Top 7 mistakes people make for quick weight loss

What things have you done to lose weight?

Why is everyone losing weight except me?

Why are most diets not successful?

How to lose weight fast?

Below are a few thorough science-based hidden reasons why you haven’t been able to lose weight.

Let me know if you have done any of the below or something other than these, in the comment section at the end.

#1 Under-estimating your calorie intake

Research conducted by Columbia University showed that people on a calorie-restricted diet under-reported their food intake by an average of 47 %. Meaning that without a proper calculation they simply thought they are eating lesser calories than actual.
This miscalculation can be one of the biggest factors as to why you aren’t losing weight in spite of “dieting”.
The same group reported their physical activity higher by an average of 51%.
Sometimes we think that maybe a small cookie or chocolate won’t matter. The little leftover, tiny tastings here and there are almost forgotten when counting the calories.
Busy schedules and unthoughtful eating makes us forget what we put in our mouth. These tiny itsy bitsy calories actually add up and ought to be accounted for.
Portion counting is one difficult area in calculating calories. Example – When it is mentioned a teaspoon of sugar, you might end up taking a heaped teaspoon and thus calorie counting goes for a toss.
When eating a meal not cooked at home, it is really tough to estimate the calories.

What can you do?
Start writing a food diary, keep track of every sip and bite. Adhere to your portion sizes and slowly it will become a habit.

#2 Over-estimating Calorie Burnt

Do workout machines overestimate the calories burnt on them? Yup, it’s true! Study shows that overestimation can be as high as 40%.
Fitness apps & machine calculation may strikingly vary from the actual calorie burnt by a person while exercising.
Treadmill, elliptical and other cardio machines display calculated calories which are different than the actually burnt calories.
Two people with same body weight, height and age can have different calorie burning for the same activity depending upon their body composition of fat, muscle, bone percentage etc.
One more drawback is that overestimation of calorie burnt, leads to consuming extra food. (Are you one of those who think I have had a super tough workout day – I deserve to eat more calories today?)
Justifying eating a cake just because you have worked out tough today isn’t really the right approach when trying to lose weight. Eating cannot be compensated by working out more.
Exercise is important for overall health & can help you lose weight. It’s just that, it is not as effective in burning calories, as we think it should be.
Set your weight loss goals keeping in mind the many factors like age, health condition, weight loss history, lifestyle, genetic factors etc. Talking to an expert can really help in the matter.

#3 Not eating enough

Every person is unique and needs a personalized step by step weight loss strategy.
Eating less will not help you lose weight. What will help is eating in proportion and in balance.
More and more studies are showing that nutrient imbalance and lack of nutrients can be the cause of overeating and lethargy.
“Dinner skip kar do weight kam ho jayega tumhara” a common weight loss tip which of course is not practical and can’t be a part of long term weight loss program.
Food is the fuel body works on. Skipping meals isn’t a good idea at all, you just end up taxing the body by doing so.
Trying to cut down on calories people normally end up cutting down on nutrients. Which of course results in other chronic health ailments.
Getting a customized weight loss plan by a qualified person of the field in accordance with your health parameters is a necessity.

#4 Skipping food groups

“Eat Protein diet, weight aise hi kam ho jayega.”

“Roti khane se wajan badh jata hai, skip the roti, eat rice”

“Chawal se wajan badega”

Above myths are very commonly heard in the dieter’s world (In fact its heard in every mall, restaurant, get together, it’s all around the place).
Apart from being confusing, the problem with fad diets is – they spread like fire.
Science says when you try to completely stop eating a certain food group like fats or grains, you will end up with craving more of it. (who hasn’t faced a craving, the fact is, the thing you restrict more is craved more for.)
Also nutritionally it will get difficult to balance the diet if you skip certain food group completely. Maximum times it leads to deficiencies.
For example, if you are on a low carb diet where you skip grains – you are more likely to miss out on fibre and other vitamins like folate, thiamine.
It poses load on the kidney for digestion, you may face dehydration, constipation, calcium deficiency and kidney stones.

#5 Weight scale dilemma

The body weight comprises of the bones, muscle, fat, water etc. when you lose or gain weight it might be either of them. The number on the scale is just a show of overall change in total weight.
Every person’s weight varies in the day. It can fluctuate 1 to 3 kgs depending upon many factors.
When you don’t clear your bowels well or you are constipated you will end up seeing a higher figure on the scale.
You go to the gym to lose weight and you may gain muscle weight while exercising and lifting weights.
You will lose the fat and gain muscle, but the number on the scale will not really show any change. This will show up as inch loss in the body.
Water retention may happen depending upon water intake, sleep, stress, hormonal issues like thyroid, PCOD, estrogen levels etc. In this situation too you will see the number on the weight machine increase.
Check for other signs along with the weight – your clothes might get looser, you are feeling lighter, energetic, if your workout stamina has improved.
Having a healthy lifestyle have numerous other benefits which can’t be assessed like prevention of disease, feeling happy, ease in doing your everyday routine, being comfortable with your own self.
Like they say “money can’t buy everything”. You need to invest time & effort for a healthier tomorrow. Today is when you start because tomorrow does not come. Have a reasonable, realistic and healthy long term goal.

#6 Falling for marketing trap

Energy drinks, salads, soup, grilled stuff, Energy bars, low-fat butter, low sugar ice-cream all might sound like a healthier option, but are they?
Check the food labels always, this will help you get the true picture of what’s getting into your body. Energy drink and bars can be loaded with sugar for energy.
The salad could have high-calorie dressing like mayo or olive oil. Soups with cream or fried stuff in it can’t really be called low calorie. Grilled dishes in the restaurant may have dripping oil or butter.
Don’t hesitate to ask what exactly to expect if you order a certain dish from the menu. Always let the person serving you in the restaurant know what you exactly need.
Sugar-free ice-cream can still give you almost the same calories as the normal ice-cream. Reading labels and being aware is the key.
Be an aware customer check labels, check online for nutrient composition on company websites, ask in the restaurant the exact food you will get on the plate and try cooking your own food – its super fun, a stress buster and healthy – you can make it as healthy as you like it.

It’s your health, your body – take control of what goes into it. Because what you eat today is becoming you tomorrow. Taking care of your diet is not a luxury it’s a necessity. Start now.

#7 Unrealistic expectations

Advertisement example: “lose 20 kgs in a month.” ; Really??

Setting realistic goals both short term and long term are needed for achieving them and keeping the weight off permanently.
Crash diet weight loss is the very foundation of yo-yo effect. Trying to lose weight quickly ends up in gaining weight as quickly, once you get back to normal routine.
Short term approach towards weight misses out on the health factor. Fitness is more important than being just lower on weight.
Your nutrient intake and overall functioning of the body has to be considered before you start eating lesser.
Plan long-term, it’s your health you are investing in. It is the only thing that really matters.
Your body is a super machine and much more, don’t crash it with a crash diet.

Conclusion:

We have all been there and done that – Tried to lose weight quickly.

It’s not bad to lose weight quickly if done by eating healthy.

Things that most people end up doing wrong are

1) Under-estimating the calories they eat and

2) Over-estimating the calories burnt.

People think they are doing it right eating less and burning more. But are they actually doing it? Monitor and see for yourself.

3) Going on a super low-calorie diet and open the doors of deficiencies and imbalances in the body.

4) Skip some meals and food by labelling them fattening. By doing so you are only taxing your body and not making it healthy and fit.

5) Checking your weight is important but more important is to check if your health is boosted, if you are happier, energetic and fitter.

6) Be aware – don’t fall for the marketing traps. Check labels, know what’s on your plate and try cooking your own food whenever possible can be really helpful to understand and control what is going into the dish.

7) Unrealistic unachievable targets of losing weight open the door for a crash diet. Set both long term n short term health goals.

Well, setting a target and building goals is really the need of the hour. And anything that motivates you is going to help.

Scientifically, it is really important to lose weight but not more important than doing it in a healthy scientific manner.

Let us know your views in the comments.

Top 7 mistakes people make for quick weight loss

What things have you done to lose weight?

Why is everyone losing weight except me?

Why are most diets not successful?

How to lose weight fast?

Below are a few thorough science-based hidden reasons why you haven’t been able to lose weight.

Let me know if you have done any of the below or something other than these, in the comment section at the end.

#1 Under-estimating your calorie intake

Research conducted by Columbia University showed that people on a calorie-restricted diet under-reported their food intake by an average of 47 %. Meaning that without a proper calculation they simply thought they are eating lesser calories than actual.

This miscalculation can be one of the biggest factors as to why you aren’t losing weight in spite of “dieting”.

The same group reported their physical activity higher by an average of 51%.

Sometimes we think that maybe a small cookie or chocolate won’t matter. The little leftover, tiny tastings here and there are almost forgotten when counting the calories.

Busy schedules and unthoughtful eating makes us forget what we put in our mouth. These tiny itsy bitsy calories actually add up and ought to be accounted for.

Portion counting is one difficult area in calculating calories. Example – When it is mentioned a teaspoon of sugar, you might end up taking a heaped teaspoon and thus calorie counting goes for a toss.

When eating a meal not cooked at home, it is really tough to estimate the calories.

What can you do?

Start writing a food diary, keep track of every sip and bite. Adhere to your portion sizes and slowly it will become a habit.

#2 Over-estimating Calorie Burnt

Do workout machines overestimate the calories burnt on them? Yup, it’s true! Study shows that overestimation can be as high as 40%.

Fitness apps & machine calculation may strikingly vary from the actual calorie burnt by a person while exercising.

Treadmill, elliptical and other cardio machines display calculated calories which are different than the actually burnt calories.

Two people with same body weight, height and age can have different calorie burning for the same activity depending upon their body composition of fat, muscle, bone percentage etc.

One more drawback is that overestimation of calorie burnt, leads to consuming extra food. (Are you one of those who think I have had a super tough workout day – I deserve to eat more calories today?)

Justifying eating a cake just because you have worked out tough today isn’t really the right approach when trying to lose weight. Eating cannot be compensated by working out more.

Exercise is important for overall health & can help you lose weight. It’s just that, it is not as effective in burning calories, as we think it should be.

Set your weight loss goals keeping in mind the many factors like age, health condition, weight loss history, lifestyle, genetic factors etc. Talking to an expert can really help in the matter.

#3 Not eating enough

Every person is unique and needs a personalized step by step weight loss strategy.

Eating less will not help you lose weight. What will help is eating in proportion and in balance.

More and more studies are showing that nutrient imbalance and lack of nutrients can be the cause of overeating and lethargy.

“Dinner skip kar do weight kam ho jayega tumhara” a common weight loss tip which of course is not practical and can’t be a part of long term weight loss program.

Food is the fuel body works on. Skipping meals isn’t a good idea at all, you just end up taxing the body by doing so.

Trying to cut down on calories people normally end up cutting down on nutrients. Which of course results in other chronic health ailments.

Getting a customized weight loss plan by a qualified person of the field in accordance with your health parameters is a necessity.

#4 Skipping food groups

“Eat Protein diet, weight aise hi kam ho jayega.”

“Roti khane se wajan badh jata hai, skip the roti, eat rice”

“Chawal se wajan badega”

Above myths are very commonly heard in the dieter’s world (In fact its heard in every mall, restaurant, get together, it’s all around the place).

Apart from being confusing, the problem with fad diets is – they spread like fire.

Science says when you try to completely stop eating a certain food group like fats or grains, you will end up with craving more of it. (who hasn’t faced a craving, the fact is, the thing you restrict more is craved more for.)

