You may think you’re doing everything in your power to follow your weight loss plan. But if you’re having trouble dropping the pounds, you may be sabotaging your weight loss without even knowing it. Watch out for these common diet saboteurs:

1) Crash dieting. Living a healthy lifestyle should be a marathon, not a sprint. Though you may be tempted to crash diet (also known as “starve yourself”) in preparation for some big event like a reunion or wedding, what you’re really doing is wrecking your metabolism. Your body thinks you’re enduring a famine of some sort, and slows its metabolism in response. Then when you start eating normally again, you can actually re-gain the lost weight very quickly.

2) Those midnight snacks. Late at night, you may be tired or stressed from the day, and seeking comfort from food. Then you go to bed without the chance to burn off the calories you just consumed. That’s not to say you can’t ever have a late-night snack if you’re truly hungry, but keep it small and light. Protein that is burned off slowly as you sleep is ideal.

3) Forgetting your beauty sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body goes into “protection” mode. Your metabolism slows, and you crave sugary, high-calorie foods. Make sure to get those eight hours each night.

4) Focusing too hard on the numbers. People who weigh themselves every day – or multiple times per day – are just setting themselves up for disappointment. There are several reasons the number on the scale can fluctuate a bit from one day to the next, or even hourly. Rather than depress yourself (and become tempted to binge), just weigh in once a week and you’ll receive an accurate measure of your progress.

5) Giving in to social pressure. Sometimes friends mean well when they urge you to “just have one”. Other times, they’re secretly uncomfortable with your efforts to better yourself. If you feel someone is continuously pressuring you, approach them in a friendly way and ask if they are bothered by your weight loss plan. It could be that they wish they had your self control! But whatever you do, don’t give in to peer pressure. You know what’s best for you.

6) Failing to drink enough water. You’ve heard it time and again, but try to get that 8 glasses of water per day. Adequate water intake has been linked to more efficient weight loss, and your body needs it anyway to stay healthy.

Got questions?  Come in and talk to us about your weight loss goals and plan!