I spent most of my college years going up and down on the scale. I have experienced the pain & frustration of not achieving the desired results, especially when I felt like I was giving it my all. Not to mention all the money I had wasted.
Through trial and error, 7 health certifications later, and over 15 years of helping others achieve their goals, this is what I have found to be the biggest culprits.
1. Eating A LOT of Healthy Food
Yes, you have heard the saying before, “not all calories are created equal” but guess what too much of anything (really the only exception being greens & certain vegetables) is a bad thing. Almond butter, coconut oil, bison, etc. are all great for you but go over the recommended portion amount and you will be spilling over your jeans. Also, those paleo or gluten-free baked goodies may be without certain ingredients you are avoiding but they can be higher in calories and even fat than regular baked items.
2. Fad Diets
This month was keto, and last month was vegan. Most diets work for a period of time. Do you plan on keeping it up though is the question? Life is meant to be lived. Food is meant to be eaten. Chances are if you are forcing yourself to eat a certain way that brings you zero enjoyment and removes you from a good number of social settings you won’t keep it up. Ditch the diets and just eat REAL food.
3. Self-Righteously Gluten-Free
Did you know celiac disease only affects 1% of the population? So while gluten, should be kept to a minimum, foods that naturally carry gluten should generally be limited anyways. Eating gluten-free donuts, pretzels, and pizzas are basically the same as eating donuts, pretzels, and pizza just without gluten but with all the calories, sugar, and unhealthy fat.
4. Fake Meat
Please tell me what is natural about eating FAKE meat! Unless you plan on making a veggie burger yourself or ones that last no more than two days in the fridge, you are really just eating a bunch of fake crap.
5. Diet Coke
Throw it all out. It is loaded with chemicals. It really is no different than Coca-Cola. There is no way around this.
6. Sugar-Free
To a degree, there is a natural amount of occurring sugar in everything. Substituting sugar with fake sugar and sugar-free syrup can actually be more harmful to you in the long run. You are basically dumping chemicals in your coffee. I did this all throughout my early 20s. I always had the worst stomach issues and was constantly bloated. While I do my best to keep sugar to a minimum, if I am craving a little sweetness I go for natural sweeteners like coconut sugar and maple syrup.
7. Killing Yourself in The Gym
Are you a professional athlete? Do you have 10-12 hours to sleep? Are you in constant contact with an athletic trainer (someone who is borderline a doctor/physical therapist)? Have time to get in the sauna and deep tissue massage treatments on a weekly basis? Now don’t take this as an excuse NOT to work out. I work out 5 days a week but I do listen to my body and not every day is an all-out sprint or marathon. Your body needs rest and recovery. It is an 80% diet anyways and if you don’t allow your body to properly recover or space out your intense workouts it can actually lead to inflammation, spikes in cortisol, a lowered immune system, and poor sleep quality. With that said find balance in your workout routine. Mix up high and low-intensity days. It will keep it fun. Variety is the spice of life.
8. Not Sleeping
Quality sleep is critical to weight loss and balancing out your hormones.
9. Too Much Booze
I love wine. I also like a good Ranch water, but it all has to be within the limit, especially now being in my late 30s, Try to keep alcohol only to the weekends.
10. Not Eating For Your Body Type
Disclaimer before diving into point 10, ALL body types are equally awesome, and whether your desire is to bulk up or slim down, is totally up to you. This is merely a breakdown of how to eat for optimal results in most cases. Everyone’s body still is unique so it still is a journey to fine-tune what works best for you even with the guidelines. In most cases, eating for your body type will help the slimming down process. As for working out for your body type, the guidance here can be a little tricky and you may either choose to go with your strength or do the opposite to achieve the results. For example, I am mesomorphic. While strength training is my strong suit, my goal is to lean and lengthen. I do one to two strength days and the other 2-3 sessions of cardio-based HIIT sessions with pilates moves mixed in. Make sense? If not please feel free to email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below. Below is an outline of eating recommendations for the 3 main body types as well as what working style comes the most naturally.
Ectomorph
These individuals are naturally thin with skinny limbs. Individuals with this body type often have fast metabolisms, and higher carbohydrate tolerance breakdown and naturally do well with endurance-based activities. Ideal macronutrient breakdown: 25% Protein 55% Carbohydrate 20% Fat.
Mesomorphic
These individuals are often naturally muscular and athletic. Individuals with this body type have a moderate carbohydrate tolerance breakdown and naturally do well with strength-based activities. Ideal macronutrient breakdown: 30% Protein 40% Carbohydrate 30% Fat.
Endomorphic
These individuals are often naturally broad and thick. These individuals often have slower metabolisms and a low carbohydrate tolerance breakdown. These individuals often do well in absolute strength activities. Ideal macronutrient breakdown: 35% Protein 25% carbohydrates 40% Fat.
Again, please note that we must do the opposite of our body’s natural workout strength for certain goals at times. Again please feel free to email me or drop a question below regarding questions on this.
11. Doing The Same Monotonous Workouts
Variety is the spice of life, especially when it comes to workouts. Don’t get me wrong any workout is a good workout but if you are going for some goals or looking to take things to the next level, you have got to play with the intensity, reps, and set ranges of your workouts. Not to mention, mixing things up will keep you enjoying and looking forward to your workouts!
12. Not Properly Hydrating
Sometimes it really is the small things, like not properly hydrating. We can sometimes mistake being hungry for just being thirsty, causing us to overeat. So remember to stay hydrated. I love adding lemons and herbs to my water for an extra kick. On the market for a new tumbler? Check out our Tumbler Line, each tumbler comes with a one-year membership as well!
13. Not Getting In Enough Movement
Working out is great. It does wonders! But given how sedentary our modern-day lifestyle is, limited movement can lead to weight gain and sluggish burn rates. Get walks in on your work breaks, make dinner, take up gardening, help an elderly neighbor with some yard work, or get involved in things like a community clean up. Do MORE healthy and enjoyable activities and watch your movement increase!
14. Going At it Alone
2 is better than 1. Grab a spouse, friend, sibling, or family member to join you in your health journey. Help keep each other accountable, partner up for workout outings, cook together, have fun family healthy cooking nights, or do something outdoorsy as a group. Trade healthy recipes and fun workouts. Check-in with each other and celebrate each other’s “healthy wins.”
15. Obsessing
There is a big difference between taking action & thinking about something all the time. I used to be constantly worried about my weight, and you know what I did when I would worry, have moments of low confidence due to comparison or feelings of shame…I would eat more. Value yourself and take action. Whatever your starting point is, think that you already have got it going on. You would be amazed at what happens when confidence meets action. The worry goes away and results come into play. I did a fitness competition a few years ago. It was the skinniest I ever was and you know what I never felt uglier, fatter, etc. I was emotionally a train wreck. If you aren’t happy with yourself at your starting point, you won’t be happy when you get to your finish point. Embrace the authentic you.
Here is the deal when it comes to weight loss, it requires time, patience, and figuring out what works best for your body. I have done every fad diet out there. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago, where I really got into cooking REAL foods (carbs included) did I find both at peace and happiness in my mental & physical state. Here is my equation. Hopefully, it works for you:
Love Yourself (Acceptance) + Real Food + Quality Workout + Self-Discipline + Quality Sleep + Community Outreach = Healthy + Happy Me
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