to 1:00. It regulates carbohydrate metabolism, helps to reduce the deposition of subcutaneous fat, increases the ratio of muscle to fat mass.
  • Leptin is a satiety hormone. Leptin is responsible for fat burning, metabolism and energy expenditure. It is actively involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and body weight. With sleep deficiency, leptin production drops by 20%, and the less leptin, the greater the feeling of hunger.

Conclusion

Late bedtimes, late risings, and sleep deprivation lead to a disruption of hormones, whose smooth functioning helps your body burn fat and regulate metabolism.

Mistake #4. Losing weight without physical activity

Often people neglect physical activity. Instead of fitness and sports, many begin to further reduce the calories consumed per day.

When the weight loss process begins, the first thing that burns our muscles and removes water from the body, not fat, as many people believe. It is only when all energy depots are depleted that the body begins to burn fat.

Muscle tissue is the most active in metabolic processes. To put it simply, having muscles during weight loss is very advantageous – because our body needs much more energy for muscle maintenance than for fat maintenance.

In addition, when you lose weight without exercise, your body becomes visually unattractive.

You have probably heard of the “Skinny Fat” figure. Most often the owners of such figures have an uneven distribution of fat, which makes the body of such skinny girls far from attractive – sagging tissues above the knees, in the area of arms and abdomen, sagging buttocks.

With a very low % of fat and muscle content, organs also suffer, because muscles are their framework.

The perfect balance for a beautiful body is strength training with cardio training. Undoubtedly, cardio exercises help keep you healthy and slim. But excessive amounts of them prevent you from gaining muscle mass and strength.

Be sure to include weight training for a beautiful and trim body. They are also a great solution for fighting cellulite.

Mistake #5: Intuitive Eating

The Intuitive Eating Method was developed in the early 90’s by two nutritionists, and it was designed for people with eating disorders. The aim of this system was to teach these people to recognize the body and body signals, to love their body, and to give it everything it requires without torturing themselves with different diets.

Research was conducted, the system proved to be effective and aroused great interest in the public all over the world.

But also there was a substitution of two concepts – intuitive eating and overeating. Intuitive eating is a way of life, when a person should listen to his body and not divide food into bad and good. It turns out, wanting to eat fast food, you objectively realize that it is bad food, but your body wants it and acting on the rules of intuitive eating, you will eat it. Therein lies the trap of this system. Let’s look at further reasons why.

Intuitive eating is a working scheme, but still it can turn into chaotic if a person has a low level of motivation, high emotionality, stressful situations in life – work, studies, personal relationships.

If you really want to try this system, it is better at first to do it together with nutrition specialists – nutritionists, nutritionists – who will explain the positive and negative effects of certain foods.

Self-use of this system at the initial stage of weight loss is not the best option.

The first and most important reason is the possible lack of deficiencies that can lead you down the wrong path. The simplest example: magnesium deficiency, which may encourage you to eat sweets. This would not be intuitive eating, but a consequence of the deficiency.

Conclusion

In the beginning of weight loss, you will still have to control your calorie intake and limit yourself in some way.

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