7 mistakes to avoid when you want to lose weight

Maia Baudelaire, founder of the company “I Love My Diet Coach ©”, the first diet coaching service, sheds light on key mistakes to avoid when you want to lose weight.

HAVING OVERSIZED OBJECTIVES
I know! Models in magazines make you weave crazy, crazy dreams, but let me remind you that the best friend of most stars today is still Photoshop. Do not impose unachievable results, like the ones which promise you will lose 8kg in one month by simply throwing back a sachet of mysterious and ambiguous “fat burners”. We want to believe it, but it really does not exist in real life. These overly ambitious goals will push you too hard, or just give rise to frustration, which will eventually ruin all your efforts.

Keep in mind that the secret to effective weight loss is to go slow. Losing weight slowly but surely is one of the keys to lasting weight loss.

SKIPPING MEALS
Do not try to be stronger than your body; you can be sure that you will lose. You have decided to fast to lose weight? No problem, your body will catch up during the next meal, making more than necessary reservations to allay the future deprivation. The result? You’re back to square one – if not even a few pounds heavier!

OMITTING BREAKFAST
Studies prove that breakfast eaters decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease by 20%, and also consume fewer calories throughout the day by eating less fat. And even more importantly, having 3 meals a day reduces the risk of weight gain by half! No doubt about it – breakfast is your friend.

ELIMINATING FOOD
You do not skip meals but you have heard from a friend of a friend that eating starchy food makes you fat. So not one or two types, you have decided to remove them entirely from your diet. This should be avoided because, in reality, it is above all the quality of carbohydrates consumed that matters. Your body needs carbohydrates, especially because your brain uses it to work. Instead, opt for whole grains and beans to increase the feeling of satiety and thus prevent cravings.

MAKING YOUR EXTRA POUNDS AN OBSESSION
You are motivated to combat those extra pounds that are ruining your life. It is a common mistake to make it a fixation and your only objective! Having butterflies in the tummy every morning as you step onto the weighing scale for the pending verdict makes no sense.

Note that your weight takes a week to balance out – hence, weighing yourself every day is no more than a waste of time. Balance your meals over a full week, and then whip out the scales, one morning a week.

FORGETTING ABOUT SPORTS
Sports are a critical weapon against your pounds! Do not neglect them. However, do not fall to the other extreme by deciding to run 40 minutes every day either! For one, you are definitely not going to last more than three days, and for another, it is not really useful unless you plan to run a marathon in the coming months. Divide your 30 minutes of physical activity in the course of your day according to your desires:

Take your children to school by foot, walk your dog, jog a little, do a little gardening, take the stairs at the office, cycle around the neighbourhood etc.

You see, it is not so complicated to do sports without even thinking.

NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP
Sleep is an integral part of an effective weight loss program. It is scientifically proven that sleep deprivation promotes obesity. This is a result of hormone imbalances. This disruption leads to increased hunger, decreased satiety and thus results in making weight loss more difficult – or even actual weight gain!

Sleep at least 7 hours per night, sleep is the best ally of health!

Maia Baudelaire, Expert Nutritionist on Food Behaviour, and Founder of I Love My Diet Coach ® (the first online slimming coaching site reimbursed by other companies).