10 DIET MISTAKES & TIPS on how to FIX THEM for the PERFECT DIET! Don't miss this! <3

posted in Health & Fitness on 7/26/2016

**🚫Mistake #1: Not counting all the calories.** Snack attacks happen. Just don’t try to deny (or "forget"😉) them; you have to add it toward your daily caloric intake total. These bites can add up fast. Not to mention the toll that beverages, like soda or booze, can take on your waistline.

Fix It: Use a calorie-tracking app to log each item as you eat--not later. It’s easy to go over your goal! Remind yourself before you take those extra between-meal bites: Every calorie counts.

🚫Mistake #2: Going crazy on a cheat day. Splurging 1x/week can help satisfy cravings & can even spike metabolism & help you burn calories efficiently. But cheat day can become a HUGE food-eating contest. Going overboard can set you back thousands of calories & make you feel sick & bloated for days.

Fix It: Instead of a cheat day, have a cheat meal for each week. You still can have that d🍩nut, pizza🍕 or chocolate bar🍫 you’ve been craving, and get right back on the road to clean, nutritious eating — instead of derailing all your progress and causing yourself to feel sick!

🚫Mistake #3: Not switching up your workouts. Doing the same workout every day is not the best idea because our bodies adapt & become more efficient at that mode of exercise. You can spend a month on a treadmill with ❌no results❌. Too much cardio can get rid of muscle that makes you look good.

Fix It: Regularly adjust the frequency, intensity, time, or type of workout. A running program is perfect for exercise progression. Each week, running increases. To build💪🏼muscle & keep your metabolism revved, add high-intensity intervals & weight🏋🏽or resistance to your routine at least 2x/week.

🚫Mistake #4: Restricting yourself too much. Going on a strict diet forever isn't realistic. To lose weight, you must think about sustainability. Even if you're able to stick to a super low-calorie meal plan, your body could kick into starvation mode, expending fewer calories to preserve energy.🤕

Fix It: Focus on the quality of those calories. Eat food you prepare, less packaged goods, & include a balance of protein, healthy fats, whole grains, & lots of fresh veggies & fruits. You’ll find yourself naturally eating a healthy number of calories, without feeling hungry or deprived. 🤗

🚫Mistake #5: Not taking a rest day. With a workout program, it’s crucial to give your body & mind adequate recovery days. Many people start out thinking they need to work out 7x/week, which is not always reasonable. When they miss 1-2 days they become discouraged & often give up completely.

Fix It: To beat burnout, schedule 1-2 days/week of rest, & set reasonable goals that fit your lifestyle. Always listen to your body, & if you are too sore to work out, take an active recovery day. Go for a walk🚶🏻with your family, take a leisurely bike ride🚴🏿 or do some gentle yoga.

🚫Mistake #6: Giving exercise to much credit. With weight loss, nutrition needs to be on point. For people starting a routine, easy to moderate physical activity doesn’t burn many calories. For example, walking at 3mph for 30 minutes burns < 150cal..6 = or < most candy/snack bars. 🍏🍋🍇🍓🍊

Fix It: Ditch the mindset that just because you worked out, you can eat whatever you want & don’t let a strict diet keep you from exercising, either. It’s still important because it will help with increasing your mood, boosting energy & promoting better sleep. Focus & weight loss will follow suit.

🚫Mistake #7: Focusing too much on the scale. Disappointed the numbers on your scale aren't moving? Many factors can play into a person’s weight including body composition, hydration levels and food you’ve eaten. Weight can fluctuate, so jumping on the scale daily won't give an accurate reading!

Fix It: Weigh yourself once a month and take measurements of your body to track changes. Measurements can be taken anywhere you want to lose inches, with the most common being the waist, hips, thighs and upper arms.

🚫Mistake #8: Not getting enough sleep. One of the biggest mistakes people make is not putting enough emphasis on sleep & stress. If you want to create the ideal fat loss conditions for your body, you have to manage your stress levels & make sure the quantity & quality of sleep is on point. 😴💤

Fix It: Before you think about a diet & exercise plan, make sure you’re getting enough shuteye. The magic # of hours is around 7 - very active people likely need more. If you’re stressed, find healthy ways to relieve tension, like regular yoga sessions, meditation, or hitting a punching bag. 🕉☯

🚫Mistake #9: Skimping on breakfast.

People who eat like birds at breakfast often become hungry & overeat at lunch & dinner. Studies do show that eating early (especially high-protein meals) can increase dopamine levels, which may reduce cravings throughout the day. 🍓🍊🍋🍏🍇

Fix It: Flip your thinking & make breakfast your largest meal of the day. Eat relatively less as the day goes on to keep yourself from becoming over-hungry. A recent study found that a quick bowl of oatmeal first thing in the a.m. can help you eat 50 percent less at lunch.

🚫Mistake #10: Gunning for six-pack abs. Doing crunches until you're blue in the face doesn't mean you're burning abdominal fat.🙄The idea that you can "spot reduce" isn’t true. To lose weight, you have to burn calories — & when you do, the body sheds fat all over, not just in one specific spot.

Fix It: Biggest calorie burn➡️focus on exercises that⬆️your💟rate & target large muscle groups (chest, back, legs) Try squats, deadlifts or push-ups. Incorporate high-intensity interval training, as well. You’ll burn more calories in less time, & this can work for you due to the afterburn effect!