The task of trying to lose weight is often associated with eating less, exercising more, choosing foods specialized for a diet programme and avoiding fat. If you've done all these but you're still not happy with the result or the result doesn’t last long like you’ve expected, you’ve probably committed some mistakes that you don’t realise you’re doing.
It's important to understand that even if you have followed all the diet tips and advice you’ve come across but still see no progress on your weight loss goals, you probably have done something wrong with your diet routine. Here are four common mistakes that may cause your diet programme to fail:
1. Too much food restriction.
It is very easy to fall into the food restriction trap. Some studies have found that self-deprivation causes craving and overeating, which can be caused by feeling too restricted with your diet. The cravings you feel as a result of your deprivation will only hinder your success to losing weight. Instead of full-on restrictions, try to control what your body really needs and eat what is necessary.
2. Not watching your portions.
Eating healthy food is good for your health, but overeating them may also prevent you from losing weight effectively. It doesn’t mean you have to count calories in an obsessive way, but it's important to watch your calorie intake. Determine how many calories you are eating now and then compare it with what your body actually needs to shed pounds.
Besides keeping an eye on your calorie intake, you can also watch the size of the portions you are eating to keep the weight off. Some people practice eating smaller portions for a few weeks to get a good feel for how much food they really need to feel satisfied.
3. Forcing yourself to have breakfast.
Some people are simply not hungry during breakfast time, even though they didn't overeat the night before. People don't have the exact same metabolism and the same hormonal sensitivity to carbohydrates and fats.
Some studies have shown that it is recommended to have breakfast before starting the day, many people, therefore, follow the advice although they don’t have the appetite for it. In fact, this practice can make them gain quite a lot of weight over time if it happens regularly.
Eating all kinds of breakfast foods when you are not hungry can cause you to gain up to 10 pounds within just a span of six months. And if it continues, this habit can be a hindrance to your weight loss efforts.
4. Sleep deprivation.
Studies show that sleep deprivation could create difficulties for fat loss and lead people to feel hungry easily because of the high production of the hormone ghrelin. Researchers have also found that being sleep deprived lead you to overeat and to crave for junk food.
If you want to lose more weight, you should get enough sleep as you'll feel less hungry and thus you'll eat less. Getting the recommended amount of sleep for six to eight hours at night can help lower cravings for high-calorie foods, allowing you to lose weight faster.
If you want to keep your body in shape, you need to watch your portions and keep an eye on the calories you are taking. Also, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle as it also contributes to the success of your weight loss.
For more fitness tips, get help from the top fitness experts in Australia today.