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12 Mistakes to Avoid When You Want to Lose Weight

These behaviors might be undermining your hard work.

FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback
FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback

Weight loss is not easy—but for the most part, it’s straightforward. “Healthy weight isn’t about following a diet or program,” says the CDC. “Instead, it involves a lifestyle with healthy eating patterns, regular physical activity, and stress management. People with gradual, steady weight loss (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more likely to keep the weight off than people who lose weight quickly.” Here are major mistakes to avoid if you want to lose weight and, just as importantly, keep it off.


Too Stressed

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Chronic stress leads to inflammation, which impedes weight loss efforts. “The link between stress and weight gain is real,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “Those elevated cortisol levels circulating in your body lower your metabolism and encourage cravings for fat and sugars.”

Sedentary Lifestyle

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Sitting too long can lead to weight gain and a slower metabolism, studies show. “It is thought excessive sitting slows the metabolism – which affects our ability to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, and metabolize fat,” says the NHS. “And may cause weaker muscles and bones.”

RELATED: 10 Tips to Lose 40 Pounds in 6 Months

Too Much Sugar

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Too much sugar is terrible for your health—and your waistline. “I don’t think we have enough evidence yet to suggest that sugar is the reason for the obesity epidemic,” cardiologist Chiadi E. Ndumele, MD, MHS, tells Johns Hopkins Health. “But there is enough evidence to say that elevated sugar consumption is an important contributor to weight gain.”

Lack of Sleep

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Not getting enough sleep impacts weight loss in many ways. "Working to find ways to clean up sleep hygiene may help people to extend sleep time to the recommended seven to nine hours per night," Beth Frates, MD, tells Harvard Health. "This could, in turn, lead to consuming fewer calories and even weight loss in people who are in the overweight category by BMI."

Avoiding Weights

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Don’t avoid weights if you want to lose weight! "Strength training helps you lose weight and keep it off by building muscle tissue," according to Beaumont Health. "The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate tends to be. More muscle also helps your body burn more fat than muscle, which is important if you want to lose weight and keep your strength."

RELATED: This Plan Is How to Lose 5 Percent Body Fat In 2 Weeks

Not Enough Protein

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Your body needs protein to build muscle. Protein is also important for satiety. “Protein plus fiber keeps us full longer, which means you don’t feel the urge to eat as often,” chef and dietitian Nancy Waldeck tells Piedmont Healthcare. “This helps keep weight down while fueling our cells with the right nutrients they need.”

Too Many Calories

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It can be useful to track calories to make sure you’re in a deficit. “Losing weight essentially comes down to one thing: By burning more calories than you’re eating, a math solution called a calorie deficit,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “You can create a calorie deficit by reducing your calorie intake or combining fewer calories with more exercise.”

Get Your Heart Rate Up

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Cardio—even gentle cardio like walking and hiking—is great for fat loss. “Cardio’s role in helping you shed pounds is burning calories. The more you exercise, the more calories you’ll burn,” according to Beaumont Health. “If you’re trying to lose weight, you should aim for doing cardio at least five days per week for a total of at least 250 minutes (4 hours, 10 minutes) each week.”

RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Fit as a Pear Body Type

Drink More Water

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Drinking water helps weight loss in many ways. For example, drinking water before a meal can help prevent overeating. "Water is critical in every cellular activity of our body from head to toe," registered dietitian nutritionist Elizabeth Huggins tells Johns Hopkins. "Staying hydrated helps the body run more efficiently and helps us feel better."

Not Food Prepping

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Prepping your food ahead of time eliminates decision-making about what you will eat. "With anything in life, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That applies to meal planning as well," registered dietitian Silvia Veri tells Beaumont Health. "Planning meals and snacks ahead of time increases the chance for success, it increases the likelihood a healthier food choice will be made."

Set Realistic, Sustainable Goals

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Trying to lose an unrealistic amount of weight in too short a time may undermine your efforts. “Depending on your weight, 5% of your current weight may be a realistic goal, at least for an initial goal,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

“If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that's 9 pounds (4 kilograms). Even this level of weight loss can help lower your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”

RELATED: This Plan Is How to Lose 5 Percent Body Fat In 2 Weeks

Not Having Support

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Don’t be afraid to ask for help or support from others. It will help you stay accountable and motivated. “Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you or creating healthy menus, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle,” says the Mayo Clinic. “Your support group can also offer accountability, which can be a strong motivation for sticking to your weight-loss goals.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Make sustainable changes for long-term weight loss success. Maintenance is key!

