Let’s be honest: Losing weight is no easy, breezy walk in the park. It requires hard work, dedication, solid motivation, and establishing a game plan that works best for you. Whether you’re just starting out on your journey or weeks in, there are certain habits you should absolutely avoid at all costs. In fact, you’ll never lose weight if you still do them as part of your routine. We’ve rounded up five bad habits for weight loss you should ditch immediately.
If you want to speed up your progress, we spoke with Victoria Brady, a personal trainer on Fyt, the biggest personal training service in the nation, who calls out five bad habits for weight loss that are major no-nos.
You’re eating or snacking mindlessly.
According to Brady, mindless eating and grazing is a surefire way to hinder your weight loss progress. Why? You’re not keeping track of the calories you’re taking in, which can result in overeating.
“No matter if it’s considered a ‘healthy’ food or not, too much of anything can become a bad thing,” Brady explains. “Instead, practice portion control [to] keep track of how many calories you’re consuming throughout the day and minimize overeating.”
You’re skipping meals.
Skipping meals puts your body into “survival mode,” Brady explains, which means you cling to the calories you consume to preserve energy. “Furthermore, you are more likely to make poor food choices out of hunger, such as stopping at a fast food restaurant because it is the quickest option for getting a meal,” she adds.
You’re drinking your calories.
Whether you’re sipping on fruit juice or your go-to glass of wine, keep in mind that drinks can be filled with extra calories. “Many people do not realize how many calories most drinks have, along with loads of sugar that’s in the drinks to make them taste better,” Brady tells us. “Consuming too much sugar can not only lead to weight gain but also drinking alcohol, in particular, can slow down your metabolism.”
You’re not getting sufficient rest.
Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s rest and recovery after your workouts. Research shows that the more you cut back on your rest, the more likely you’ll pack on the extra pounds.
“Your body is unable to recover, throwing off your hormonal balance and triggering your appetite because the body tends to crave carbs and calorie-heavy foods when sleep-deprived,” Brady explains. “It is important also to note that rest days are critical, and by exercising too much, you can hit a plateau in your weight loss and increase your risk of injury.”
You’re prioritizing exercise over nutrition.
Working out is key in any weight-loss program, but there should be a healthy balance between making both exercise and nutrition top priorities. Because, as Brady puts it, you won’t be able to “out-exercise a bad diet.”
She explains, “This is where the 80/20 rule to losing weight comes into play. Eighty percent of weight loss is based on what you eat, while the other 20% is based on what you do, aka exercise. So, what this means is that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. No matter how long you work out, if your diet is high in calories, you will not lose weight. You have to burn more calories than you consume, and little do most people realize, only a small percentage of calories you burn throughout the day comes from exercising.”
That being said, if you want to slim down, you must focus on proper nutrition and calorie consumption.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa
