Common Mistakes When Trying to Lose Weight​

Losing weight can be challenging for some people.
Sometimes you might feel like you’re making healthy lifestyle choices, yet you’re still not getting the results you want. 
You may, in fact, be following misguided or outdated advice. 
This may prevent you from seeing the changes you’re looking for.
Here are some common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight

Focusing only on the scale
It can be common to feel like you're not losing weight fast enough. 
The number on the scale is only one measure of weight change. 
If you've been working out, you may be gaining muscle and losing fat. 
When this happens, your clothes may start to feel looser around the waist — even if the number on the scale remains the same. 

Eating too many or too few calories
A calorie deficit is required for weight loss. 
This means you need to burn more calories than you consume. 
Consuming too many calories can keep you from losing weight. 
On the other hand, too few calories can make you hungry and reduce your metabolism and muscle mass. 

Not exercising or exercising too much
If you don’t exercise at all while restricting calories, you’re likely to lose more muscle mass and experience a decrease in metabolic rate.
Exercising may help minimize the amount of lean mass you lose, increase fat loss and prevent metabolism from slowing down. 
The leaner mass you have, the easier it is to lose weight and maintain the weight loss. 
Too much exercise is neither healthy nor effective and can lead to severe stress.

Not lifting weights
Performing resistance training can greatly promote weight loss. 
Studies show lifting weights is one of the most effective exercise strategies for gaining muscle and increasing metabolic rate. 
It also improves strength and physical function and may help increase belly fat loss. 
Reference

Choosing low fat or "diet foods"
Processed low fat or "diet" foods are often considered as healthy choices are actually loaded with sugar to improve their taste.
For instance, a 170g container of low-fat flavored yogurt can contains 23.5 grams of sugar. 
Instead, choose a combination of nutritious, minimally processed foods. When possible, choose fruits and vegetables - especially high-fiber, low-sugar options.

Not eating enough protein
Getting enough protein is important if you're trying to lose weight. 
A review also found that higher protein diets, containing 1.2- 1.6g protein per kg body weight, may benefit appetite control and change body composition. 
To help with weight loss, try to make sure each of your meals contains a high protein food. 
Reference

Overestimating how many calories you burn during exercise
Exercise increases metabolic rate somewhat; it may be less than you think. 
People with moderate weight and overweight tend to overestimate the number of calories they burn during exercise. 
Exercise is still crucial for overall health and can help you lose weight. 
It's good to understand how much exercise you're getting and the amount of calories it burns.

Not eating enough fibers
A low fiber diet may be hurting your weight loss efforts, along with your overall health. 
Studies show a type of soluble fiber known as viscous fiber helps reduce appetite by forming a gel that holds water. 
This gel moves slowly through your digestive tract, making you feel full. 
Research indicates that fiber may also interact with gut microbes, producing hormones that help you feel full. 
Reference

Eating too much fat on a low carb diet
Ketogenic and low carb diets can be very effective for weight loss for some individuals. 
Studies show they tend to reduce appetite, which often leads to a spontaneous reduction in calorie intake. 
Many low carb and ketogenic diets allow unlimited amounts of fat, assuming that the resulting appetite suppression will keep calories low enough for weight loss. 
However, some people may not experience a strong enough signal to stop eating. 
As a result, they may be consuming too many calories for a calorie deficit. 
Reference

Eating too often, even if you’re not hungry
For many years, the conventional advice has been to eat every few hours to prevent hunger and a drop in metabolism.
However, this may lead to consuming more calories than your body needs over the course of the day.
One research review found that eating just two to three meals per day may have outcomes including reduced inflammation and a lower risk of weight gain.
Eating only when you're hungry seems to be key to losing weight. 

Having unrealistic expectations
Having unrealistic expectations is common and may work against you when trying to lose weight. 
If you have a weight loss goal, it may be helpful to choose something practical, such as a 5% or 10% drop in weight at a rate of 500g to 1kg each week. 
This may improve your ability to meet your goal while losing weight at a healthy speed.

Not tracking what you eat ​
You may be eating more calories than your body needs and sometimes may also not be getting the nutrients you need to support your weight loss efforts and your health. 
Tracking what you eat can help you get an accurate picture of your calorie and nutrient consumption, as well as provide accountability 

Drinking sugary beverages
Many people cut soft drinks and other sweetened beverages out of their diet to lose weight. 
Reducing the number of sugary drinks, you consume is also a healthy choice overall. 
However, drinking fruit juice instead isn’t necessarily better.
Even 100% fruit juice is loaded with sugar and may lead to health problems and obesity, similar to the effects of sugar-sweetened beverages. 

Not reading labels
Overlooking or misreading label information may lead you to consume unwanted calories. 
Many foods are labeled with healthy-sounding food claims on the front of the package. 
These may give you false beliefs about the content of a certain item. 
To get the most complete information about your food, look at the ingredients list and nutrition facts label on the back.

Not eating whole, single-ingredient foods
One barrier to weight loss can be eating a lot of highly processed foods. 
Studies suggest that processed foods may be a major factor in the current high rates of obesity and other health problems. 
Some researchers believe this could be due to their negative effects on gut health and inflammation. 
When possible, try to choose whole, single-ingredient foods that are minimally processed.

Disclaimer: The advice provided is intended for informational purpose only and does not substitute for professional medical advice.  Consult with your doctor if you’re seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.​