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Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Struggling with stubborn belly fat that just won't budge, especially after 40? Functional medicine dietitianMay Tom, RD understands your frustration. "This is a particular pain point that drives a lot of my clients to finally come and work with me," says May. Through her practice, she's helped countless clients break free from the cycle of stubborn belly fat using science-based strategies rather than extreme dieting. Keep reading to discover the most common belly fat mistakes you might be making – and learn exactly how to fix them.


Mistake 1: Not Understanding How Belly Fat Works

"Belly fat, also known as visceral adipose tissue, has a unique relationship with insulin resistance," May explains in her post. She describes it as a vicious cycle: "When you're insulin resistant, you put on more weight around your organs. When you have more weight around your organs, they send out signals called adipokines that cause you to become more insulin resistant."

The Cleveland Clinic adds that "visceral fat surrounds your organs and can put you at risk for conditions like diabetes, heart disease, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and more."

Mistake 2: Waiting Too Long to Address the Problem

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"By losing 5% to 10% of your body weight, you can improve blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, mobility, sexual function and more," states Dr. David Creel from the Cleveland Clinic. This aligns with May's observation that addressing belly fat early can prevent long-term health issues.

Mistake 3: Not Tracking Your Blood Sugar

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"Diabetes is 10 years in the making, and belly fat is a sign you're on that path," May warns. She recommends using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for real-time feedback. "This is real data about you," she emphasizes. "It's a total eye-opener."

Mistake 4: Relying on Artificial Sweeteners

Close-up of woman hand throwing saccharin pills on coffee cup in the kitchen at home.Shutterstock

"Being diabetic doesn't mean converting everything to sugar-free, including Diet Coke," May cautions. The Cleveland Clinic supports this, noting that "we're still learning about the long-term effects of different low-calorie sweeteners on things like taste preferences, cravings, gut bacteria and insulin resistance."

Mistake 5: Avoiding Strategic Fasting

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May's "Nourishing Fast" approach, based on the Fasting Mimicking Diet, has shown impressive results. "Recent research with 100 participants showed significant drops in A1C, fasting glucose, insulin resistance, visceral fat, total body fat, and BMI," she reports.

Mistake 6: Doing the Wrong Type of Exercise

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The Cleveland Clinic recommends "150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity cardio exercise" for best results. May adds that "one meta-analysis of 32 studies found that HIIT and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise was more beneficial to lowering visceral adipose tissue than resistance training."

Mistake 7: Focusing Only on Ab Exercises

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"When you do sit-ups and other core-strengthening exercises, you're strengthening muscles in the abdomen, but that doesn't specifically target the fat," May explains. The Cleveland Clinic adds that "strength training helps build muscle — or at least maintain muscle as you lose fat. And muscle burns calories."

Mistake 8: Ignoring Your Saturated Fat Intake

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"Certain genes predispose you to being sensitive to saturated fat where it really adds to your waistline very quickly," May explains, recommending limiting saturated fat to 10% of daily calories.

Mistake 9: Not Activating Your AMPK

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May describes AMPK as "something that senses fuel availability in the body, and when it doesn't sense enough fuel, it activates and helps to mobilize fat." She points to dark chocolate as a natural AMPK activator.

Mistake 10: Overlooking Temperature's Impact on Fat Loss

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"One study found that whole body cryotherapy for three minutes each session reduced abdominal adiposity in menopausal women," May reports.

Mistake 11: Skimping on Fiber

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The Cleveland Clinic emphasizes that "foods that contain a high amount of soluble fiber can slow down the passage of food from your stomach to your intestine by forming a gummy gel. That means they help you feel fuller for longer."

RELATED: She Lost 49 Pounds in her 40s When She Stopped Dieting and Started Doing This One Thing

Mistake 12: Not Timing Your Protein Right

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"It's not that you need to be on a high-protein diet as much as you should focus on getting adequate protein that's spread throughout the day," May advises. The Cleveland Clinic adds that "protein helps keep you feeling satiated, lowers hunger hormone levels and may even help you eat less at your next meal."

