It's that time of year when we set our fitness goals to get healthier. But despite what social media influencers would have you believe, the vast majority of people who lose weight don't keep it off for more than a year. For most people, the weight comes back eventually in a phenomenon known as 'weight cycling'. And no, it has nothing to do with "relapsing".
Your weight doesn't determine your health, so if you find losing weight a frustrating and fruitless exercise, you have our permission to give it up and focus on other aspects of your wellbeing instead. But if you're committed to losing weight, there are some pitfalls you can avoid to improve your chances of success. Here's what not to do.
You have a short-term mindset.
Everything on this list is a bit of a hard truth, but this is often the hardest to accept (and change). If you approach weight loss with a short-term attitude, you may find yourself on a yo-yo diet train.
Without a long-term approach to weight loss, you may lose 10 or more pounds in two weeks and then suffer a rebound when you discover that the diet didn't work for you. This is all too common with strict diets such as Keto or Paleo, or fad diets that promise quick weight loss. In reality, a balanced diet that includes all food groups and even some treats works best for most people in the long run.
Part of successful, sustainable weight loss - losing the weight and keeping it off for good - is understanding that fad diets, excessive exercise and 'detoxes' usually don't work. They only last as long as your willpower lasts, and I'm willing to bet that's no more than two weeks to a couple of months.
There are no handy solutions, wonder fixes or wizardry pills with regards to weight loss, in spite of what the wellbeing business could have you accept: Shedding pounds expects devotion to an arrangement that upholds long haul solid propensities.
The overall proposal for weight loss is a pace of one to two pounds each week, albeit introductory weight loss could outperform that for individuals who are extremely overweight, and afterward delayed down to the recommended one to two pounds each week. Studies have demonstrated this to be a compelling method for getting in shape without losing a lot of water or lean tissue - - and to keep away from a bounce back.
You have an all-or-nothing mindset.
Many people who struggle with a short-term mindset also struggle with an all-or-nothing mindset. I myself started my health and fitness journey with this mindset. I cut out all (literally all!) processed foods: no bread, no pasta, no milk, no cheese, definitely no individually wrapped snacks. I basically lived on chicken, vegetables and berries.
This was great until it wasn't, and I ended up on a CVS run for all the chocolate and Goldfish I could hold in both hands. Then, because I'd "ruined" my diet, I'd eat as much as I could physically handle, because "why not? I already ruined it".
Then, of course, I'd feel bad about the snacks I'd eaten and go back to my overly restrictive diet the next day. It's a destructive cycle, but it's something I see all the time with personal training clients. An all-or-nothing mindset can keep you in a perpetual cycle of lose-gain-lose, not to mention shame and guilt around food.
This all-or-nothing approach also applies to fitness: If you've been doing the most effective workouts to get in shape in the least amount of time left and right, but don't feel fitter or stronger, you may be doing too much. Cutting back could - counterintuitively - be the answer to improving your fitness (and playing the long game).
You experience the ill effects of an unfortunate emotionally supportive network.
Strong companions, relatives and soul mates are basic to fruitful weight loss. On the off chance that I was approached to refer to the most widely recognized justification behind not adhering to a healthy eating regimen from my past private preparation clients, I would agree that disgrace.
Believe it or not. As senseless as it sounds, individuals truly get ridiculed for practicing good eating habits, particularly in locales where food is a basic piece of the way of life. Experiencing childhood in southern Louisiana close to New Orleans, I encountered this all the time when I concluded I was making changes to my eating regimen.
At family social events and social trips, I'd get remarks like, "That is all you're eating?" or, "You're truly not going to eat any sweet?" or, weighed down with mockery, "In the future we'll have a plate of mixed greens potluck."
It's dreadful to be criticized or laughed at, particularly for things you care about (like your wellbeing!), so it tends to be extremely simple to fall into a snare of eating - - and drinking - - for your public activity. Therefore a strong emotionally supportive network is vital to long haul weight loss. Without it, the excursion can feel desolate and scaring.
In the event that you as of now feel you miss the mark on emotionally supportive network, take a stab at having open discussions with your companions, family and accomplice about it. You can clarify that they don't need to change their dietary patterns in the event that they would rather not, yet that your wellbeing makes a big difference to you and you'd see the value in it on the off chance that they didn't deride or minimize your persistent effort.
In the event that an IRL emotionally supportive network isn't working out, go to online networks that advance both wellbeing and body energy. I truly love Flex and Stream on Instagram, Wellbeing At Each Size and the Natural Eating People group. These people group underline wellbeing without stressing weight, which is useful in light of the fact that when you center around the wellbeing results, you'll arrive at your blissful weight easily. Reddit likewise has an incredible discussion (/r/loseit) where you'll track down heaps of genuine tales about weight loss.
You assume exercise conquers all.
If you've paid any attention at all to the wellness industry, you'll be familiar with this saying: "Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym." Even if your goals don't include shredded abs, the adage is still relevant. You can't train your way out of a bad diet.
Exercise should definitely be part of your overall approach to weight loss because it's proven to help you lose weight (not to mention its long list of other health benefits), but it's difficult to lose weight through exercise alone. Many people overestimate the number of calories they can burn by exercising - it's probably a lot less than you think.
For example, a man weighing 154 pounds will burn less than 450 calories during an hour of intense weightlifting. You can easily wipe out this effort if you don't pay attention to your diet. The exact number of calories you burn during exercise depends on many factors, including your current weight, the intensity of the activity, the duration of the workout, your age and your body composition.
What's more, focusing on exercise alone can lead to a destructive cycle of exercising extra to burn off calories you feel you shouldn't have eaten. Or you may end up feeling that you need to 'earn' your calories through exercise. Either way, this approach can lead to a strained relationship with food and exercise and stalled weight loss.
There are exceptions to every rule. Some people, such as those who have spent years building muscle mass, can eat lots of high-calorie foods and not gain weight - but even if you can eat whatever you want and lose or maintain your weight, it doesn't mean it's healthy for you.
A diet rich in fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins and some whole grains is the best way to achieve sustainable weight loss and good health. Combined with a consistent exercise routine, you'll experience sustained weight loss and weight maintenance once you reach your target weight.
Sleep deprivation, stress and overwork.
Losing weight is going to be a lot harder if you're chronically stressed, sleep deprived or overworked. This scenario may sound familiar:
You wake up motivated and ready to tackle the day. You have plans to go for a run after work, and your healthy dinner is waiting for you in the fridge.
A few hours into the day, your lack of sleep catches up with you. You reach for your afternoon coffee.
By the time work is over, you're too exhausted to go for your run. You decide to skip it.
You're tired and maybe a little stressed or cranky, so you skip the healthy dinner and go for a drive-through instead - because comfort food.
This is fine if it happens occasionally (everyone deserves a lazy evening now and again), but losing weight will seem impossible if it happens all the time.
The truth is that diet and exercise are just two components of a healthy lifestyle that can lead to weight loss. While they are important, focusing too much on diet and exercise can lead you to overlook other factors that are just as important: sleep and stress management.
You rely too much on supplements.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that fat burner supplement in your medicine cabinet isn't going to do the job for you. While certain supplements can help you achieve your weight loss goals, you have to work to make your supplements work.
For example, having a daily protein shake in the morning can help you feel fuller throughout the day, which can help keep cravings at bay. Increasing your protein intake can also help you to build muscle, which helps to rebuild your body.
Some weight loss supplements have some evidence to support them, but no supplement is as proven as the method that no one wants to take: eat fewer calories than you burn.
The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions about a medical condition or health goals.
Comments
Post a Comment