Losing weight can feel like a losing battle: Sometimes no matter what you try, it seems like you aren’t making progress.
"Losing weight is a process that takes a strong commitment toward improved health. When making this commitment, it is important to remember that the weight did not arrive overnight, so expecting it to leave overnight is not realistic," says Roxanne Davis, RD, a certified nutrition support clinician who works with patients in the Healthy Weight program.
"It is also important to remember to count the wins during this process," says Davis. "Every day will not feel successful. However, if you keep moving forward and finding things to be positive about regarding the changes you have made, the more rewarding the weight loss process will be."
There are many misconceptions about the best way to lose weight — with some methods flat-out working against you. Although there’s no single tried-and-true way to slim down, making these weight-loss mistakes might be holding back your progress.
These misconceptions could be making it harder to slim down
You’re keeping your total calories low but eating whatever you want.
Quality of food does matter. Just because something is low in calories doesn’t mean it supports good health.
Try this instead: Choose high-quality calories with a focus on vegetables, fruits and whole foods. For example, instead of a glass of apple juice, opt for the apple itself, which is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber.
When you have a big dinner planned, you don’t eat during the day to save up calories for later.
This is an unhealthy pattern to get into because it sets you up to overeat. When you skip or cut way back on meals, the body goes into starvation mode, which can lead to binge eating.
Try this instead: Eat regular meals. Finding a meal frequency that keeps you full and satisfied will eliminate the cycle of starvation and bingeing and keep your metabolism going, which can actually help you lose weight.
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You cut out carbs (or soy, or dairy, or gluten).
Just cutting something out of your diet because your friend did it or you read an article is not the best idea.
Try this instead: Practice moderation. Yes, some people lose weight if they lower their carbohydrate intake. But that doesn’t mean you have to eliminate them from your diet. The same thing goes for soy, dairy and gluten: If these foods don’t cause problems for you, there’s no reason to cut them out.
You’re trying to focus fat loss in certain areas, such as your belly or thighs.
That’s not how weight loss works. When a person loses weight, he or she will lose fat throughout the body—not just in one area.
Try this instead: If you want to focus on weight loss in targeted areas, combine toning exercises (to strengthen muscles) with cardio (to burn calories). This two-pronged approach will both define the targeted muscle groups and reduce overall body fat.
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5 Weight-Loss Practices You Should Be Doing
- Make a plan. Develop a weight-loss strategy, including how you will modify your meals, and a realistic exercise routine, that can keep you on track.
- Drink water. Your thirst and hunger centers are next to each other in the brain, so thirst can often manifest as hunger. Keep water with you and sip it throughout the day to stay hydrated and feeling full.
- Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. Aim for seven to eight hours a night so your body can relax and reset.
- Grocery shop with a full belly. That way, you’re less inclined to splurge on unhealthy items that might appeal to your hungry brain.
- Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes to feel full. Drinking water or resting your fork between bites can help you tune in to satiety signals.
Help for Long-Term Weight-Loss
Whether you need one-on-one help from a physician or enjoy a team approach with an element of fun competition, Beaufort Memorial can help you drop the weight and regain control of your health.
Our newest option is the physician-supervised Healthy Weight program. Led by board-certified obesity medicine specialist Dr. Yvette-Marie Pellegrino, Healthy Weight takes a holistic approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight using nutrition, exercise, behavior and medication.
Body Makeover, offered through the LifeFit Wellness Center, uses a blend of lifestyle education, nutrition counseling and group workouts to achieve results.
Download a comparison chart to see which is a better fit for your needs.