It’s easy to fool ourselves into thinking that we’re working harder at weight loss than we really are. We don’t push ourselves as hard as we could when we’re exercising, for example. We estimate portion sizes. We make excuses. There are many reasons why you might not be seeing the results you think you should be seeing. There is even a chance that you are changing, but you’re just not seeing it yet. However, there are also some things that could be keeping you from reaching your goals without your even knowing it. Here are some hidden traps.
#1. You’re using exercise as an excuse to eat more
As they say, abs are made in the kitchen. That means that while exercise, especially if you’re doing the right kind, can help a lot with getting toned, the best tool is your diet. Too often we forget that or we rationalize that we can treat ourselves because we exercised. However, exercise doesn’t always burn as many calories as we think.
#2. You’re drinking extra calories
Maybe you know to avoid soft drinks and you know that a lot of fancy coffee drinks are nothing more than glorified milkshakes. However, you could be taking in more calories than you think with other drinks. Maybe it’s the protein drinks you think are healthy, but are a little more high calorie than you realize. Maybe it’s that occasional (or more than occasional) cocktail you’re having. Whatever it is, it’s easy to think that calories you drink don’t count.
#3. You’re leaving your diet up to chance
A failure to plan is a plan to fail. If you’re finding yourself grazing on junk food or going for the easy, quick meal because you’re too tired to make a proper meal, you’re failing to plan. Take time once a week to try planning your meals. It doesn’t have to be ironclad. Try planning just a few meals to start. In addition, always have healthy snacks on hand so you’re not playing the vending machine at work like it’s a Vegas slot.
