5 mistakes that are sabotaging your weight loss goals

Have you been trying to lose weight but not able to figure out why you needle on the scale is not swinging the other way? You could be making one of these mistakes that are stopping you from meeting your weight loss goals. Calculate how much weight you can lose in a month here.

#1 You skip meals 
Do you often skip meals, especially breakfast, thinking that it will help you lose weight? When you skip a meal, your metabolism rate drops, which slows down the speed at which you burn calories. Skipping meals also increases hunger and leads up to eatingextra calories over time. According to nutritionist Akansha Jhalani, if you are trying to lose weight, make a nutritious breakfast mandatory. It is the most important meal of the day that stabilises your blood glucose levels and gives you the energy to start your day. Here are 5 quick and healthy breakfast ideas.

#2 You swear by energy bars
You may opt for energy bars as they promise to keep you full and provide adequate nutrition to your body. But the nutrition that fresh seasonal vegetables, fruits, dairy and whole grain cereals offer cannot be effectively packed into an energy bar. According to nutritionist Namita Jain, these bars can be high in sugar, fats, salt and other preservatives that can negate your weight loss efforts and result in nutritional deficiencies and weight gain. Replace your energy bars with these foods.

#3 You are into steady state cardio
Do you spend a lot of time on the elliptical trainer, treadmill and other cardio machines? This is one of the worst things you are doing for weight loss as this routine does not challenge your body to improve. If you want to lose weight fast, combine HIIT with strength training to see your body burning calories throughout the day. You can also add burpees, kettlebell routines, push-ups kick-boxing and squats to burn more calories.

#4 You don’t get enough sleep
When you do not get enough sleep, the hormone ghrelin can increase your appetite and lead to weight gain. According to a study, when you are sleep deprived you crave for junk and sugary foods, experience tiredness and lack of concentration. To put a check on cravings for high-calorie foods, sleep for 7-8 hours in a day. It will also allow you to perform physical activities properly and improve your metabolism.

#5 You are too stressed
Stress can be one of the main reasons why your weight loss efforts can go in vain. When you are stressed, your body releases certain hormones that will stimulate your appetite and contribute to weight gain. It will make you nibble on those sugary, high-calorie, high-fat and salty snacks that may help you cope with your emotions temporarily, but increase your waistline. Stress can also lead to the release of the hormone cortisol that can slow down your metabolism and lead to weight gain. Cortisol also enhances the fat deposition in your body, especially in the abdominal area.

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