Losing weight ultimately comes down to what you do on a daily basis.
It’s not your herculean efforts every month or so that will bring you results. It’s the small things you do day in and day out. While not hugely exciting, it’s effective.
In the blog post today we talk about: 4 Damaging Habits Ruining Your Results Most People Do When Trying To Lose Fat
PLUS here’s 7 easy habits that will help to accelerate your weight loss journey with simple lifestyle changes:
- Track calories
Calories are not the be-all & end-all of weight loss. But they do matter. You need to have a good idea of how many calories you’re eating each day. Download MyFitnessPal. Track calories, daily. - Create a calorie deficit
Now that you have a good idea of how much you’re eating on a daily basis, you need to create a calorie deficit. A good method for this is the following formula:
(Bodyweight (lbs) x 15) — 400
Or use this calculator: tdeecalculator.net
This will give you a rough ballpark to aim for. - Get 8 hours of sleep
If you’re not getting 8 hours of sleep, you’re sabotaging your fat loss efforts. Inadequate sleep makes your body more likely to hold onto fat.It also alters your hunger hormones & decreases willpower, making it much harder to stay on track with your nutrition. - Eat 1g of protein per lb of body weight
Eating more protein will accelerate your fat loss. Protein: Burns calories from digesting it, keeps you full for longer, builds muscle mass, limits cravings. - Limit alcohol, sugar, & processed food
All of these will sabotage your weight loss efforts.They’re packed with calories, mess with your hormones, & will lead to other bad habits. Go out and enjoy your life, but keep these to a minimum. - Lift weights 3x/week, walk 10k steps/day
Lifting weights & walking are key if you want to lose fat. Walking + loading your muscles: burns fat, makes you look leaner, increases your metabolism, improves your muscle mass (which will lead to you burning more calories at rest). - Drink water
Boring, I know. But drinking more water is crucial if you want to lose weight. In order to function properly, our bodies need a lot of water + electrolytes. Water is also highly satiating — meaning you’re less likely to want snacks & will also eat less at mealtime. Drink 1/2 your body weight in filtered water each day.
4 Damaging Habits Ruining Your Results Most People Do When Trying To Lose Fat
#1. Letting a Number Control Your Emotions
The scale can be your best friend or worst enemy.
If it helps keep you motivated & you use it to track your long-term progress, great. But if it’s a source of unending frustration, you’re probably falling into the first & most common pitfall of losing fat: obsessing over the numbers on the scale.
A number should never have the power to make or break your day — especially when dozens of variables affect it.
Though I weigh myself nearly daily, I only do it to keep track of the weekly & monthly averages. Tracking numbers with a long-term view can ensure you keep your goal in sight without falling into the self-doubt rabbit hole.
How to start:
- If you like weighing yourself, do it daily or every once in a while, but make sure you only compare weekly or monthly averages. The long-term trend is more important than the random daily fluctuations.
- Important tip: Get a scale that measures your fat & muscle percentages. Tracking these values is what matters when losing fat.
- If you don’t like weighing yourself, take progress pictures with the same clothing & lighting conditions every week or every month.
#2. Becoming an App’s Prisoner
Many people have developed an eating disorder because they’ve let a calorie-tracking app rule their lives. They feel like a failure if they eat more than the app’s recommended goal or if their macros are off.
They start fearing certain foods, the origin story of most eating disorders.
Now, I tracked for decades, I only do occasionally now. It taught me a lot about nutrition — and food freedom (yes, you read that correctly). As I know how many calories my body needs to maintain weight & function at my best. I learned it SAFE to EAT WELL.
I know how to properly adjust calories & macros to make my body look & feel, too depending on my goals. I use the calorie tracking app to ensure I’m not going overboard with food.
How to start:
- If you feel comfortable tracking calories, ensure you do so with a weekly overview. This will allow you to relax on the days you go over. For instance, if your goal is 2,000 calories/day, that’s 14,000 calories/week. So if one day you eat 4,000, ensure that on the other six days of the week, you eat 10,000 calories.
- If you feel uncomfortable tracking calories or suffered from an eating disorder, try this tip: 85% of your meals should be nutritionally & calorically on point (protein centric, healthy fats & whole foods). The rest of the meals (15%) are for flexibly enjoying life.
#3. Forgetting Sustainable Fat Loss Habits
Years before I got smart, I felt like a winner because I’d lost some weight while eating nutrient poor, processed diet foods. (Hello Atkins bars, slim fast, & lean cuisines) I reduced my meals from 3-4/day to 2 (& sometimes one) + exercised like 2+ hours a day.
