You don’t need to be getting over an ex to be obsessed with Khloe Kardashian’s Revenge Body series — the transformations on the show are OMG-worthy, regardless of your relationship status. But if a stint on reality TV isn’t in your future, you can still get a little help from Revenge Body trainers — WomensHealthMag.com quizzed Latreal Mitchell, Nicole Winhoffer, and Ashley Borden for the major missteps that keep people from seeing results.
1. Going From Zero to 60
The first week of a new weight loss plan is always the best — you’re super psyched and dedicated to following every rule, 100%. This all-or-nothing mentality might not be helping you in the long run because once the novelty wears off, you’ll get bored or burned out and give up too quickly, Mitchell says. “People think that losing weight happens overnight but you didn’t gain it overnight, so you will not lose it in 30 days,” she says. “Losing weight takes consistency over time.”
Do this instead: Be patient with your body as it adjusts to a new diet or workout program and set realistic goals, she says. For most people, losing 1-2 pounds per week is a safe and attainable goal but check with your doctor about your individual needs.
2. Getting Obsessed With Your Weight
Do you have a love-hate relationship with your scale? It’s time to stop using your weight as the only measure of success in your workouts, Mitchell says. Sure, when you’re looking to lose weight, you’re going to want to know what you weigh but that number shouldn’t control you and it definitely shouldn’t discourage you from sticking to your fitness plan. Getting on a scale daily can be discouraging; your weight can fluctuate for so many different reasons like how hydrated you are, the time of the month, and putting on fat-blasting muscle, she says.
Do this instead: Weigh yourself once a week or even once a month so you can see the changes over time without worrying about day-to-day fluctuations. She also recommends focusing on inches lost and how your clothes fit as you may be getting leaner and smaller even though you weigh the same.
3. Thinking Fewer Calories Are Always Better
Starving yourself on an ultra low-cal diet is not the way to lose weight long term and can even backfire by setting you up for bingeing and yo-yo dieting, Mitchell says. Not to mention, you’ll have zero energy for your workouts if you’re not eating well. “View your body as a fireplace and the fire is your metabolism. In order to keep your fire burning, you have to regularly give it wood,” she explains.
Do this instead: Ditch extreme diets for eating three healthy meals a day with small pre-portioned, nutritious snacks in between, she says. “Eating this way will fire up your metabolism and you can get out of fat storage mode and into fat burning mode,” she says.
4. Changing Everything All at Once
“Most of my clients are ‘alphas,’ meaning that they’re used to juggling many things at once, and so when we start a new weight loss plan, they want to do it all at once too,” Winhoffer says. You might be able to manage this for a little while but over time you’ll get overwhelmed. “When it comes to change, slow really is better,” she adds. This is especially true in the gym; jumping in too quickly can lead to injuries and burnout.
Do this instead: Give yourself permission to take your time and only change one thing at once. Then when you know you can stick with it, add a new thing. For instance, instead of saying no junk food ever again, start by cutting out added sugars. Once you’re solid on that, eliminate fried foods. Or, make a goal to hit the gym three days a week. Once you’re doing that, add a fun fitness class.
5. Depriving Yourself of All Your Favorite Foods
One of the most common causes of “failing” on a diet is underestimating how powerful your feelings about certain foods can be, Winhoffer says. “We naturally have an emotional connection to food,” she explains. “People who completely remove a type of food will feel emotionally unstable and will think that the plan can’t work for them.”
Do this instead: It’s fine to have a treat sometimes, so just relax and enjoy it, she says. You’ll lose weight as long as the calories you eat are less than the calories you burn so plan the occasional splurge into your calorie count.
6. Looking at Exercise Like a Chore
Do you dread going to the gym? Then you won’t go, at least not for long, Winhoffer says. “We are all human and if we aren’t having fun, we will eventually fail with our fitness goals,” she says. Of course there will be moments in every exercise routine that will be tough (and if there weren’t you wouldn’t lose fat and gain muscle!) but your whole workout shouldn’t feel like a slog, she adds.
Do this instead: Too many people think they hate working out when the reality is they simply haven’t found the right workout for them yet. “Plan fun into your schedule, both in and out of the gym, and you will have more balance in your life,” she says. There are so many options — from dancing to rock climbing to hiking to cycling tours — to help you break a sweat while still enjoying yourself.
7. Fearing the Weight Room
Weight lifting has so many powerful physical and mental benefits, especially for women trying to lose weight. Yet there are still a lot of ladies who avoid strength training and it’s holding them back in their weight loss goals, Borden says. “Heavier strength training releases powerful fat burning hormones,” she says. “Lifting is especially vital for people who are looking to lose a lot of weight.” Plus it will help give you a sexy shape as you drop pounds.
Do this instead: “Lift weights and don’t be afraid to go heavy!” Borden says. If you’re not sure where to start, check in with a personal trainer. And if you’d prefer to steer clear of the gym, there are tons of bodyweight strength workouts you can do anytime, anywhere.
8. Skimping on Sleep
“Women will not get enough sleep, thinking they can ‘catch up’ later — you can’t,” Borden says. This is disastrous for weight loss because sleep regulates your hormones so when you don’t get enough sleep your body increases the cortisol. Cortisol, also known as the “stress” hormone, increases your hunger levels and makes you crave sugar, she explains. Not to mention that trying to get through a good workout when you’re already feeling exhausted is a losing battle, she adds.
Do this instead: Make getting 7-9 sleep your number one priority and don’t compromise, she says. “You’ll feel more balanced, calm, and ready to achieve your goals,” she adds.
From: Women’s Health US
