Intro
I started working out in my school days, it’s been more than 10 yrs and i’m still not the most ripped guy around. Why ?. That’s because like most people i also did a lot of mistakes. Now from last couple of years i have been focusing a lot on Science based fitness and still not the most ripped guy around but a lot of improvement though.
We can divide these mistakes into three categories viz General Mistakes, Diet Related Mistakes, Workout related mistakes. I can bet that while reading this you will defenitely say “I wish somebody had told me this earlier”.
Let’s dive right in!!
General Mistakes
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Relying on weight loss pills or magic belts
The bottom line here is if there was a pill or a potion that really worked in the long term, then not one of us would be talking about weight management at all! The weight loss industry is…so successful because we are so desperate to find a quick fix. The only long-term effective weight management skill is to change the way we think about fueling our bodies. We need to think of food as fuel for daily living and to fuel it the best way we can. The rest takes care of itself.
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Having Unrealistic Expectations:
It’s understandable you want to lose as much as you can and do it as quickly as possible, but that can only be achieved through crash-dieting, which is neither good for your health nor helpful in maintaining your weight after weight loss since you’ll gain it all back after your diet ends and you are most likely to give up if you are unable to reach a goal which was unrealistic in first place.
To slim down successfully, patience and consistency is key. Understanding that weight loss is a gradual process will help you stay on track, which will improve your chances for success.. Break down your big goals into small mini-goals to keep yourself on track and motivated e.g for best long-term results, aim to lose 2 to 3 Kgs per month.
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Not Having Adequate Sleep
Getting less than seven hours of sleep per night can impact your metabolism big time. Sleep plays a huge role in weight loss and is helpful in regulating hormones namely ghrelin and leptin, which control our hunger and how much we eat. If you cut back on sleep, you are likely to feel more tired and you find it practically impossible to say no to those cravings. “If your goal is to lose fat, skipping sleep is like poking sticks in your bicycle wheels”.
For Adults, it’s recommended to get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep to stay healthy. If you have trouble falling asleep, try creating a bedtime routine and sticking to a schedule and make sure you get enough sleep.
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Not drinking enough water
Increased water intake also leads to increased fat loss through improved kidney function and improved metabolic processes of fat loss.
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Measuring Weight in Wrong manner
Daily weight fluctuations are normal, you don’t need to get discouraged if your weight is more than yesterday in spite of working so hard. The actual number on the scales can be affected by different reasons. Ladies experience a lot of weight fluctuations during the menstrual cycle .
Body Recomposition: A phase during which you lose body fat and gain muscles simultaneously. This happens mostly in beginners and for those who are again starting strength training after a break. So, it’s possible that you might not be losing much weight but you are losing extra body fat.
Measure your weight everyday in the morning, after using the bathroom and before eating/drinking anything (you will be surprised to know weight difference before and after using the bathroom). Take an average of seven days at the end of week and compare with last week’s average weight, your daily weight might be fluctuating but if you are progressing then your current week’s average must be lower than your last week’s average weight.
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Not Taking Progress Measurements
If you aren’t measuring your progress then how can you tell if your diet is succeeding ? Weight is not the only indicator of your progress.
Measure your body parts such as neck,chest,waist,hip,legs etc once in 2-3 weeks. Keep record of your measurements and compare to see progress . Also take progress photos in front of a mirror each week. This is the only way to tell if the diet is working.
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Having an ‘all or nothing’ mindset
Don’t let one small slip-up derail your entire weight-loss plan. A plate full of fruits and veggies is ideal, but you shouldn’t beat yourself up if you eat a bag of chips sometimes. After all, long-term weight loss is all about leading a balanced, sustainable lifestyle. You made a mistake or had a cheat day, get back to work the next day and give your best. “It’s a continuum where you make efforts to focus on quality every instance you can”.
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Blindly following celebrities & fitness influencers
Most of the celebrities are show off, and you know they are just posting pics & some random gyaan. They are not interested in helping people, they just want followers. Very few people are genuine enough to give awesome advices. Be very careful before you start blindly comparing yourself with someone on internet without knowing their struggle.
check this page to understand fake stuff that exists in fitness industry: Exposing Fake Fitness
Diet Related Mistakes
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Not tracking Calories/Macros/Micros
Not tracking calories may work initially depending on how much weight you need to lose, but once fat loss starts to slow and then stop, it’s time to assess your calorie intake. You may feel as though you’re not eating many calories. But in fact, most of us have a tendency to underestimate and underreport what we eat. What’s more, you may not be getting the right amount of protein, fiber, carbs and fat to support your weight loss efforts. You may be consuming too many foods that are healthy but also high in calories, such as nuts and cheese. Watching portion sizes is key.
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Overeating healthy foods and Restricting Fats
It’s easy to overeat healthy foods — you know they’re good for you, so you think a bigger portion won’t hurt. However, despite their healthy status, they can still lead to weight gain. Calories are still calories (and excess calories mean excess weight), even if they come from nutrient-rich whole foods, and foods like nuts, avocado, hummus, quinoa and brown rice are pretty high in calories to begin with.
Low-fat and fat-free foods are usually promoted as healthy-eating options — and many people believe this. What they don’t know is that these foods are often loaded with sugar and other additives to improve their taste. For example, a fat-free flavored drinking yogurt can contain as much sugar as a chocolate bar! Surely, that yogurt doesn’t seem all that healthy anymore, does it? Rather than keeping you full, low-fat products are likely to make you hungrier, so you end up eating even more.
If you must buy something low-fat or fat-free, read the nutrition label to make sure the product isn’t loaded with sugar or additives and is actually lower in calories than its full-fat counterpart. Instead of low-fat or “diet” foods, choose a combination of nutritious, minimally processed foods.
