Losing weight and staying on track with your weight management goals can be challenging for some people. Sometimes you might feel like you’re making healthy lifestyle choices, yet you’re still not getting the results you want. You may, in fact, be following misguided, outdated advice that is preventing you from seeing the changes you’re looking for.

Here are 7 common mistakes people make when trying to lose weight.

1. Eating Too Many Or Too Little Calories

Generally, a calorie deficit is required for weight loss meaning you need to burn more calories than you consume. However, it is not always about the numbers as what you eat and what makes up for your calorie intake can also play a role. Calculating and estimating the number of calories for optimal weight loss is a very common mistake when it comes to weight loss success. You may be consuming foods that are healthy but also higher in calories, such as nuts, avocados, and fish. Eating in moderate portion sizes and keeping the balance and proportion of carbs, protein, and fat is key. On the other hand, decreasing your calorie intake too much can be counterproductive. Studies on very low-calorie diets indicate they may lead to muscle loss, lowering metabolism, and binge eating.

2. Not Eating Enough Fiber

A low fiber diet may be hurting your weight loss efforts and your overall health more than you think. A high-fiber diet helps you with your weight loss process in multiple different ways. It reduces appetite by slowing digestion, making you feel full for longer. By adding high-fiber foods to your diet,  you feel full faster resulting in consuming fewer calories compared to consuming low-fiber foods. Consuming foods that are higher in fiber like vegetables and whole grains, will help you with satiety. Feeling satisfied instead of feeling deprived is key when it comes to your weight loss. You can say no to temptations much easier when you feel satisfied, not deprived! Making you stay consistent with your weight loss plan. Lastly, having a regular bowel movements and healthy digestion helps you shed pounds faster and more consistently. Be sure to include healthy high-fiber foods such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, and whole grains in your diet regularly. 

3. Not Eating Enough Protein

Getting enough protein is important if you’re trying to lose weight. In fact, just like fiber, protein has been shown to help with weight loss in several ways.

• reduce appetite
• increase feelings of fullness
• lower the amount of weight regained
• maintain or increase metabolic rate
• protect muscle mass during weight loss

To help with weight loss, be sure that all your meals contain a healthy, lean protein source like fish, chicken breast, ground chicken, beans, legumes, milk, cheese, etc.

4. Eating Too Much Fat On A Low-Carb Diet

If you are trying the popular, Ketogenic, and low-carb diets for weight loss, make sure that you pay attention to what you are eating instead of your carbohydrate source.  When you cut out carbs, you are substituting calories for protein and fat. But you need to keep in mind that fats contain twice the calories as carbs and protein when compared gram by gram. Many low-carb and ketogenic diets allow unlimited amounts of fat, assuming it results in appetite suppression to help weight loss. However, some people may not experience a strong enough signal to stop eating. As a result, they may be consuming too many calories for a calorie deficit. If you’re eating large amounts of fat in your foods and are not losing weight, it may help to try reducing your fat intake.

5. Not Reading Labels

Overlooking or misreading label information may lead you to consume unwanted calories and unhealthy ingredients. Nowadays, with so many marketing hacks, it is so important to read labels and understand what you are consuming. Many foods are labeled with healthy-sounding food claims on the front of the package giving you false beliefs about the content of a certain item.  For example, a product may claim that it has high amounts of protein and fiber, and low amounts of calories, but when you look at the label, you realize that the whole package contains the claimed amount of protein. Which means you would need to consume so many extra calories, eat the whole package to get the number of claimed protein content. Similarly, looking at a label for a Caesar salad will truly blow your mind. Thinking that you are having a salad, a very healthy food choice, but the truth is that the packaged salad and the dressing contains way more calories, fat, and salt than you can ever imagine. Read labels and make smart choices!

6. Overestimating The Calories Burnt At The Gym

There is no doubt that exercising is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your weight loss. However, exercising does not give you a “free pass” to eat more!  Many people believe that exercise “supercharges” their metabolism, and spending 45 minutes on the treadmill burns so many calories that they can loosen up their diet and it will cover up for indulging here and there. The effect of exercise on your metabolism and how much you burn at the gym compared to what you consume is less than what you think. Most of us are guilty of overestimating the number of calories burnt during exercise, often by a significant amount. Exercise is crucial for overall health and can help you lose weight significantly. However, it’s good to understand how much exercise you’re getting and the number of calories it burns. 

7. Not Tracking What You Eat

Eating nutritious foods is good for your health and for losing weight. However, you may still be eating more calories than your body needs. In addition, you may not be getting the amount of protein, fiber, carbs, and fat you need to support your weight loss efforts and your health. Tracking what you eat can help you get an accurate picture of your calorie and nutrient consumption, as well as provide accountability. You may be losing weight more consistently and frequently when logging your meals and workouts. You can use online tracking sites, apps, journals, or simply write down on a piece of paper.