The nutritionist Nicola Whitehead discovers to us which are the biggest mistakes that we do when we try to lose weight. It doesn’t have to do only with food, but with exercising as well. Here are 5 of the most common lie we believe in and which we constantly do.
Next week, we are going to post five more mistakes. Therefore, if you want to read those follow us on follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
- Food with marks “low fats” and “dietetic”
Don’t be fooled by marketing tricks – the “healthy” biscuit is still a biscuit, and it probably has as many calories and sugars as in a standard version (especially if you eat a few). Always read the ingredients before purchasing and remember that salad is healthy, but not if combined with cream or dressing. In that case, it might have as many calories as a hamburger. Focus on unprocessed food. However, if you have to buy packed products make sure that you read the information on the nutritional values.
- Choosing cardio exercises and avoiding weights
Studies have shown that lifting weights is one of the most effective exercises to gain muscle mass and speeding up the metabolism. Apart from this, it strengthens the overall body structure and makes the process of losing fat easier, especially in the stomach area.
- 1-hour treadmill run instead of 15-minute intensive training
A lot of people believe that if you spend more and more time on the treadmill is a good way to lose weight. However, this is not always true. An alternative option is a training with high intensity, so-called “HIIT” training. You exercise with high or middle intensity, adding a couple of intervals of exercises with high intensity. It is considered that this kind of exercise is more time efficient. Moreover, studies say that it brings about faster changes in the metabolism and losing body fat.
- Not enough sleep
If didn’t sleep enough, no matter whether it is about quality or quantity of sleeping, you won’t able to keep up with exercising and eating healthy. Research shows that people who sleep less than 6 hours per day, intake more calories the next day compared to those who slept 7 to 8 hours.
- Setting unrealistic goals
This usually leads to disappointment. Instead of hoping that you will again be able to wear that dress that looked good on you 10 years ago, set goals that you can achieve. In order to be able to survive on the road to your goal, set mini goals which you will be able to achieve in a month or so. Remember that you are on a path towards improving the quality of your life and taking control over your weight. Thus, don’t look for perfection!
