If you are having trouble taking the weight off, take a close hard look at what you are doing and what you aren’t doing. I’m willing to be that some of my “Top 5 Weight Loss Sabotagers”
5) Excuses – from “I don’t have time to exercise” to last week’s “I was stressed at work and didn’t have time to cook so I had a whooper and fries for dinner,” I think I’ve now heard everything under the sun. If you feel an excuse coming on, call a friend who works out regularly for motivation, or tune into youtube and watch Team Hoyt or Matt Scott.
4) You train to eat. Here’s another one I heard last week “If I burn 900 calories in cardio kickboxing, how much can I eat and still lose weight.” Oy. The 900 calorie estimate was way off and the mentality of working out so you can eat can get you in trouble. Eat to train, don’t train to eat.
3) You consider a stroll in the park exercise. Or, here’s my favorite “I went up and down the stairs a million times today Marie.” If you are 90 I’ll let you get away with the stairs as exercise. But, until you hit that birthday, it’s time to move it. Bust your butt in the gym, get your heart rate up, lift heavy weights and change your workout routine regularly.
2) You eat out. Eating out itself isn’t bad but when you think lettuce wraps are low cal and healthy you may want to check out your favorite restaurant food ahead of time. Ignorance isn’t bliss when it comes to weight loss. Even I’m surprised at the calorie and fat low-down at some restaurants.
1) And the #1 weight loss sabotager? You blow it on the weekend. I’ve seen people that log their food intake all week, tell me what they are doing for exercise and somehow the two just don’t add up to weight maintenance. Then I have them keep a log on the weekend. Come Monday they have had their “ah-ha” moment. All that beer, burgers, fries, wine and late nights at Waffle House really do make a difference. And, alcohol may make your memory forget what you did this weekend but your body should remind you at some point.