8 Mistakes You're Making When Losing Weight

Feel like you are doing everything under the sun to reach your goals but you still can't shift the body fat you want? You're not alone. Whenever any one embarks on a new weight loss plan or diet, they are often faced with disappointment along the line. You are cheating yourself out of progress, if you haven't nailed the basics. 

Here's 8 common mistakes you're making:

MISTAKE NUMBER 1:

• Not being in a calorie deficit!!

If you want to lower the number on your scales, the most important thing you must do is enter a caloric deficit. It’s that simple. If you consume more calories than you burn, you’ll gain weight. And if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. 

In order to find the correct amount of calories you should be eating in order to be in a calorie deficit, first you need to work out the amount of calories you need in order to maintain your weight whilst going about your daily activities. There are lots of online calculators that can help you work this figure out. Once you know this figure, to achieve a sensible calorie deficit, you need to deduct anywhere from 250-500 calories from this amount.

E.g. If your maintenance calories are 2000 calories a day, a sensible deficit would be anywhere between 1500 - 1750 calories a day.

Please remember that your calorific needs are completely individual to you so don't just copy what someone else is doing! 

MISTAKE NUMBER 2:

• Following an unrealistic, overly restrictive diet!

Willpower works like a battery – you only have so much of it until it runs out. That’s why very restrictive diets deplete your willpower, increase your cravings, and lead to binging. What happens when you binge? You consume all of the calories you have previously restricted and all your previous hard work is undone! This method will not help you achieve your goals and could potentially leave you with a damaged relationship with food. 

Have you been that person? ... 'I'm not eating any chocolate for the whole month' ... 'I'm only going to eat chicken and vegetables for tea' ... Chances are, a few days the line, a week if you're lucky, you are craving chocolate more than ever and are desperate for some potatoes on your plate! The result? You cave. Your willpower eventually runs out and that diet gets tossed out the window.

Dieting can be hard. You have to change your daily habits in order to lose body fat, so don't make it harder on yourself! Include everything in moderation so that you don't feel restricted and therefore you will be less likely to cave!

We have so many products for you to choose from meaning you don't have to miss out! From zero calorie syrups to zero sugar, zero fat sauces, low calorie, low sugar brownies and banana bread, low sugar peanut butter cups, low sugar jams, low sugar chocolate spreads, the list goes on! ... The choices are endless here at The Skinny Food Co so use them! Make sure you ENJOY WHAT YOU EAT!

MISTAKE NUMBER 3:

• 'That's it, I've blown it! I may as well just give up!' mentality.

Guess what? You ate something off your diet plan? Has the world ended? Chances are ... no it has not.

I see what happens ... you get in from work, you're cooking dinner but you are STARVING and that little bit of cheese you're cooking with creeps into your mouth. Before you know it, half the block has gone. So what do you do? You think 'That's it, I've ruined it now!' and you start raiding the fridge and cupboard filling yourself with chocolate, crisps, cakes and more cheese.

The reality? That half a block of cheese you originally ate might have only been around 500 calories, but now you have gone on to consume an extra 2000, all because of your attitude to the situation.  

One thing off track does not mean you have failed. Take a reality check. No it's not ideal that you ate more than you had intended for your fat loss goals, BUT, just wipe the slate clean, forget about it and CARRY ON AS NORMAL.

MISTAKE NUMBER 4:

• Not eating your veggies!

Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories, meaning you can fill up on them easily without consuming lots of calories! They are also important sources of many nutrients which are essential for your body. 

Examples of how you can add them into your diet:

1. Breakfast - make a yummy omelette and pack in some spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms, or how about Eggs Benedict using our Zero Sugar Hollandaise Sauce and topping with delicious rocket!

2. Lunches & Dinners - fill half your plate with veggies FIRST before you add the rest of your main meal and you could potentially half the amount of calories on your plate but still be nice and full up!

3. Snacks - Chop some raw veggies like carrot, cucumber, pepper and celery and snack on these instead of your usual crisps and chocolate. Dip in our Zero Sugar, Zero Fat Sauces for extra flavour!

4. Roast them! - Veggies often have a different flavour once roasted. Pop your veggies on a baking tray with our 1 Cal Spray Oils and use our Spices & Seasonings to liven them up! Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes. 

MISTAKE NUMBER 5:

• Ignoring your water intake

Staying hydrated is SO important! Around 60% of your body is made up from water, so you need to hydrate it with exactly that. 

Benefits of drinking plenty of water include, aiding digestion, more energy, better mood, healthy heart, higher metabolism, prevent headaches and healthy skin.

Aim for around 2-3 litres of water a day. Have a glass of water as soon as you wake up, have one with each meal and always keep your water bottle handy!

Struggle to drink plain water? I feel ya. Check our out zero calorie, zero sugar flavour drops or cocktail mixers to make drinking your water as easy as possible. 

MISTAKE NUMBER 6:

• Not taking notice of your NEAT

NEAT = Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis AKA all movement that isn't structured exercise 

Examples:

1. Walking 

2. Cleaning the house

3. Dancing in the shower 

Your daily steps are a great way to look at recording how much NEAT you are doing each day. Grab yourself a pedometer or a fitness watch (lots of phones also record this - just make sure you have it with you!) and aim for around 10,000 steps a day. This is a fantastic way to make a start with increasing your NEAT. Take a walk at lunchtime or after work, go exploring in a country park at the weekend (socially distanced of course!), whatever you can do to get them in and you WILL see a difference.  

MISTAKE NUMBER 7:

• Not getting enough sleep

Sleep can be a huge contributor to your results. If you are nailing everything else in your diet plan but letting sleep slide, chances are, your results will be effected. 

Ensuring you are getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep a night is important as your body uses the time you are sleeping to rest and recover. There are several benefits to getting more sleep:

1. Better sleep quality

2. Helps control weight

3. More energy

4. Reduces the risk of disease

5. Reduces anxiety & depression

6. Healthier heart

7. Strengthens the immune system

8. Sharper thinking skills / improved concentration

MISTAKE NUMBER 8:

• Expecting results without consistency  

'You're not going to master the rest of your life in one day. Just relax. Master the day. Then just keep doing that every day'.

Consistency wins every time. If you are being continually inconsistent, then expect continually inconsistent results. The only person in control of your goals is YOU. Show up for yourself every day and prioritise your fat loss goals if they are truly important to you.  

The Skinny Food Co has a whole range of products that can help you stay on track with your weight loss goals and not make dieting boring! Shop here for products that could help you.

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