Eliminate carbohydrates? A low-protein diet? Detox plans? Have you put in practice the most varied diets and still fail to lose weight? Do not be discouraged because it is not the only case. Often, the reason for the failure of a diet lies in errors that prevent a (healthy) weight loss. Meet the ten most common.
1. Not being prepared to change your lifestyle
The ambition to go on a diet, lose weight and return to the previous lifestyle is a big mistake. To be able to lose weight in a healthy way and maintain the weight you have reached, you need to be motivated and aware that you will need to have (and maintain, in the long term) a controlled diet and combine it with regular physical exercise. If you don’t have time to go to the gym, try to walk 30 minutes every day, use the stairs instead of the elevator, park the car farther than usual or get off at the stop before “yours”.
2. Having unrealistic goals
Wanting to lose a lot of weight in a short time is not realistic – nor healthy. The ideal is to aim to lose between half a kilo to one kilo per week, since weight loss should be gradual. To do this, you will have to reduce the calories you eat daily. Select a diet that suits your personality and, where possible, lifestyle. It shouldn’t be a sacrifice.
3. Try to eliminate calories by skipping meals
Skipping meals does not lead to weight gain. Science shows that people who do not eat breakfast weigh more than those who do not miss this meal. Skipping breakfast or another meal causes you to overeat at the next meal and your appetite for sweets or other caloric foods to increase.
Remember that you should not take more than three hours between meals and that you should eat before you are hungry.
4. Exclude complex proteins and carbohydrates
It is true that vegetables, fruit and whole grains must be present in all meals, as they are nutritious, rich in fiber (satiating) and, in general, low in calories. However, you should not eliminate proteins (present in fish, meat, tofu, eggs, seitan) to maintain lean muscle mass. Nor should you exclude complex carbohydrates (which exist in legumes, pasta, among other foods), which are essential for having and maintaining energy.
5. Eat salads, but don’t give up sauces
From the moment you decided that you were going to lose weight, olive oil should become your “salad companion”. You should also use it to cook food. But do not overdo the amount you use – although it is a healthy fat and contributes to lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), olive oil has calories.
6. Forgetting that drinks also “weigh”
Having a healthy, low-calorie diet does not just mean being careful about what you eat, but also what you drink. Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages increase the caloric intake per meal.
7. Stop exercising as soon as you lose weight
Although you can lose weight without exercising, being physically active will help you eliminate excess calories that you cannot suppress through your diet. Scientific studies show that people who manage to maintain the weight they have achieved regularly exercise. On the other hand, physical activity helps to relieve stress (which is very useful for those on a diet) and increases the resistance capacity, among many other benefits.
8. Giving up after a relapse
If during the weekend you didn’t resist and broke all (or almost all) of the “rules”, don’t give up on your goal and be persistent. Start your diet again.
9. Weigh yourself too often (this note is addressed to women)
Due to hormonal fluctuations, fluid retention can add a few grams to the balance at the time of menstruation – grams that then disappear. Therefore, checking daily if you have lost weight can be counterproductive and even lead to giving up on the diet because you think it is not working. Thus, you should weigh yourself only once a week, preferably upon waking up.
10. Don’t ask for help
If you feel that alone you are unable to introduce and maintain the necessary changes to weight loss, turn to a nutritionist / dietitian, who will help you to draw up an individualized plan according to your goals.
