15 attitudes that sabotage weight loss
So you want to lose weight? And you’ve read all you can on the different diets and ways to lose weight.
But the truth is it is easy to get stuck in the circle of losing weight and gaining it all back over and over, simply because of the habits that could be sabotaging your weight loss that no one seems to take into consideration.
This post will show you a few habits that may be sabotaging your weight loss goals.
Hopefully, these will help you lose weight and keep it off for good.
So let us jump right in.
Habits That Sabotage Weightloss
1. “Just go hard on yourself for a few months.”
I remember when I first tried to drop a few pounds in time for my birthday.
I used this approach of simply going hard on myself for a few months.
Admittedly, the weight came off, but you know what?
I added everything and more right back.
It was super frustrating.
The truth this is the approach a lot of us take, but honestly, you’ll just end up with the same circle of losing and adding weight over and over again until you eventually give up.
Even if you lose some weight, you will, without a doubt, regain the weight as soon as your old pattern is restored.
2. Not Having A plan
Eating behavior expert Brian Wansink often asks clients and research volunteers how many food decisions they think they make each day.
“They respond between 20 and 25.
But, in fact, they do around 200, most of them unconsciously”,
When making a plan, take time to pick the choices that will make your plan successful. For example: if you want to have fruit at home, you need to find time to go to the store and have lots of fruits at home.
The truth is failing to plan means planning to fail.
3. Unrealistic promises
“In the fight against obesity, motivation is essential,”
To keep motivation high, the best thing to do is look for targets that can be reached without much deprivation.
How to set goals
It is important that goals are…
… Specific: Instead of “eating better,” how about “frying”?
… Measurable: You can determine that you will eat a maximum of one serving of chips per week.
… Achievable; Can I stand to eat just one serving? Perhaps two servings will be more doable.
… Relevant: Is it fried food you want to let go of first? Follow your priorities.
… Surpassable: The focus here is to keep moving even if there are small steps. Set goals that keep you moving in the right direction no matter how little
4. Not Meal Planning
Leaving to buy vegetables only “when there is time” culminates in a pantry full of cookies and instant noodles.
Our daily schedule is full of tasks, but two verbs help find weight loss space: prioritize and organize.
Think of meal planning and exercising as important tasks that you need to make time for and fit into your routine.
These are things you can choose to prioritize instead of scrolling aimlessly on social media for hours.
5. Empty kitchen
Put simply, “If the refrigerator is deserted, people order pizza or sandwiches, even when they only want a snack,”
Just like meal planning, what this means is to fill your home with healthy foods, and you will only reach for healthy foods when you need something to eat.
Of course, with treats in moderation.
A good trick is to stock the vegetables on the most visible shelves and store the sweets in the bottom of a drawer.
It is amazing how the eyes define our behaviors.
6. Eating with friends
Let’s get to the facts: according to a study by Cornell University, men fill their bellies (30% more, to be exact) when they eat in groups.
In essence, this says that we tend to eat more when out with friends.
This doesn’t mean you should avoid social gatherings when trying to lose weight.
All you need to do is be more conscious of what you have on your plate when you dine with friends and fill your plate with more vegetables.
7. Platters on the table
Never underestimate what a few feet away from the food source does to your waist.
We all love a good buffet, but I will stay away from those if I was trying to lose weight.
This is one of the easiest ways to ruin your weight loss goals.
8. You dont have to finish every bite on your plate
Somehow we all feel like we have to finish every bit of food on our plates, irrespective of how full we are.
This is a habit that can easily sabotage weight-loss goals.
The best thing to do is to learn to listen to your body, know when to stop eating, or even better, reduce your food portions this way, even if you have to finish everything on your plate, you will not be overeating.
9. Avoiding Foods You Love
The honest truth is, you can only stay away from foods you love for so long.
And when you do eat it after depriving yourself, you end up eating more than you need to.
The best way to go about it is to eat foods you love in moderation.
You could also enjoy your favorite ice cream as a treat, especially when you achieve a weight-loss milestone.
10. Eating while distracted
Studies show that having a meal or a snack while watching tv or distracted usually leads to eating more than you need to.
“Distraction makes us feel less full,”
Plan your meals and take the time to savor every bite.
11. Eating when stressed
Tension and anxiety are often mistaken for hunger by the brain.
Combine that with the fact that irritation undermines self-control.
You are more likely to empty an icecream jar when stressed out.
When stress strikes, hold on to the initial urge to open the freezer. Try as much as you can to look for other avenues to distress that are not related to food.
For example, walk your dog, read a book, meditate, play a sport …
12. Using the scale
This is a common habit that easily derails weight loss.
Being fixated on the number on the scale can be bad for your weight loss journey.
The thing is, not seeing the change you expect every week can easily demotivate you, but the thing is, the scale is not the only measure for weight loss.
The scale does not account for fat loss, loss in inches, and muscle growth.
The solution? Measure progress with a tape measure or how your clothes fit.
13. Head in the clouds
When you get to the lunch or dinner table, forget about your problems – and your cell phone notifications.
Focus on your food. Is the food hot? Too salty? What’s your smell? are you full? should you keep eating?
When looking at these and other factors, you notice when to stop eating and learn to enjoy your food.
14. Shopping Hungry
Let’s go back to Cornell University.
Researchers evaluated 68 volunteers in the market, half of whom had pinched a cereal bar before taking the cart, while the other chewed nothing.
At the time of checkout, the number of items between classes was similar.
The difference was in quality: fasting personnel purchased 45% more fattening products.
15. Focus on a diet or exercise only
The misconception that only diet or only exercise is needed for weightloss can easily;y sabotage your weight loss goals.
The best and sustainable combination for weight loss is incorporating both healthy eating and exercise.
And honestly, exercise doesn’t have to be only going to the gym.
Simply incorporating some kind of movement regularly can help with your weight loss goals.
In a nutshell,
Taking these habits into consideration when on your weight loss journey will help you lose weight and have lasting results.
Understand that, over time, changes in your routine will occur and may get you off track for a while; when that happens, don’t throw everything away and give up, simple get back on track, and you’ll be ok.