Mistake 13: Underestimating the Impact of Poor Sleep

Tired woman lying in bed can't sleep late at night with insomnia. Asian girl with funny face sick or sad depressed sleeping at home.Shutterstock

The Cleveland Clinic explains that "when we don't sleep well or we're sleep-deprived, it can impact hunger hormones. There's actually a biochemical response to sleep deprivation that makes us want to eat more."

Mistake 14: Neglecting Your Gut Health

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"When you're eating, think I'm not just eating for me, I'm eating for 10 billion," May emphasizes, referring to gut bacteria. She warns that restrictive dieting can harm your gut microbiome: "Take care of them, they're going to take care of you." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

We all have that one friend who spends hours in the gym and claims to eat the perfect diet, yet still can't lose weight. Maybe you're that friend. While you might blame genetics, Will Tennyson, a fitness enthusiast, and YouTube star with over 3 million subscribers, has news for you: "Getting in the best shape of your life and being the best version of yourself is not one of them." Read on to discover the hidden mistakes that could be sabotaging your weight loss journey—and learn exactly how to fix them.


Mistake #1: Trusting 'Healthy' Labels Without Checking Facts

"The best diet is not a diet at all, but a way of life that includes food you enjoy, exercise, and healthy habits," says WebMD. Will demonstrates this in his post with the muffin trap: "People see muffins as a light snack or a side for some reason, but there are more calories in muffins than there are in actual McMuffins." A standard blueberry muffin packs around 430 calories—more than a sausage McMuffin. Adding a "simple" caramel latte brings another 290 calories and 40g of sugar.

RELATED:This Woman Lost 10 Pounds in 30 Days With Simple Walking Routine

Mistake #2: Ignoring Portion Sizes

WebMD emphasizes that "Food servings have grown larger and larger over the years." They recommend specific portion guidelines: "A cup of fruit should be no larger than your fist, an ounce of cheese is about the same as the size of your thumb from base to tip, and 3 ounces of meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of your palm." Will adds that even healthy foods can become problematic when portions aren't controlled.

Mistake #3: Drinking Your Calories

"While they are convenient and simple, they pack a lot of calories—200 calories for one cup," Will notes about smoothies. WebMD advises to "avoid 'empty calories'" and "steer clear of sugar-containing sodas and fruit drinks." Will emphasizes, "Some things in life are not about getting things down easy."

Mistake #4: Falling for the 'Natural' Food Trap

"Fresh fruits are always better than their dried counterparts," Will warns. He demonstrates how dried mango contains 140 calories in just a quarter cup. "It's just like your fruit steps into an ice bath. It just shrives up—a lot less volume for the amount of calories. This is practically candy. It's super addicting, and you think it's healthy because it's fruit? No, put it back."

RELATED:7 Budget Protein Foods This Chef Always Buys at Costco

Mistake #5: Assuming All Salads Are Diet-Friendly

"Just because it's on a bed of lettuce doesn't mean it's good," Will cautions about his 700-calorie "healthy" salad. WebMD suggests to "Pile on the salad and super servings of green beans, broccoli, cabbage, kale, or other low-calorie vegetables instead of high-fat foods." Will adds humorously, "Salads are great if you're hungry and you want to stay that way."

Mistake #6: Going Through the Motions at the Gym

"Just being here isn't enough," Will states. While WebMD recommends "Exercise at least 150 minutes each week," Will emphasizes quality: "Every single set should be pretty close to failure, like RPE 8 and above. If you're not going that hard, there's really no point." He adds, "Don't be a Tommy texter. Use this time for you. You're literally in here for 45 minutes to one hour. Use this time to invest into yourself."

Mistake #7: Misunderstanding 'Healthy' Snacks

Will demonstrates how trail mix can be deceiving: "I usually find trail mix to be just an inconvenient way to eat M&Ms. You throw on a season of Young and the Restless, I could go through that bag two times over... before you know it, you're a thousand calories deep in trail mix." WebMD suggests healthier alternatives: "Snack on berries. Dark berries are rich in healthy antioxidants. They're also low in calories and fat and high in fiber."

RELATED:Fitness Skeptic Walked 90 Days to Get Back in Shape

Final Word

"There is so much information out there," Will concludes, "and it is really hard to pick what information to actually trust. But I will say this: when it comes to nutrition, find your calories, hit your protein. When it comes to your fitness, lift some weights and get moving. But whatever you do, give it your all. And the secret to life is having balance in whatever you do. And when you have that, you're pretty much unstoppable." And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 31 Fitness Tips Every Beginner Needs to Look Sexy, According to Coaches.

