Here’re The Mistakes to Avoid When You Start Your Weight Loss Resolutions

Sometimes people make the same mistakes not because they don’t know better but because they forget to do something differently. This year, embark on your slimming journey on a different note by eliminating these mistakes.

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Not Planning Ahead

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When hunger strikes and you’re not prepared, that’s when you’re likely to make unhealthy decisions (read: taking in unnecessary calories). Instead of struggling with what to eat, we suggest sitting down and planning your meals (snacks included) out for the week in advance and then hitting the supermarket to get everything you need. Though meal planning can be tough, it does provides you with the roadmap and structure you need to stay on track with your food intake.

Compensating For Eating With Exercise

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It's easy, and fairly common to overestimate calorie burn and underestimate calorie consumption. By going out of your way to eat back every calorie you expend during exercise, you may unintentionally undermine your efforts to lose or maintain your weight. Additionally, you could be overriding your body's hunger cues if you don't feel particularly keen for those exercise calories but eat (or drink) them back them anyway. We suggest using your workouts to complement your healthy diet, not to make up for your unhealthy eating habits.

Eliminating The Sweet Treats

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Having Cheat Days

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You might think that a little reward wouldn’t hurt, especially since you have been staying on track all the week. But hey, one cheat day can undo all the weight-loss efforts you’ve put for the week. The only person you’re cheating is certainly yourself if you were to devote an entire day to indulge in foods that don’t spur you on towards your goals (and it isn’t pretty in the long run). We suggest sticking to one small treat each day, so you don’t need an entire day to let loose.

Not Keeping Track

Monitoring your daily food intake is important when trying to lose weight. It not only provides accountability for what you put in your mouth but also gives you an opportunity to know more about your eating patterns. If keeping a physical food journal is not your thing, there are various food & fitness apps like Crunch that allow you to capture pictures before and after your meals. This will make journaling faster and easier.