These bad habits will stop your weight loss progress in its tracks.
Let’s be honest: Losing weight is no easy, breezy walk in the park. It requires hard work, dedication, solid motivation, and establishing a game plan that works best for you. Whether you’re just starting out on your journey or you’re weeks in, there are certain habits you should absolutely avoid at all costs. In fact, you’ll never lose weight if you still do them as part of your routine.
We chatted with Victoria Brady, a personal trainer on Fyt, the biggest personal training service in the nation that makes expert-guided fitness, whether in-person or virtual, convenient for everyone. Brady shares five bad weight loss habits to ditch ASAP if you want to speed up your progress.
1. You’re eating or snacking mindlessly.
According to Brady, mindless eating and grazing is a surefire way to hinder your weight loss progress. Why? You’re not keeping track of the calories you’re taking in, which can result in overeating.
“No matter if it’s considered a ‘healthy’ food or not, too much of anything can become a bad thing,” Brady explains. “Instead, practice portion control so you can keep track of how many calories you’re consuming throughout the day and minimize overeating.”
2. You’re skipping meals.
Skipping meals puts your body into “survival mode,” Brady explains, which means you cling to the calories you consume in order to preserve energy. “Furthermore, you are more likely to make poor food choices out of hunger, such as stopping at a fast food restaurant because it is the quickest option for getting a meal,” she adds.
3. You’re drinking your calories.
Whether you’re sipping on fruit juice or your go-to glass of wine, keep in mind that drinks can be filled with extra calories. “Many people do not realize how many calories most drinks have, along with loads of sugar that’s in the drinks to make them taste better,” Brady tells us. “Consuming too much sugar can not only lead to weight gain but also drinking alcohol, in particular, can slow down your metabolism.”
4. You’re not getting sufficient rest.
Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s rest and recovery after your workouts. The more you cut back on your rest, the more likely you’ll pack on the extra pounds, according to research.
“Your body is unable to recover, throwing off your hormonal balance and triggering your appetite because the body tends to crave carbs and calorie-heavy foods when sleep-deprived,” Brady says. “It is important also to note that rest days are critical and by exercising too much, you can hit a plateau in your weight loss and increase your risk of injury.”
5. You’re prioritizing exercise over nutrition.
Working out is key in any weight loss program, but there should be a healthy balance between making both exercise and nutrition top priorities. Because, as Brady puts it, you won’t be able to “out-exercise a bad diet.”
She explains, “This is where the 80/20 rule to losing weight comes into play. Eighty percent of weight loss is based on what you eat while the other 20% is based on what you do, aka exercise,” adding, “So, what this means is that you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. No matter how long you work out, if your diet is high in calories, you will not lose weight. You have to burn more calories than you consume and little do most people realize, only a small percentage of calories you burn throughout the day comes from exercising. Therefore, in order to lose weight, you have to focus on your nutrition and the consumption of calories.”