Are you trying to lose weight but not finding much success? It’s possible you are making a common mistake. Juliana Crispo is a mom of 2 kids 3 and under, a Lifetime Natural Pro Bikini Champion in 2 Federations, and a former successful Silicon Valley-based tech executive and entrepreneur.
”Today, we're talking about weight loss myths. I'm someone that has made every single one of these mistakes,” she says. “These are mistakes that I made for years on my fitness journey.”


Mistake 1: Only Exercising

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“Mistake number one, I thought for the longest time that exercise was the key to fat loss,” she says. “What I would do is I would go to the gym, I'd get on a cardio machine, I'd screw around with some weights, and then I'd go home, and I would just eat like I normally did, but I would also overcompensate because I was hungry from all that cardio. Cardio just makes me ravenous.”

She Walks

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Now, she avoids intense cardio. “This is why now my main source of cardio is just walking 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day because it doesn't make me very hungry,” she explains.

Mistake 2: Not Getting Into a Calorie Deficit

“Also, when I'm just getting into a new weight loss phase, I prioritize getting my calorie deficit down first,” she says. “I'll take one, up to two weeks just to master my calorie deficit before I even touch exercise. The reality is you don't even need exercise to lose fat. Just eat in a calorie deficit.”

Also, Make Sure to Strength Train

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Don’t Overlook Strength Training. Cardio activity is just a tool to make it go faster, and strength training is what gives your body shape so you don't get skinny fat.

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

Mistake 3: Relying on Intuitive Eating

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Her third mistake? “I believed intuitive eating would work for me,” she says. “Intuitive eating is a way of eating popularized by this book, and it took off in the height of diet culture because so many people have had horrible experiences with dieting.” She explains that in the boo, there are ten principles of intuitive eating, “but the general gist is to be mindful and eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full.”

Lots of Influencers Rely on Intuitive Eating

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“Many fitness influencers to this day talk about intuitive eating as a good approach to weight loss. For example, one of the first fitness influencers I ever followed was Buff Bunny, and she posted a video called This Diet Worked for Me. In this video, she talks about how she used intuitive eating to lose weight because you don't have to track anything.”

RELATED: This Plan Is How to Lose 5 Percent Body Fat In 2 Weeks

It’s Not Great for Fat Loss

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However, there is a “flip side,” she points out. And that is, many people maintain intuitive eating, which isn’t great for fat loss. “For the longest period of time, I felt like something was wrong with me because I couldn't just listen to my body. It wasn't until I started tracking and weighing my food that I really started to learn putting a meal together with enough protein, carbs, and fats really makes me feel full, and then I'm able to do other things besides focus on food for a solid three to four hours. It was great.”

Mistake 4: Fear of Tracking Calories

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Her next mistake? “I was afraid of tracking calories and weighing my food,” she says. For example, chicken and broccoli can help you gain weight, but if you eat too much of it, you will gain weight. You can benchmark your progress with this useful Lean Body Mass Calculator.

You Can Gain Weight From Healthy Food

“I got chubbier from eating chicken and broccoli because I felt so deprived of the foods I really loved,” she says. “While trying to eat clean with this chicken and broccoli diet, I would binge on foods I actually craved late at night.”

Portion Size Matters

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“However, had I invested time upfront in just learning from tracking and weighing my food, I could have learned that there's no such thing as unhealthy or bad foods,” she says. The important thing is focusing on “healthy portion sizes, and so I could still enjoy all the things I love in moderation on my weight loss journey without creating these fear foods of anything that fell outside of my chicken and broccoli meal plan,” she says.

RELATED: Lose 10 Pounds in 30 Days Over 50 on Simple Animal Protein and Fruit Diet

You Won’t Have to Track and Weigh Food Forever

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“You don't have to track and weigh your food forever. Even a lot of fitness influencers say they'll go from periods of intuitive eating where they just listen to their body a little bit, and then when they start to get a little bit more fluffy, they'll bring it in, they'll start tracking and weighing their food. Again, it's not about being married to your food scale or MyFitnessPal. It's about learning and then unlearning along your journey.”

