Sometimes it seems that you are doing everything right, but despite the efforts, the arrow on the scales does not move from place. Let’s talk about some of the most common mistakes we make when trying to lose weight.
1. We eat irregularly
When you skip breakfast or skip other meals, you automatically set yourself up to eat much more later. With such an irregular diet, it is likely that hunger will force you to make a choice in favor of low-quality foods, dense and fatty meals and snacks. Therefore, it is important to eat a balanced diet throughout the day.
2. Eating when stressed or distracted by other activities
If you eat in front of the TV, computer, or are distracted by some other activity, this almost always leads to the fact that you eat more than planned. When you are quietly enjoying your meal, chewing food thoroughly and watching what you eat, the satiety hormone is produced in the body in the correct amount. This makes you feel full without overeating.
3. Snack too often
If you constantly sample food while cooking in the kitchen, regularly look in the refrigerator and chew on the go, you are overusing snacks. Unconscious snacks – whether from boredom, stress, or between work – can cause you to lose control of how much you actually eat. Try to snack no more than 1-3 times a day. Healthy snacks are also a great way out. Keeping fruits and vegetables handy is the best option.
4. Drinking too little liquid
We often confuse hunger with thirst. Therefore, if you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water first. In general, you need to drink a lot for a good metabolism, digestion and weight management. Drink water, herbal tea, freshly squeezed vegetable juices, coconut water.
5. Incorrect serving size calculation
Research has shown that people overestimate the optimal serving size by half. Portions increase over time, and so does plates and cutlery. If you compare the servings that were served in the 1970s with the current ones, you can see that we are eating much more today. Start using smaller plates and you will eat much less and still be full as before.
6. Lack of sleep
Research shows that if you sleep less than the recommended 7-9 hours a night, chances are you snack frequently and tend to overeat. Sleepy body craves fast carbohydrates – buns, sweets. No amount of willpower can handle this.
7. We neglect vegetables
People who eat a lot of fruits and vegetables lose weight faster and keep fit more easily. There are several reasons for this. First, a diet rich in plant-based foods saturates the body with a wide range of nutrients, contains fewer calories, and more fiber. Second, a plant-based diet helps maintain a healthy gut, which is essential for maintaining an optimal weight. Thirdly, by eating plant foods, you activate the metabolism, thereby speeding up the process of burning fat.
If you are avoiding all of these mistakes, but you still feel unwell and the excess weight is not going away, you may need to consult with your doctor and make sure that you do not have any undiagnosed medical problems, such as thyroid disease.
Keep these simple rules in mind and try to stick to a plant-based diet – and you will certainly reach your desired weight!
Other ideas for dealing with obesity:
How to speed up metabolism and lose extra pounds
9 foods that speed up metabolism and help fight obesity
What is the Difference Between a Short Term Diet and a Healthy Diet
Why stress makes us fat