4 Fat Loss Mistakes You Should Avoid

When you’re trying to shed the pounds and reduce your body fat, it’s always hard. You know you’re going to have to change your diet and lifestyle and alter the way you behave if you want to see your true self reflected in the mirror-- and sometimes, it seems impossible to find the motivation. 

When a weight loss plateau happens, demotivation is inevitable; we all need to see results to keep going. So how do we get past it? Sometimes, your mind will be the problem, laying traps for you to fall into. Check out the following four mistakes you may have been making in the past and how to overcome them.​

#1 - Obsessing about the wrong things ​

Losing fat is a long-term goal. You can’t achieve it quickly; it has to be done in incremental steps, carefully achieving small gains until the big picture becomes truly obtainable. If you focus too much on the big picture, rather than the steps that lead to it, then this can impact your entire approach.
 
For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds and you only lost 2 this week, then motivation can fly out of the window. You think: “I’ve still got 48lbs to lose”, and that seems insurmountable. Your attitude slips, and you begin to lose the will to continue your regime.

You have to flip that thought to: “I’ve got 2lbs less to lose to meet my goal!”. You might not have quite met your goal, but you’ve taken an important step on the path towards it.

#2 - Setting rigid goals ​

There is another problem with the example presented above: it suggests that rigid goals are beneficial. While some people respond well to rigid targets, others don’t-- and you need to figure out which category you fall into.
 
Improving your life, your fitness, and your figure is a journey. If you set a rigid goal, what happens when you reach it? What do you do when you fit into that dress, can wear a bikini with confidence, or love your reflection? Do you just stop your dietary and fitness habits?
 
If the answer is yes, this often means that you will have to start all over again when you gain the weight back. It’s fine to have some goals if you respond well to them, but don’t have an “end” point-- make a lasting change.

#3 - High expectations ​

If you decide that you’re going to run every day, you’ll probably stick to that for awhile. Then, you’ll slip and have to miss a day. You might think you’ll get back to it the next day, but evidence suggests otherwise.
 
You have to set reasonable expectations of what you’re going to do. Don’t tell yourself you’re only going to eat 800 calories per day or run 1k every day-- because you won’t, and then you’ll feel like you’ve failed. Instead, set realistic goals and keep achieving them.
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#4 - Not seeking help ​

Fat loss isn’t something that comes naturally to us. You’re not a nutritionist or a fitness expert, so you don’t stand a chance against the competing theories and ideas regarding weight loss that are out there.
 
Fat loss is like a science, unless you have a good reason to get into learning about it in-depth, you will only understand the information that's being presented via the media. However you will not have the background knowledge required to decide what is the right and wrong info, This is when you should ask help from experts, either via books, videos or by hiring a coach.

While fat loss itself is very simple as long as you follow the basic principles, the flood of information available make it look very complicated. If you feel you need someone to clarify and show you the direction, feel free to get in touch.