Mistake 5: Not Understanding Macros

Mistake 5? “I didn't understand how to allocate macros when I was in my dieting phase,” she says. “Many of you know macros are just protein, carbs, and fats. They serve different purposes to nourish your body. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is being in a calorie deficit.”

Make Sure to Fill Up

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“However, the key to sustaining a calorie deficit is just don't get hungry. That's the name of the game. Don't get hungry. As soon as you get hungry, all bets are off. The little hangry monster comes out, and it's just, it's just bad.”

Pay Attention to Your Macro Breakdown

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“Having a general idea of the macronutrient distribution you're consuming is very important to make sure that you stay feeling full, and if you stay full, you're more likely to adhere to your calorie deficit,” she says. “A macro breakdown that works for me to keep staying full, feeling satiated, and adhering to my calorie deficit is having about 30% of my calorie deficit coming from protein, 30% coming from fat, and about 40% coming from carbohydrates.”

RELATED: 4 Meals I Ate to Lose 30 Pounds in 12 Weeks

If You Don’t, You Could End Up Binging

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“What happens if I'm not in the ballpark generally of hitting these macros over a period of a few days is on like day three, I'll start to get really hungry, and then all of a sudden I find myself like wandering into a seven 11 and just buying donuts and eating them, and I don't know what happened.”

Mistake 6: Overcompensating

The next mistake is “huge,” she says. “I would try to overcompensate when I had one of my 7-Eleven freakouts. This was mainly more so in my bikini competitor days because you had to be so black and white about your diet. What would happen is when I messed up somehow, I just like ate a donut or three, I would try and overcompensate the next day by doing more cardio or trying to eat fewer carbs and fats, and this was just a recipe for this horrible cycle of binging and over-exercising and feeling horrible, and that's just no way to live.”

Don’t Fall Into the “Binge and Restrict” Cycle

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“Now, if that happens and I overeat on my diet for the day, I just stick to what I would normally eat on my daily diet, almost as if that 7-Eleven incident never happened. I just learn from it, and I move on. So whatever you do, if you ever have a mess up in your diet, don't ever, ever, ever try and overcompensate by doing more cardio or eating less. Just eat as if you would normally eat so that you don't fall into any binge and restrict cycle,” she suggests.

Mistake 7: Fear of Building Muscle

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Her next mistake? “I was afraid of building muscle,” she says. She explains that building muscle is great because “the more mass and the more muscle that I have, the more I weigh, the more I can eat and not gain too much fat,” she says.

RELATED: What Would Happen to Your Body if You Only Ate Eggs for 30 Days

You Can Reshape Your Body with Exercise and Nutrition

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“It took me years of focused effort in the gym and being methodical about my nutrition to put on the muscle mass I was able to achieve here. The cool thing I've learned through bodybuilding is that you can use training to emphasize certain parts of your body and de-emphasize others,” she says. “You can literally reshape your body with the right training and nutrition, and that's what I love so much about lifting weights.”

Mistake 8: Not Stacking Habits

“If I were to stack priorities when it comes to actually losing fat, it would go like this. Very foundational sleep. Get your sleep in order. Second thing, get your calorie deficit in order. Third thing, do some strength training. Focus on maintaining as much muscle mass as you have, and then maybe consider adding in some cardio,” she concludes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Sarah Bouchard fedandfreewithsarahb
Copyright fedandfreewithsarahb/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Are you struggling to lose weight even though you are tracking your macros? You might be making mistakes that are sabotaging your goals. Sarah Bouchard is a Nutrition Coach & Educator who helps women over 35 “ditch diet confusion & simplify nutrition” for “Sustainable fat loss + healthy body composition,” she explains in her Instagram bio. In a new social media post, she asks: “Are these 8 macro tracking mistakes sabotaging your fitness journey results? Are these mistakes keeping you stuck in your fitness journey? She then goes on to “break down some common mistakes and how to fix them.”


Setting Calories Too Low

You might be underestimating how many calories you need. “Setting calories too low” is the first macro mistake she tackles. “This can lower your energy levels, reduce your metabolism, and leave you feeling exhausted—and it’s not sustainable!” she writes.

Expecting to Lose One to Two Pounds of Fat Per Week

Next, adjust weight loss expectations. “Expecting 1-2 lbs of fat loss every week” is the second mistake. “Weight fluctuates due to factors like water retention and your menstrual cycle. Be patient and trust the process,” she suggests.

