The effect of the diets is temporary. When you do not follow the diet and nutritional restrictions, lost kilograms just get back. To save results that are not weakened, you need to constantly change your daily routine, especially your habits that prevent losing weight.
Here is a list of the most meaningful ones:
- You drink too much
Pure water is good for your body, but beverages are synonyms for weight gain. Sodas contain a lot of added sugar, which turns into fat in your liver and increases your belly fat.
Diet soda is just as harmful as the rest: its artificial sweeteners have many of the same negative effects on metabolism and appetite.
Besides soft drinks, try to avoid alcohol. It contains a lot of additional calories and can cause the formation of belly fat and fatty liver, which impacts metabolism. Furthermore, when you drink wine or other alcoholic drinks, you eat more than you intended.
- You don’t make meal prepping
Busy people are the same: grabbing a cup of coffee with a croissant for breakfast, having a snack with a sandwich at work, and eating a frozen pizza with salami and cheese for dinner. We live faster and faster and, as a result, homemade food is being gradually displaced by ready meals. In this case, don’t be surprised if you see extra kilograms of weight on the scales. Prepared food is food with a high amount of fat and salt and is more caloric than healthy food cooked at home.
If you want to lose weight, start preparing entire meals or dishes in advance. It may not only improve your shape but also save you money and a significant amount of your time.
There are several options to try for beginners, starting with meal prepping. Firstly, you can make batches for months. You can freeze them and store them as long as needed and possible. Some foods are long-lasting and can be reheated without losing essential vitamins and minerals.
The second idea you can take into service is ready-to-cook ingredients. For example, if you have already prepared all the ingredients for the salad, you can finish cooking at any time. Then it will not spoil too fast, and you can mix all the ingredients as soon as you want to have a snack.
Meal prep for weight loss is a must-try practice for those with little free time. We will show you it is easy, quick, and healthy.
- Frequent snacking
Frequent snacking leads to excess calories and unwanted weight gain. Even healthy food can be harmful. For example, nuts are full of fat, and dried fruits contain too much sugar. You can eat them but in moderation.
If you want to lose weight and focus on the positive results, refuse frequent snacking during the day.
To reduce harmful snacks to a minimum, don’t skip breakfast. The feeling of hunger provokes the desire to eat and causes frequent daily snacking. Always try to eat three square, balanced meals daily, each with a healthy dose of protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, and fat.
- You add unhealthy, harmful sauces
You are eating healthy, balanced food, but you have noticed that you are gaining weight. What’s the matter? The answer is unhealthy condiments. They contain many additives, including preservatives, which are harmful to health. Some sauces, like store-bought ketchup, barbecue sauce, or mustard, have a lot of added sugar and salt, which leads to weight gain. Mayonnaise, in turn, is high in fat and calories, which increases your weight.
Refuse the use of flavors to avoid the extra calories. Refill your meals with lemon juice, greek yogurt, and add spices or herbs.
- Food as a reward or as a punishment
Eating a tub of ice cream can be a panacea for all ills, but only in a movie. In reality, it adds just extra centimeters at the waist and extra pounds on the scales. When you are sad, depressed, or too nervous, you feel hungry, but it is only a biological reaction of the body. The stress causes your adrenal glands to secrete cortisol, a stress-related hormone, which provokes a desire to eat sugary, salty, or fatty foods. In stressful situations, it’s better to avoid food and go in for sports because it helps manage stress. Workouts cause your body to release endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in your brain that improve mood and relieve pain and stress.
The same with good spirits. If it’s your lucky day, and you succeeded at work, don’t celebrate it with a calorie-rich dessert. You will eat it, and then you will feel regretful that you are off your diet. Reward yourself with something tangible that will give you good emotions and positive impressions, like a new pair of jeans, a new notebook, or tickets for the concert.