Embarking on a weight loss journey can seem daunting. In fact, most women don’t know how to start or maintain a weight loss plan.
However, we’ve ALL been there. Everyone starts as a ‘beginner,’ right?
So let me help you get your fitness journey on the right path from the start by sharing with you the most common weight loss mistakes beginners make. Read on, learn, and apply, ladies!
8 Common Weight Loss Beginner Mistakes
1 Taking on too much too soon.
Don’t overwhelm yourself. Don’t drastically adjust your eating lifestyle AND take on a HIIT class 3x a week at your local gym AND be super mom/girlfriend/partner/daughter/sister/worker/employer, etc.!
Changing too many things at once is setting yourself up for failure. Your mind – and body! – will simply not be able to cope with all the changes to which you’re subjecting them. Instead, make small changes and then build on these fitness achievements.
For example, don’t adjust serving sizes just yet when it comes to eating habits. Just do some smart swapping. Instead of white bread, buy brown bread from now on. Instead of relying on frozen dinners five nights a week, lower it to 3 nights. Once you’ve achieved this, simply go further and further in the right direction 🙂
As regards exercise efforts, don’t try that 30-minute high-intensity cardio workout just yet. Start walking more first; then start brisk walking. Take on a beginner yoga class. Now start jogging and running. Again, build on your achievements!
2 NOT keeping a food journal.
I think nearly 9 out of 10 people tell me they absolutely DON’T like keeping a food journal. It takes too much time; they don’t always remember what they had, etc. But that’s EXACTLY why you should keep a food journal, isn’t it?
You need to MAKE TIME so that you’re mindful of what you eat. You need to REMEMBER what you ate so that you don’t go overboard on the calories. So please keep a food journal 🙂
3 Taking on your weight loss journey alone.
If you’re ‘secretly’ trying to lose weight, then chances are you’ll ‘secretly’ give up easily too. Try and find a fitness buddy. I hear so many of my clients tell me that they end up finding a friend that, what do you know… was also looking for someone they can sport with. If you can’t find a fitness buddy in your circle of friends, then join an online group. Bottom line, don’t do this alone; there’s absolutely no need to!
4 NOT investing in good sportswear.
For us women, there are two very important fitness gear that we must get right from the start: a well-fitting sports bra and the right shoes! You need to get these two sorted correctly from the start to avoid any injuries.
5 NOT practicing proper exercise form.
When you execute an exercise incorrectly, you actually LOSE OUT on the benefits the exercise can give your body. Further, bad form can lead to pain and injuries.
6 Forgetting to ‘branch out.’
Whether this is about nutrition or exercising, it’s important to build on your successes. You simply cannot stay on the same wholewheat toast breakfast and 15-minute yoga exercise daily and expect to lose weight. Besides, you’ll probably give up just from boredom. It’s important to keep on trying new things. There are plenty of great fitness things happening out there. Go and explore!
7 NOT planning or scheduling anything.
You cannot adopt a ‘the will of the wind’ attitude here. You need to PLAN so that you DO. And when you DO, that’s when you ACHIEVE.
8 Expecting too much too soon.
I know that it’s all about instant gratification nowadays. Unfortunately, this does not apply to successful, long-term weight loss. So have patience. Stick to the plan. YOU WILL SEE RESULTS.
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Keep the above tips in mind, and you’re already ahead of the rest when it comes to losing weight. However, do not overthink this.
START.
That’s what you should do first. Begin your journey; be mindful of the top 8 weight loss beginner mistakes above, and weight loss success will not be far behind.