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Cheat Meals and Diet Restrictions
One of the biggest misconceptions about body transformations is that the diet has to be hard. Many dieters take the phrase “No pain, no gain” a bit too literally, The truth is, you won’t stick to a weight-loss plan that feels like punishment. Another mistake connected to restrictions is cutting out your favorite “bad” foods completely. This usually leads to serious cravings and to satisfy those cravings, you either eat too much of other foods or, if you restrict yourself for too long, end up gorging on your favorite “forbidden” treats and giving up on your diet altogether.
Instead of depriving yourself of treats, it is suggested to follow the 80-20 plan: Healthy foods make up 80 percent of your diet, and you can still enjoy your favorite indulgences the other 20 percent of the time. Eat sensible-sized portions that will satiate you but won’t make you feel too full.However, you should never eat portions so tiny that you’re constantly feeling hungry. Focus on adopting small, healthy habits that feel doable for the long run. The key to weight loss is to find a healthy plan for you that you can maintain so that the weight does not come back.
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Skipping meals
Probably the most common mistake people make when trying to lose weight is skipping breakfast or dinner. It might seem logical at first: you think if you reduce your calorie intake this way, you’ll lose weight faster. However, skipping meals not only slows down your metabolism but it also makes you much more likely to snack and overeat later in the day.
Make sure you eat a healthy, nutrient-rich breakfast that will give you energy and prevent you from eating too much later. The perfect breakfast combines good carbs with fiber and protein — oatmeal, eggs, and Greek yogurt with fruit are all good healthy-breakfast options
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Not Eating Enough Protein
To optimize weight loss, make sure each of your meals contains a high-protein food. High protein intake helps with weight loss in many ways,It can reduce appetite, increase feelings of fullness, decrease calorie intake, increase metabolic rate.
As a starting point when trying to lose fat, aim to eat 1 g of protein per pound of bodyweight ((1.2–1.6 g/kg)).
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Not eating enough fiber
When you are trying to lose weight, it’s important to incorporate enough fiber-rich foods into your diet. Soluble fiber is especially helpful since it absorbs water and turns to gel, which moves slowly through your digestive system and makes you feel full longer and thus controlling cravings. Fiber is also known to slow fat absorption, as well as keep blood sugar levels in check, both of which help your body store less fat.
Eating enough fiber can help reduce appetite by filling you up so you eat less. It may also help you absorb fewer calories from other foods.Oatmeal, nuts, peeled fruits, and beans are high in soluble fiber, while whole grains, brown rice, leafy vegetables, and fruit skins are good sources of insoluble fiber.
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Forgetting about sugar and calories in drinks
Do you know how much sugar your favorite Starbucks order has? Most popular Starbucks drinks have between 40 g and 60 g of sugar! It is 2-3 times as much as the maximum amount you should eat in a day — and that’s just from one drink! Soda, fruit juices, beer, and wine are also full of carbs and calories that still leave you hungry because the appetite centers in your brain don’t react to liquid calories the same way as they do to calories from food.
Drink water instead! If you can’t stand the blandness of plain water, try adding lemon wedges, your favorite berries, or mint leaves to it to give it some taste. Unsweetened green tea is also a good beverage option.
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Not reading labels on food packs
Many packaged foods these days have healthy-sounding claims on the front of the package that fool you into believing they’re actually good for you. But if you check the nutrition label, you’ll see that most of those claims aren’t supported by any factual information. There is also a lot of sugar hiding among ingredients, often disguised as words ending with -ose: fructose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, and sucrose.
Always check the list of ingredients and the nutrition label on the back of the package, and don’t forget to take note of the serving size, as well. This way, you’ll make sure you only eat what you actually need.
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Copying someone else’s diet
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to losing weight—no matter what the celebrity on your social media feed might claim. It is definitely hard to shut out all that white noise coming from social media, but understand that no one diet works for everyone. Instead, make a list of goals and follow a lifestyle that helps you achieve them, and don’t be afraid to seek out a registered dietitian for extra guidance if you need it.
Workout Related Mistakes
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Focusing only on cardio and ignoring strength training
At first you may see some results with cardio but if you continue to do too much, you stand a good chance of producing too much of the catabolic hormone Cortisol thus you run the risk of losing muscle mass and therefore your natural metabolism slows down.If you’ve been watching your diet, doing cardio, and leading an overall healthy lifestyle, yet your weight loss is not as good as you think it should be, the reason might be the lack of strength training.
Studies show that performing resistance training is incredibly important during weight loss,not only it helps you build muscle,improves overall body composition, boosts your metabolism and promotes belly fat loss. Keep two-three days a week for resistance training, with steady-state or high-intensity cardio workouts in between.
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Not tracking workouts & Sticking to the same workout
Our body is a very good adaptor to the situations we are putting it into. Progressive Overload is most important for muscle gain and fat loss. You need to increase reps and sets accordingly for your exercises, as muscles need to experience more volume to grow and burn more calories. You can only progress if you are noting down your set & reps for each exercise and hitting more volume next time you do that exercise.
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Overestimating Calories Burnt During Exercise
Many people believe that exercise “supercharges” their metabolism. Although exercise increases metabolic rate somewhat, it may actually be less than you think.Studies show both normal and overweight people tend to overestimate the number of calories they burn during exercise, often by a significant amount. In one study, people burned 200 and 300 calories during exercise sessions. Yet when asked, they estimated they had burned over 800 calories. As a result, they ended up eating more.
Now like every other mistake in life, making fitness related mistake is totally fine. Don’t obsess over it if you made any such mistakes, all that matters is you learn from those and become better version of yourself.
Disclaimer: I have compiled this information from my own experience & extensive internet research. Not all of this content is my own, i have copied most from the content of amazing people i follow. Following are few guys who motivated me to put such content out and are best in the field: