I’m a personal trainer and if you’re struggling to lose weight, you might be making these mistakes

For many of us who have packed in junk food for healthier lifestyles, sometimes it seems those last few pounds of extra weight just won’t budge.

Although experts warn not to become ‘fixated’ on those dreaded numbers on the scale, the road to weight loss can still be quite frustrating for people who are close to reaching their goal but can’t quite overcome the final hurdle.

Rachael Attard, a qualified personal trainer and nutritionist from Queensway, Australia, has revealed the common diet mistakes that are most likely slowing down your weight loss.

She says the road to your dream body requires a ‘flexible’ approach, as well as ensuring you don’t eat too much or too little.

She explained: ‘Focus on mindful eating and having a balanced, flexible approach to dieting for long-term success and a healthier relationship with food.

Rachael Attard, a qualified personal trainer and nutritionist from Queensway, Australia, has revealed the common diet mistakes that are most likely slowing down your weight loss (Pictured: Stock image of a man and woman on their weight loss journey)

‘In the quest for achieving and maintaining a healthier body, it’s no secret that diet plays a pivotal role. 

‘Whether you’re aiming to shed those stubborn extra pounds or striving for a complete lifestyle transformation, your diet is the cornerstone of your journey

Here, FEMAIL reveals the common diet mistakes that are slowing down your weight loss, as explained by our expert. 

Eating too much or too little

According to Rachael, losing weight needn’t take the form of exploring fad diets, and is as simple as one, two three.

She explained: ‘If you don’t have any medical conditions that might impact your weight loss or gain, losing weight comes down to simple math – you need to burn more calories than you consume.

‘If you’re not sure how many calories you need, you can use a calorie calculator, or even better, you can keep track of your calorie intake for a week or two and see how many calories your body needs daily. Eating either too much or too little will hinder your weight loss journey’.

The expert said if you consume the same amount of calories each day, you’ll end up maintaining your weight instead of losing it.

The expert said it’s ‘crucial’ to prioritise whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins (pictured), and whole grains (Stock image)

If your ultimate goal is to lose weight, eating around 200 to 500 fewer calories a day should do the job. However Rachael sternly warned against any form of overeating or starvation.

She continued: ‘I don’t recommend going for a 500 calorie deficit because that can lead to the feeling of starvation, which can result in overeating or binge eating.

‘Similarly, I wouldn’t recommend going below 1200 calories a day, as it is the absolute minimum for women who want to lose weight in a healthy way. 

‘Any form of dieting and calorie restriction slows your metabolism a bit, but excessive dieting, especially if you do it for a longer period of time, will damage your metabolism and make your weight loss very difficult or even impossible’.

Skipping out on resistance training while dieting

Rachael has revealed you can boost your metabolism by building muscle. 

But fret not, you won’t need to become a bodybuilder over night. She explained: ‘It doesn’t mean you have to lift heavy weights and get muscular, unless that is your goal, of course.

‘If lifting weights is not your cup of tea, don’t worry, there are alternative approaches to building toned and lean muscles. 

Bodyweight resistance training, which utilises your own body as resistance, can be an effective and accessible way to achieve your fitness goals.

Types of bodyweight resistance exercises that can  be done at home include: glute bridges, single leg bicycles, and bear crawls – a movement that requires you to crawl either forwards or backwards using just your hands and toes.

Waiting too long to eat

While a good old belly rumble or a starving headache might seem like good indicators of snack time, it is advisable not to wait until you’re completely ravenous before eating.

The expert explained: ‘When we wait until the feeling of starvation to eat, we usually end up eating way more than we normally would. 

‘To avoid this, consider planning three balanced meals each day and complimenting them with healthy, nutrient-rich snacks in between.

‘This strategy not only helps maintain a steady supply of energy throughout the day but also prevents those ravenous hunger pangs that can trigger overeating. 

Rachel explained that bodyweight resistance training, which utilises your own body as resistance, can be an effective and accessible way to achieve your fitness goal (Stock image)

‘By proactively nourishing your body at regular intervals, you can regulate your appetite, control portion sizes, and make more mindful food choices’.

Eating ‘healthy’ processed food

Processing refers to the adding to, or altering of raw ingredients which can be done to make food safer or more palatable to eat. Examples include pasteurisation to increase shelf life, such as by freezing, or improving taste by adding sugar, salt or fat. 

Our expert explained that highly-processed foods, even those marketed as ‘healthy’ or ‘organic’ can be full of hidden sugars, unhealthy fats, artificial additives, and excessive salt. 

These ingredients are often used to enhance flavour, texture, and shelf life, but they can have adverse effects on our health, such as contributing to weight gain, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.

Rachael said it’s ‘crucial’ to prioritise whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. 

Being too strict when you diet

It’s time to scream hooray as Rachael lets us in to the more fun side of weight loss, including treating yourself to a not-so-healthy snack from time to time.

Yes, you’ve heard correctly, however she warns us to be wary of the concept of a ‘cheat day’ as it could lead to overeating.

She explained: ‘Driven by the rigidity of our diet plans, we may find ourselves tempted to designate a “cheat day,” where we grant ourselves permission to indulge in all the forbidden foods we’ve been avoiding.

‘However, while the idea of a cheat day can provide a brief mental break and an escape from dietary restrictions, it’s important to approach this popular concept with caution. 

‘I don’t recommend having cheat days, as they can lead to unintended consequences, such as guilt, overeating, and setbacks in your fitness journey.

‘If you think cheat days will be beneficial for you, keep it to a single meal or snack rather than blowing the whole day on ice cream, burgers, and pizza. 

‘This will help you curb your overall caloric intake and can make it easier to get back to your normal diet after your cheat day is over’.

She advocates instead for the ’80:20′ rule, which means eating healthily most of the time, while eating whatever you’re craving for 20 per cent of the time.

She added: ‘Diets don’t have to feel like you’re depriving yourself. Instead, they can be a journey towards discovering a healthier, more balanced relationship with food.

‘By avoiding common diet mistakes, embracing mindful eating, and finding satisfaction in nutritious choices, you can not only reach your weight loss goals but also enjoy the process along the way. 

‘Remember, it’s about nourishing your body, fostering self-compassion, and achieving lasting well-being’.

No Byline Policy

Editorial Guidelines

Corrections Policy

Source