3 mistakes to avoid to lose weight

3 Mistakes to Avoid for Weight Loss

3 Mistakes to Avoid for Weight Loss

During a weight loss journey, progress can sometimes come to a halt. Weeks can go by without seeing any results, which can be frustrating. From my experience with thalassemia, I've noticed certain patterns that can cause weight loss to stop. Here are three of those patterns:

1) You Eat More Than You Think

To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. By accurately determining the portion size of your food, you can better estimate how much you're eating at each meal. Keep these two basic guidelines in mind:

• A portion of meat (3 oz) is the size of a playing card.
• A portion of carbohydrates (1 cup) is the size of a tennis ball.

Remember to fill up on non-starchy vegetables—they're nutrient-dense, low in calories, and have minimal impact on blood sugar.

2) You Don’t Eat Enough

While eating three square meals a day might work for social purposes, for weight loss, you should aim to eat more frequently. It is recommended to have at least 5-6 small meals each day. This tells your body that food is abundant, reducing the need to store energy.

Frequent eating boosts your metabolism, as your body is constantly burning calories to digest food. It also helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, reducing hunger and the likelihood of overeating at your next meal.

3) Choosing Liquid Calories Over Solid Food

This is a common mistake among those trying to lose weight, due to the abundance of “healthy diet juices,” protein shakes, and weight loss smoothies. There are two main issues with relying on these liquid alternatives.

First, many liquid diet shakes and fruit juices contain a lot of sugar, causing a quick spike in energy followed by a crash due to insulin release. This fluctuation in insulin levels is something to avoid for both health and weight loss reasons.

Second, most weight loss shakes lack fiber, which is crucial for feeling full and managing blood sugar levels. While fruit juices contain some fiber, eating the whole fruit is much more beneficial.

Additionally, the calorie content in shakes or juices can be much higher than equivalent solid foods. A 16 oz fruit juice might contain up to 600 calories and won’t keep you full for long. In contrast, eating 600 calories of whole fruits would be much more filling.

When making significant dietary changes, aim to get the most out of your calories. Wouldn't you prefer to feel full and satisfied, rather than drinking something and being hungry again soon after?