It's a classic complaint of so many dieters… “I've been really good but I've still not lost weight!”
All too often, a simple solution is right under our nose and we still miss it – so here are our top slip-ups that could be the reason you aren’t seeing the progress you expect.
Not counting liquid calories
It’s all too easy to forget – or willingly overlook – that drinks can be laden with calories. You might be super-strict with the food you eat, but if you’re regularly downing fizzy drinks, large milky lattes, and a six-pack of beers on a Friday night, you aren't going to see any dramatic results.
Soda, alcohol and energy drinks are among the worst culprits for diet sabotage. Check the calorie content of your drinks, and if in doubt, just stick to water.
Cutting out key food groups
Diets that promise quick results are often based on cutting out a whole food group. Carb-free, fat-free and sugar-free are among the most common – the problem with these is they aren't sustainable in the long term.
You need a balanced diet, or your body won't pull energy from the places you want. Every meal should contain carbohydrates, fat and protein. By incorporating all of these groups into a calorie-controlled diet, you’ll fuel your body effectively and find it much easier to keep the weight off.
Staying hungry
All too often people think that the less you eat, the more you'll lose – but you can have filling meals and snacks without overdoing it on the calories.
Leaving yourself hungry will just deplete your energy for exercise, and make your body conserve calories. Eating well will make you much more likely to turn the “diet” into a healthy lifestyle long term.
Prepare for when hunger comes calling by having healthy snacks on hand – a bag of almonds or chopped peppers are good examples.
Eating low-calorie but low-nutrition foods
In pretty much every supermarket, you’ll find a range of “healthy” snacks aimed at dieters, but you should be wary of heavily processed, low-calorie foods.
Often, they won’t keep you feeling full, and won’t provide your body with any real nutrition. Homemade, fresh food will keep hunger at bay and give you the fuel to do everything you have planned for your day.
Not counting the little things
So you’ve stuck to your perfectly prepped meals – but then there was that cake that went round the office for your colleague’s birthday. Oh, and the syrup-loaded Starbucks order you treated yourself to because it’s a Monday. And the slice of pizza that you stole from your housemate’s plate.
Start making a note of everything – and we mean everything – that you actually have in a day, not just the meals. You may be surprised by the results.
Take Home Message
Being mindful – not obsessive – about what you’re putting into your body is an easy step you can take towards getting to your weight loss goals.
Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.
Lauren is an English Literature graduate originally from the South. She’s always loved swimming, has discovered the power of weight training over the past few years, and has lots of room for improvement in her weekly hot yoga class.
On the weekends she’s usually cooking or eating some kind of brunch, and she enjoys trying out new recipes with her housemates – especially since shaking off student habits, like mainly surviving off pasta. Above all, she’s a firm believer in keeping a balance between the gym and gin.
Find out more about Lauren’s experience here.
