The top 5 weight loss mistakes we all make | Zyla Health
Every time a new client comes to me and talks about his/ her weight being stuck despite following a strict diet, I feel so sad for them and whosoever has guided them all these tips and tricks to lose weight.
Wondering why? Because these tips and tricks involve eating less or excluding a particular nutrient or they focus less on how the metabolism works or the importance of sound sleep and less stress etc. All of these are essential when it comes to losing weight.
Weight loss is a complex and multi-factorial process. It requires behavioural changes, diet modifications, and physical exercise. Most people are searching for magic pills to lose weight overnight. But it does not work like that.
There is no quick fix for weight loss. Losing and maintaining weight is a long journey and you have to stick with the plan consistently over time to see results in your body.
In this blog, we will discuss five weight loss mistakes people make while they are on their weight loss journey.
1. Cut down carbohydrates
One of the most common mistakes people make while on their weight loss journey is that they cut down carbohydrates from their diets thinking that carbohydrates are the culprit but that is not true.
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. Reducing carbohydrates in your diet may lead to fatigue, brain fog and muscle cramps. This can cause mood swings, depression and constipation.
Chapati and rice are the staple foods of India so a low carb diet is not sustainable, as it can be difficult to maintain this type of diet over a long period of time.
Thus, include carbohydrates like whole grains i.e. whole wheat, oats, daliya, bajra, besan, pulses, jowar, jau, rice etc in your diet. Avoid refined flour (maida) as much as possible.
Now, let’s move on to the second reason for your weight loss mistake…
2. Skip meals
Another common weight loss mistake is that you tend to skip your breakfast or dinner or mid meals either due to lack of time or thinking that it’s a solution to weight loss.
But before taking this step, you must know that if you skip meals, your body will start to break down muscles to use for energy. As a result, you lose muscle mass, which is not what you want.
Muscle mass helps you burn more calories than fat alone and makes it easier to keep weight off in the long run.
Furthermore, when your body doesn’t get enough food it will go into starvation mode and slow down its metabolism so that it can conserve energy. This means that even if you’re eating less than usual, you won’t shed any kilos because your body thinks it’s starving!
You’ll also feel weak and tired without enough fuel in the tank; exercising isn’t as effective when this happens either.
In order not to put yourself at risk of messing up your diet by skipping meals, eat three meals per day i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, eat healthy snacks like fruits or nuts or murmura or makhana in mid meals i.e. between breakfast and lunch and then lunch and dinner.
To know what to eat at what time, how much to eat and what to avoid etc. Zyla’s clinical nutritionist can help you. Download the Zyla app or visit our website- zyla.in to know more.
Well, now you know that skipping meals is what needs to be avoided in a weight loss diet but there is one nutrient which needs to be added to the diet to achieve weight loss and that is protein! Lets’ read about it…
3. Inadequate protein intake
If someone is eating their main meals on time and eating fruits in mid meals they expect to see weight loss but are disappointed when the weighing scales don’t drop. Do you know why this happens?
This happens because their meals are protein-deficient! Yes, you read it right, eating only chapati sabzi won’t give you weight loss. You need to include curd or dal to it.
Protein is the building block of muscle. It’s essential for maintaining, building and repairing muscle, maintaining a healthy metabolism and building bone. Protein also helps you feel full longer so that you eat less overall.
You need to have 1 gram of protein per Kg body weight per day in order to fulfil your protein requirements and fit into your old dress.
To make sure that you are eating adequate protein, add 1 serving of protein to your main meals like a glass of milk or buttermilk or a small bowl of curd or dal or 2 boiled egg whites in it. Start your day with a handful of nuts and end it with a glass of milk. Lastly, include sprouts or boiled chana or raw paneer or soymilk or tofu salad in your mid meals.
If you want to know more about weight loss diet, then read our blog, “What is the role of a diet plan in weight management?” Now that we are done with nutrients, let’s talk about another common weight loss mistake…
4. Drink less water
Your mom was right when she was after you to finish 8 glasses of water every day. Water not only prevents dehydration but aids in a lot of things including weight loss.
Water helps reduce hunger and increases your metabolism. Drinking more water will also reduce cravings for unhealthy foods because it makes them less appealing to eat when you drink a lot of water throughout the day.
This is also true for foods that make you bloated like soda or sugary drinks which may have fewer calories but they still have a lot of sugar.
Make sure to drink 10–12 glasses of water throughout the day. Drink when you are thirsty, don’t force it if you’re not thirsty. You can also increase hydration by drinking lemon water, coconut water, bael sharbat, buttermilk, milk, soups etc.
Clicking the forward button from eating, dieting and digesting… let’s talk about some movements which we don’t do and make weight loss mistakes.
5. Less or no physical activity
You know that exercise is important for a healthy lifestyle, but you may not realize how much of an impact it can have on your weight loss journey.
Exercise is not just for weight loss — it’s also good for your mental health and overall well-being.
Regular physical activity can help improve sleep, boost energy levels and reduce stress, which are all important components of maintaining a healthy body. A lack of physical activity can lead to poor sleep quality, low energy levels and increased stress levels — all things that make it harder to achieve long-term weight loss goals!
To know more, you can read our blog, “The mental health benefits of physical exercise”.
Make sure you’re incorporating at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise into your daily routine at least five days per week. This could be walking outside; swimming laps in the pool; playing basketball with friends; dancing around the living room with some music on, or doing yoga/pilates/a zumba class once per week (or more!).
You should feel like you’ve worked up a sweat after completing this amount of exercise and thus avoid this weight loss mistake but don’t worry about hurting yourself!
Of course, if you have any medical conditions such as heart problems or joint pain then please consult with your doctor first before starting any new fitness regime so they can advise if this type of activity is safe for you.
Weight loss is a complex process!
Weight loss is a complex process and one that cannot be explained with a simple “eat less and exercise more” mantra. It can be frustrating when there isn’t a simple solution to weight loss. There are many scientific reasons why certain people struggle to lose weight, and why others succeed.
Some of these factors include genetics and hormones, but also lifestyle choices like sleep quality and stress levels. These can affect how well your body responds to dieting efforts as well as other things going on with you psychologically or physically.
Understanding the science behind weight loss can help you understand how your body works in order to maximize your efforts at achieving goals for yourself!
With this blog being full of tips on what not to do during weight loss, I hope it will help guide you towards success by avoiding these common weight loss mistakes!
If you want to have a personalised nutrition and exercise plans for your weight loss then I would highly recommend you download the Zyla app or visit our website- zyla.in to know more.
Zyla has a team of experts including doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists and psychologists to provide you with customized guidance throughout your weight loss journey. So, what are you waiting for?
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