Eating Back Calories Burned During Exercise

Just because you burned calories during a workout doesn’t give you the excuse to replace them. “Eating back calories burned during exercise” is mistake three. “Remember, most apps already include your activity level when calculating your calorie budget—don’t double dip!”

Not Weighing Food

You might think your portion sizes are correct, but you won't know for sure unless you are weighing or measuring your food. “Eyeballing portions instead of using a scale” is mistake four. “Using cups or tablespoons instead of a scale can lead to big inaccuracies. Invest in a food scale for precision,” she says.

Quitting Tracking Once You Reach Your Goal

“Thinking tracking ends when you reach your goal” is another common mistake people make, she says. “Maintenance also requires mindfulness and consistency. Keep an eye on your intake to maintain your progress.”

Hyper-Focusing on Macro Percentages

Number six? “Hyper-focusing on macro percentages,” she says. “This adds unnecessary stress. Instead, prioritize total calories, protein, and fiber for better results.”

Giving Up After One “Off-Plan” Meal

Don’t give up even when you slip up. “Stopping tracking after one ‘off-plan’ meal” is mistake seven. “Consistency matters more than perfection! Don’t let one indulgence derail your efforts,” she says.

Focusing on Weight Loss, Not Muscle Growth

Her last mistake? “Focusing only on calorie deficits instead of building muscle,” she says. “Many women don’t need to lose weight—they need to build muscle! You can’t do this in a deep calorie deficit with excessive cardio.”

A Few Pro Tips

She concludes with “some actionable tips for success.”

  • Use a food scale to measure portions accurately.
  • Focus on hitting your daily protein and fiber goals.
  • Be consistent, even on imperfect days.

Shift your mindset from just “losing weight” to building strength and muscle. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss I’m a Nutritionist and Here Are 25 Weight Loss Truths You Need to Hear.

FACT CHECKED BY Christopher Roback
Expert-Recommended

We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. We strive to only recommend products that adhere to our philosophy of eating better while still enjoying what you eat.

Weight loss is not easy—but for the most part, it’s straightforward. “Healthy weight isn’t about following a diet or program,” says the CDC. “Instead, it involves a lifestyle with healthy eating patterns, regular physical activity, and stress management. People with gradual, steady weight loss (about 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more likely to keep the weight off than people who lose weight quickly.” Here are major mistakes to avoid if you want to lose weight and, just as importantly, keep it off.


Too Stressed

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Chronic stress leads to inflammation, which impedes weight loss efforts. “The link between stress and weight gain is real,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “Those elevated cortisol levels circulating in your body lower your metabolism and encourage cravings for fat and sugars.”

Sedentary Lifestyle

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Sitting too long can lead to weight gain and a slower metabolism, studies show. “It is thought excessive sitting slows the metabolism – which affects our ability to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, and metabolize fat,” says the NHS. “And may cause weaker muscles and bones.”

RELATED: 10 Tips to Lose 40 Pounds in 6 Months

Too Much Sugar

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Too much sugar is terrible for your health—and your waistline. “I don’t think we have enough evidence yet to suggest that sugar is the reason for the obesity epidemic,” cardiologist Chiadi E. Ndumele, MD, MHS, tells Johns Hopkins Health. “But there is enough evidence to say that elevated sugar consumption is an important contributor to weight gain.”

Lack of Sleep

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Not getting enough sleep impacts weight loss in many ways. "Working to find ways to clean up sleep hygiene may help people to extend sleep time to the recommended seven to nine hours per night," Beth Frates, MD, tells Harvard Health. "This could, in turn, lead to consuming fewer calories and even weight loss in people who are in the overweight category by BMI."

Avoiding Weights

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Don’t avoid weights if you want to lose weight! "Strength training helps you lose weight and keep it off by building muscle tissue," according to Beaumont Health. "The more muscle mass you have, the higher your metabolic rate tends to be. More muscle also helps your body burn more fat than muscle, which is important if you want to lose weight and keep your strength."

RELATED: This Plan Is How to Lose 5 Percent Body Fat In 2 Weeks

Not Enough Protein

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Your body needs protein to build muscle. Protein is also important for satiety. “Protein plus fiber keeps us full longer, which means you don’t feel the urge to eat as often,” chef and dietitian Nancy Waldeck tells Piedmont Healthcare. “This helps keep weight down while fueling our cells with the right nutrients they need.”

