10 Bad Habits That Can Ruin Your Weight Loss

10 Bad Habits That Can Ruin Your Weight Loss

Have you ever thought about what holds you back from achieving a chiseled physique? It might be one or more of these ten bad habits.

Having that slim body is what everybody dreams about. But some people can have numerous attempts at losing those stubborn pounds and end up failing.

So if you find yourself among those who can’t achieve their desired weight, the problem is that you are doing something wrong. There are things that affect your weight and you don’t even think about them.

Even the lack of sleep can cause you weight gain. When you don’t have enough sleep you can increase your daily calorie intake with up to 385 calories.

So make sure you are not sabotaging your weight loss in any way. Check out these ten bad habits that can get in your way when you are trying to lose weight.

These Bad Habits Might Ruin Your Weight Loss

Don’t let these bad habits get in the way of your weight loss progress. After all, you don’t need to take drastic measures to correct these things.

Just take a look over this list and see what things can get in the way when it comes to shedding a few pounds.

1. You Go Grocery Shopping Hungry

Bad Habits - You Go Grocery Shopping Hungry

Research shows that when you go grocery shopping hungry and without a list, you can end up buying more high-calorie products and less low-calorie foods. Your body needs energy when its hungry so you are pushed to buy foods that are high in calories.

There is also a big change that you buy snacks that you can eat right now because it takes time to cook that chicken breast.

Just so you know, hunger can influence more than just your cravings and your food choice.

A study shows that when you are shopping hungry you are more likely to buy non-food products.

So to avoid buying or eating high-calorie foods, have a healthy snack or a meal before going grocery shopping. And don’t forget to make a shopping list, to save you from eating those extra calories and even saving a few bucks.

2. You Think That Going On A Diet Will Help You Lose Weight

You Think That Going On A Diet Will Help You Lose Weight

This may sound a bit disappointing and weird but that’s true. Diets are a temporary measure you take when you want to lose weight, and temporary is the keyword here.

Experts say that an abrupt decrease in your calorie intake slows down your metabolism so your body thinks you are starving. What’s more, the weight you lose when dieting it’s likely to return in 1-3 years.

What you should do to make sure you keep those pounds off for good is change your lifestyle. Don’t think of this as a diet; you are making a change that you are gonna stick to for the rest of your life.

Here you can find a few simple steps that can help you to stick to a healthier life: move more, don’t skip breakfast, and chose the right place when eating out.

You don’t need to make all these changes to your life at once. Give time to yourself to adjust and adapt to these changes, one at a time, and then keep going.

3. You Enjoy Juices And Smoothies

Smoothies And Juices Are Loaded With Calories

Everybody knows that fresh juices and smoothies are healthy, especially if you make them on your own, at home. But when it comes to losing weight, they can easily ruin your plans.

Studies say that liquid foods bring less satiety than the solid food. This means that if you eat an orange you will satisfy your hunger for a longer time than if you drink the juice of an orange.

What’s more, it won’t provide you with the fiber you need because most of it it’s in the pulp.

And when it comes to smoothies, a glass can contain 150 to 300 calories. Because you will be hungry in a half hour, this drink can be too much for a snack.

4. You Are Underestimating The Power Of Sleep

Improve Your Sleep Quality

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that sleeping can help you eat healthier. A good night’s sleep contributes to cutting down carbs, fats, free sugars which is important when it comes to losing weight.

But the lack of sleep will make you eat more, and you can add to your daily calorie intake an extra 380 calories.

Lack of sleep will force you to reach for the food even if you’re not hungry, and it will increase your fat storage and blood sugar.

So to make sure you are getting rid of those extra pounds make sure you are getting enough sleep, at least 8 hours per night.

5. You Are Swallowing Your Food Too Fast

Bad Habits - You Are Swallowing Your Food Too Fast

Next time you are having a meal, take your time and savor it because it can help you when it comes to losing weight.

Your body needs 20 minutes to understand that it’s full. If you are eating too fast, you end up swallowing more calories than you need before realizing it’s time for you to stop.

Eating too fast can even increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and the risk of acid reflux.

A great tip if you are a fast eater is to take smaller bites, chew your food slowly, and practice mindful eating. This means you need to fully concentrate on your food, on the smell, taste, and even the texture.

6. You Think That Fats Are Your Enemy

Good vs Bad Fats

Fats are not as bad as people might think. To understand which are the good fats you need to know that there are three types of fats:

  1. There are unsaturated fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados, fish.
  2. There are saturated fats like animal products, coconut.
  3. And you have trans fats like margarine, fried fast food, and snacks.

The types of fat that are good for you are the unsaturated fats. They remove the bad cholesterol from your body, make you feel fuller for longer, and help you burn fat and provides your body with energy.

And just so you know, fats make our food tastier. The tiny buds that are covering our tongue taste the fats in what you eat and they really love it.

7. You Are Relying On Exercise Too Much

Bad Habits - You Are Relying On Exercise Too Much

Yes, exercising is a great way to stay active, but working out alone won’t help you lose too much weight.

Your body burns calories not just from exercising, digestion and other daily activities also count.

Basically, physical activities burn only 10-30% of energy (even when you move your feet to music counts) and if you are working out more, you are doing other activities less, like walking.

So you know what this means, right? The main factor is your diet when it comes to losing weight. But don’t ditch the exercising because it’s good for your health.

Working out can help you achieve those abs you are always wanted, it will help you stay toned and it will make you feel happier.

8. You Are Afraid Of Getting Hungry

You Are Afraid Of Getting Hungry

Many of us consider that being hungry can be our enemy, but it actually can be a really healthy thing.

This is not that hunger that you get when you don’t eat for weeks. It is all about feeling hungry because your body takes up all the calories from the food you have eaten and use it up for its own purpose, and wants more.

According to Mary Vance, a holistic nutrition consultant, if you let yourself get hungry it can have many benefits. It can improve your digestion, it boosts your growth hormone, which stimulates cell renewal, and assists blood sugar regulation.

When you are hungry your body produces ghrelin, a hormone that only does its magic until you satisfy your hunger. This hormone stimulates learning and it can help you fight depression.

What’s best, hunger will make you enjoy a bowl of soup as if it were a delicious burger.

9. You Are Thinking Of Desert As Forbidden

You Are Thinking Of Desert As Forbidden

Having dessert won’t affect your weight loss. In fact, it can help you achieve your goals. But you have to know that moderation in the key.

You can allocate 20% of your daily calorie intake to satisfy your sweet tooth, and you will continue to lose weight.

The idea is that when you are sticking to a very strict diet, it is more likely to overeat.

So don’t think of sweets as something wrong and forbidden. The key is to not get carried away when you are having something sweet.

10. You Are Into Sauces And Dressings

Bad Habits - You Are Into Sauces And Dressings

Maybe this is obvious, but those dressings and sauces have calories. But we are not talking about olive oil or mayonnaise.

Even when you are eating a healthy dressing like hummus, you consume about 180 calories per 100 gram.

Maybe you don’t realize, but dipping your veggies into a sauce, even a healthy one, can ruin your diet. A simple way out is to add all the calories to a weight loss diary.

This means that when you are consuming the sauces or dressings, make sure you calculate the calories you eat every day and write this down.

These few tips can help you have a balanced and healthy life. Ditching these bad habits will have a good effect on your weight loss and it will be easier for you to maintain a healthy weight.

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