In today’s day and age, we are fed results instantly in every aspect of life. Primary examples being through google, amazon, netflix, fast food places, and more. We are trained that we can pay for convenience and get almost anything done faster that way. Fortunately, our body isn’t connected to the internet and money means nothing to it. Here are the top 6 weight loss fails that I see everyday.
Weight Loss Fails #1. Short Term Mindset
The Type: I’m going to lose 30 pounds in 30 days.
The Problem: At best this person will do just that. Research shows that the faster you lose the weight, the higher your risk for gaining it all back.
The Solution: Easy. Long term goals. Aim to lose 1-2% of your body weight each week to stay on course for success.
Weight Loss Fails #2. Do It All Dieting
The Type: I’ll construct a perfect diet down to the right food choices, timing, macronutrient/micronutrient ratios and all the right supplements.
The Problem: You can not sustain this type of diet for long. These people tend to go back to the regular lifestyle that got them in that predicament to begin with. Of course there is the guy who can pull this off on the first try, but they are few and far between.
The Solution: Break dieting down into it’s most simple components and work each part into your lifestyle one by one.
For example,
Step 1: initially focus on calorie intake with the same foods your eatting already.
Step 2: add more protein into your diet.
Step 3: start swapping in healthier food options.
Step 4: Start dialing back the sugar
Step 5: If you’re already doing all of this comfortably you are without a doubt headed in the right direction. You’ve nailed the basics down. Stay tuned for some of the advanced stuff!
Or check out my app MacroBoxes: Personalized Dieting on iPhone/iPad
https://appsto.re/us/HgJLhb.i
Weight Loss Fails #3. Poor Rationalization Skills
The Type: “I ran 30 minutes today so that means I can eat more.”
The Problem: DO NOT under any circumstance start this rationale in your head. You are effectively canceling out your energy benefits by eating more. Yes, you will improve your appetite and increase your metabolism with working out, but use it to your benefit!
The Solution: From now on you eat to workout, you don’t workout to eat. When tracking with myfitnesspal, just use the diet tracking and not the exercise logs to avoid overeating.
Weight Loss Fails #4. Lack Intention
The Type: I’ll show up religiously to the gym, lift the same weights on the same machines and run on the same treadmill at the same pace.
The Problem: You need to create a need for your body to change its environment. These people feel they are putting in the quantity of work, but they aren’t concerned with the quality.
The Solution: Do more today than what you did yesterday. Simple, right? If you ran at 4.5 MPH at no incline for 30 minutes, then next week run at 5 MPH, add an incline, or add just 5 minutes. The same is true with lifting – up the weight or the reps at that weight. SET PERFORMANCE GOALS!
Weight Loss Fails #5. Lifting High Reps to “Tone”
The Type: If I lift heavy weights, then I’ll likely put on obscene amounts of muscle mass and look bulky. I’m talking to you women out there! This is a fallacy.
The Problem: These people are cheating themselves out of efficient gains. Being toned just means you carry around a good amount of muscle with a lower amount of fat.
The Solution: Lift heavy and challenge yourself. More muscle = more tone, every time. More muscle = More calories burned at rest! Good form is great, but you can’t expect to improve by lifting the same 15 pound dumbbells!
Weight Loss Fails #6. The One and Done Cheater
The Type: I started my diet 2 days ago and had a little piece of chocolate and now it’s ok to skip the diet this week and start again next week.
The Problem: A mindset like this will train your body to binge eat. These people aren’t concerned with making lifestyle changes they just want results.
The Solution: Start off slow and schedule cheat meals. Having just one or two scheduled cheat meals a week can make a diet much easier to tolerate. It’s a lot easier to say, “I have to wait until tomorrow” then to say, “I have to wait until the end of this diet.”
If you’re interested in the how and why diets work, then check out my comprehensive article here!
- Piecing Together Painful Psoriasis - January 20, 2022
- HOW TO: Actually Address LOW Testosterone - December 28, 2021
- How to Fix a Slow Metabolism - September 23, 2021