The little food, coupled with excessive exercise + massive amounts of stress, created a hormonal, mental & physical dumpster fire. As I restricted more, & fell into the binge/purge/guilt/restrict cycle, eventually the weight returned & I looked worse. Why? Simple.
I made shrinking my body a hobby & tried to hate myself thin & happy. I learned an essential truth about sustainable fat loss: you have to make it a healthy lifestyle based on the foundation of the big rocks (see photos below).
How to start:
- Though you can achieve a calorie deficit by eating whatever you want, try prioritizing nutrient-dense foods that provide your body with what it needs to thrive mentally & physically.
- A place to start is to consume an average of 1g of protein/lb of body weight if you’re in a normal weight range or choose your goal weight if you have more weight to lose. Use the TDEEcalculator.net to find your maintenance calories & start there.
#4. Hiding & Feeling Shame
When you’re trying to get healthy & lose fat, birthday parties, weddings — any social gathering can inspire anxiety.
What if I overindulge? What if they judge me? I’ll have to exercise extra hard to burn off that slice of cake!
I have a question: WHY are you trying to lose fat & get healthy?
For most of us, the answer will be something like: to be stronger, healthier, to look better — to be happier.
That last point is crucial. Most of us want to achieve a certain fat percentage because we believe that’ll make us happier. And I won’t lie: Achieving & maintaining the physique you want is incredibly rewarding.
But you know what’s even more rewarding? Spending time with your loved ones.
An 80-year Harvard study found that the #1 thing that makes us happy & live longer is having strong social bonds — not a hot body with a low fat percentage.
So if your ultimate goal is to be happy, neglecting social gatherings forever is your worst decision. Moreover, as I’ve mentioned many times, fat loss should be a long, sustainable process. A process of forever learning & evolving. It requires patience, time, and enjoyment.
How to start:
- Don’t avoid social contact to achieve a fat loss or health goal unless it’s necessary. Instead, try adopting some best practices that can help keep you on track while enjoying the company of your loved ones.
- Prioritize protein to help satiate your hunger while keeping your muscles strong. Ordering something like grilled chicken breast or a steak will keep you satiated & less prone to binging. Eat before you go if you need to, don’t go hungry.
- Opt for zero-calorie drinks if possible. Water, tea, coffee, diet pop if you have to. No-minimal alcohol.
- Check the menu ahead of time. Load up on protein first. Skip sauces & dressings or have them on the side. Check the cooking method used. Higher cal will be described typically as pan-fried, breaded, creamed, dipped, scalloped, slathered, etc. Low cal will be grilled, steamed, baked, roasted, broiled, seared.
- Communicate your needs to others. Bring your food if you’re in prep or cutting for a specific reason that requires rigidity. Especially important if you have specific digestive needs. Use this opportunity to educate your friends & family if they ask you why you’re eating this way.
Final Thoughts
Long-Lasting Fat Loss is simple once you stop doing these things & make it a lifestyle you love. Many of us hope to quickly shed pounds when a significant event or a holiday approaches, so we:
- Obsess over daily & normal scale fluctuations instead of tracking progress over a long period.
- Become prisoners of a calorie-tracking app instead of using it for information while keeping a weekly (or monthly) overview.
- Forget about the big rocks of sustainable fat loss & fall back into self sabotaging habits.
- Get lost in information & think we have to do what everyone else is doing or we just don’t do anything because we’re so overwhelmed.
- Avoid social gatherings because we’re afraid of judgement or we can’t manage ourselves instead of understanding that social contact makes us happy & flexibility is totally doable. You can have this AND that! Just takes a strategy & a plan.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Eat the right foods for you. Make habits an effortless LIFESTYLE.
- Get exercise, protein, & quality sleep everyday.
- Track your data (food/weight/blood sugar/ketones, labs) if things aren’t working. Avoid fake, processed, sugary drinks & foods.
- Mind your habits, thoughts, & circle or they’ll mind you.
- Enjoy the process! There is no end goal, just the journey!
oxox Coach K
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Katie also has over 17 years experience as a Registered Radiologic Technologist, Nutritionist, Brand Growth & Sales Consultant. She works with people of all walks of life as a nutritionist & life coach to help them authentically optimize their lives to find health, wealth, & happy!
You can catch her via Instagram @lil_bit_of_fit & blog, Lilbitoffit.com
