11 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Weight Loss Journey

Battling to lose weight with diet and exercise?? Most of us encounter this situation which leaves us confused and annoyed as to what went wrong. Simple mistakes done by us can throw our weight loss plan out the window.

Here are few common mistakes done by us insensibly:

1. Overindulging On Healthy Foods

Healthy foods such as nuts, dried fruits, avocado, olive oil, etc. are not calorie free! These foods might be rich in nutrients, but remember they are calorie dense too. 1 teaspoon of olive oil gives you 45 calories which is similar to regular cooking oil.

2. Overindulging In Low Calorie Foods

Low fat and low calorie foods available in the market can be misleading. They are loaded with chemical replacements that make up for the missing ingredients, but they can affect your health. These lighter versions are low in nutrition and with the tag ‘low calorie' you may end up eating more!

3. Skipping Breakfast

Skipping breakfast makes your body feel starved and provokes it to store existing energy in the form of fat for later use. While, when you eat breakfast, it kick starts your metabolism and in turn, helps you lose weight. Prevent your body from storing fat by eating your breakfast!

4. Not Eating Enough Proteins

Eating enough proteins is extremely important if you are trying to lose weight. It helps reduce appetite, increase feelings of fullness, decrease calorie intake, increase metabolic rate and protects muscle mass during weight loss.

[ Related: Best Proteins For Vegetarians And Non-vegetarians ]

5. Eating Less Fruits And Vegetables

Five to six servings of fruits and vegetables every day is required for everyone, in general, for healthy functioning of the body. But for those on weight loss, eating more vegetables is beneficial as it helps them stay full for a longer time.

6. Standing And Eating

Standing and eating is a very unhealthy practice. It is important for your body to be relaxed when you are eating. Take specific time out for your meal to sit and enjoy it.

7. Following A Crash Diet

Drastically reducing your calorie intake in the hope that it might help you to lose weight faster is bad for your health. If you suddenly reduce your food intake, your body slows down your metabolic rate in order to store energy more efficiently. So, eat a balanced diet full of nutrients to ensure optimal energy and for a healthy weight loss.

8. Not Exercising

Exercising helps burn more fat, minimize the amount of lean mass you lose and prevent your metabolism from slowing down. The more lean mass you have, the easier it is to lose weight and maintain the weight loss.

9. Sleep Deprived

Sound sleep for 7-8 hours every day is important for a healthy body and mind. Sleep restores energy and keeps you fresh, active and alert throughout the day. Did you know that cutting down on sleep can affect your body's ability to control your appetite.

10. Not Drinking Enough Water

Not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration and reduced metabolism. It is important to stay hydrated throughout the day to curb unnecessary eating and keep the metabolism high.

11. Setting Unrealistic Goals

Setting unrealistic goals and wanting to lose weight or fat fast is not good for health. Setting realistic, long-term goals for weight loss is a must. It will help you stay on track and not get discouraged.

If you are doing any of these mistakes, talk to a dietitian online on The Wellness Corner (over chat; audio or video calls) to figure out the right way to lose weight.