3 Habits That Can Ruin Your Weight Loss Plan

Keeping an eye on your nutrition can be one of the hardest things about being a responsible adult. Granted, you can take your paycheck and buy $800 worth of candy, but instead of bringing you the same kind of joy it would’ve when you were younger, as an adult that kind of blatant disregard for nutrition only brings regret.

If you want to lose some weight, it’s not as easy as it may seem on paper. To make sure you’re not sabotaging your weight-loss plan, here are three big things to watch out for.

Related: 7 Foods That Burn Belly Fat

Drinking your calories.

As Americans, we spend an incredible amount of money on our daily coffee habit. And that means we’re also spending calories on delicious drinks. The problem is that those drinks often contain a meal’s worth of calories, and if you’re having a blended coffee loaded with whipped cream with your salad, you’ve just ruined your healthy eating plan.

If it’s difficult to stay away from the drinks you love, find an alternative version that contains less sugar. For instance, ask for an unsweetened black tea lemonade and sweeten it with stevia, or get a plain tea or coffee, add a splash of milk or cream, and sweeten it with stevia. Essentially, if what you’re drinking is more of a drinkable dessert, it’s going to undermine your weight loss.

Not counting calories.

There are as many dieting options as there are types of food, so an attempt to lose weight can seem overwhelming. But no matter what you’re doing to lose weight, it still comes down to calories used versus calories consumed. Get a rough estimate of your basal metabolic rate, then shoot for eating 100-200 calories less than that a day for safe weight loss that contributes to a long-term lifestyle change.

The trick is to track what you’re eating. And not in your head—get an app to help (a popular one is MyFitnessPal) and be religious about counting. You’ll be surprised at how many calories are in your favorite foods and which foods will give you the most bang for your buck. 

Not eating well.

All calories are not created equal. Though the “calories in versus, calories out” method works, you can conceivably eat 1,300 calories worth of doughnuts a day and make that your meal plan. This obviously is not a healthy choice, though.

If you choose donuts over nutrient-rich foods, it’s possible you may see weight loss, but you probably won’t fell very well. There’s a reason why the clichés about weight loss have become clichés, so follow them: eat whole foods, avoid sugar, and steer clear of processed foods.

Related: Fuel Your Run

Losing weight is difficult, and no one needs to remind you of that. We’re on your side, though, and we know that these three things will absolutely undermine all that hard work you’re doing. So don’t fall into the trap! And remember that it takes time, so stick with your goals.

What other healthy habits do you keep? Tell us in the comments. And while you’re here, check out our other healthy living articles.