Also nutritionally it will get difficult to balance the diet if you skip certain food group completely. Maximum times it leads to deficiencies.

For example, if you are on a low carb diet where you skip grains – you are more likely to miss out on fibre and other vitamins like folate, thiamine.

It poses load on the kidney for digestion, you may face dehydration, constipation, calcium deficiency and kidney stones.

#5 Weight scale dilemma

The body weight comprises of the bones, muscle, fat, water etc. when you lose or gain weight it might be either of them. The number on the scale is just a show of overall change in total weight.

Every person’s weight varies in the day. It can fluctuate 1 to 3 kgs depending upon many factors.

When you don’t clear your bowels well or you are constipated you will end up seeing a higher figure on the scale.

You go to the gym to lose weight and you may gain muscle weight while exercising and lifting weights.

You will lose the fat and gain muscle, but the number on the scale will not really show any change. This will show up as inch loss in the body.

Water retention may happen depending upon water intake, sleep, stress, hormonal issues like thyroid, PCOD, estrogen levels etc. In this situation too you will see the number on the weight machine increase.

Check for other signs along with the weight – your clothes might get looser, you are feeling lighter, energetic, if your workout stamina has improved.

Having a healthy lifestyle have numerous other benefits which can’t be assessed like prevention of disease, feeling happy, ease in doing your everyday routine, being comfortable with your own self.

Like they say “money can’t buy everything”. You need to invest time & effort for a healthier tomorrow. Today is when you start because tomorrow does not come. Have a reasonable, realistic and healthy long term goal.

#6 Falling for marketing trap

Energy drinks, salads, soup, grilled stuff, Energy bars, low-fat butter, low sugar ice-cream all might sound like a healthier option, but are they?

Check the food labels always, this will help you get the true picture of what’s getting into your body. Energy drink and bars can be loaded with sugar for energy.

The salad could have high-calorie dressing like mayo or olive oil. Soups with cream or fried stuff in it can’t really be called low calorie. Grilled dishes in the restaurant may have dripping oil or butter.

Don’t hesitate to ask what exactly to expect if you order a certain dish from the menu. Always let the person serving you in the restaurant know what you exactly need.

Sugar-free ice-cream can still give you almost the same calories as the normal ice-cream. Reading labels and being aware is the key.

Be an aware customer check labels, check online for nutrient composition on company websites, ask in the restaurant the exact food you will get on the plate and try cooking your own food – its super fun, a stress buster and healthy – you can make it as healthy as you like it.

It’s your health, your body – take control of what goes into it. Because what you eat today is becoming you tomorrow. Taking care of your diet is not a luxury it’s a necessity. Start now.

#7 Unrealistic expectations

Advertisement example: “lose 20 kgs in a month.” ; Really??

Setting realistic goals both short term and long term are needed for achieving them and keeping the weight off permanently.

Crash diet weight loss is the very foundation of yo-yo effect. Trying to lose weight quickly ends up in gaining weight as quickly, once you get back to normal routine.

Short term approach towards weight misses out on the health factor. Fitness is more important than being just lower on weight.

Your nutrient intake and overall functioning of the body has to be considered before you start eating lesser.

Plan long-term, it’s your health you are investing in. It is the only thing that really matters.

Your body is a super machine and much more, don’t crash it with a crash diet.

Conclusion:

We have all been there and done that – Tried to lose weight quickly.

It’s not bad to lose weight quickly if done by eating healthy.

Things that most people end up doing wrong are

1) Under-estimating the calories they eat and

2) Over-estimating the calories burnt.

People think they are doing it right eating less and burning more. But are they actually doing it? Monitor and see for yourself.

3) Going on a super low-calorie diet and open the doors of deficiencies and imbalances in the body.

4) Skip some meals and food by labelling them fattening. By doing so you are only taxing your body and not making it healthy and fit.

5) Checking your weight is important but more important is to check if your health is boosted, if you are happier, energetic and fitter.