Too Many Calories

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It can be useful to track calories to make sure you’re in a deficit. “Losing weight essentially comes down to one thing: By burning more calories than you’re eating, a math solution called a calorie deficit,” says the Cleveland Clinic. “You can create a calorie deficit by reducing your calorie intake or combining fewer calories with more exercise.”

Get Your Heart Rate Up

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Cardio—even gentle cardio like walking and hiking—is great for fat loss. “Cardio’s role in helping you shed pounds is burning calories. The more you exercise, the more calories you’ll burn,” according to Beaumont Health. “If you’re trying to lose weight, you should aim for doing cardio at least five days per week for a total of at least 250 minutes (4 hours, 10 minutes) each week.”

RELATED: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Fit as a Pear Body Type

Drink More Water

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Drinking water helps weight loss in many ways. For example, drinking water before a meal can help prevent overeating. "Water is critical in every cellular activity of our body from head to toe," registered dietitian nutritionist Elizabeth Huggins tells Johns Hopkins. "Staying hydrated helps the body run more efficiently and helps us feel better."

Not Food Prepping

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Prepping your food ahead of time eliminates decision-making about what you will eat. "With anything in life, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That applies to meal planning as well," registered dietitian Silvia Veri tells Beaumont Health. "Planning meals and snacks ahead of time increases the chance for success, it increases the likelihood a healthier food choice will be made."

Set Realistic, Sustainable Goals

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Trying to lose an unrealistic amount of weight in too short a time may undermine your efforts. “Depending on your weight, 5% of your current weight may be a realistic goal, at least for an initial goal,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

“If you weigh 180 pounds (82 kilograms), that's 9 pounds (4 kilograms). Even this level of weight loss can help lower your risk of chronic health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.”

RELATED: This Plan Is How to Lose 5 Percent Body Fat In 2 Weeks

Not Having Support

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Don’t be afraid to ask for help or support from others. It will help you stay accountable and motivated. “Ideally, find people who will listen to your concerns and feelings, spend time exercising with you or creating healthy menus, and share the priority you've placed on developing a healthier lifestyle,” says the Mayo Clinic. “Your support group can also offer accountability, which can be a strong motivation for sticking to your weight-loss goals.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Make sustainable changes for long-term weight loss success. Maintenance is key!

Rick Bhullar rickbhullarfitness
Copyright rickbhullarfitness/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Struggling to find time for exercise between work and family commitments? You're not alone. As someone who's helped thousands transform their bodies from home, I've seen this challenge repeatedly. That's where Rick Bhullar's expertise comes in. With over 650K YouTube subscribers following his low-impact walking workouts, Rick has revolutionized how people approach fitness at home. His signature walking with weights method helps you burn fat while keeping your joints completely safe. Here's his proven 10-minute workout that combines walking with strength training for maximum results.

Getting Started With the Right Weight

"For today's workout, I'm using a couple of 2kg dumbbells, but you can use whatever you want," Rick shares in his post, making the workout accessible for all fitness levels. He emphasizes proper form from the start: "What I like to have on my dumbbells, I take my thumbs over the top here... Let's get these arms active, let's get that calorie burn going."

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

Making Every Step Count

Maximizing calorie burn requires proper movement tracking. "If you do want your step tracker to track your steps, it's important to keep movement in these arms," Rick explains. "Step trackers track movement and if we're here [with static arms], they ain't going to track anything."

Core Activation for Better Results

The workout integrates core engagement throughout each movement. "Think about squeezing down and squeezing your abs. It's not a snap movement, it's a squeeze," Rick instructs. This deliberate engagement helps activate more muscle groups during the walking movements.

Time-Efficient Fat Burning

"We're doing each movement for 30 seconds," Rick notes, explaining why this workout is so effective in just 10 minutes. "This is a perfect workout to add in between your other workouts," he adds, making it ideal for busy schedules.

Maximizing Muscle Engagement

Small adjustments make a significant difference in fat burning. "These little nuances when you're working out will make a huge difference," Rick emphasizes. He demonstrates how extending arms further from the body during movements increases core activation and calorie burn.

RELATED:3 Simple Stretches Made This Coach More Flexible in 2 Weeks

Building Endurance and Strength

The workout naturally progresses to challenge your muscles. "You might feel your grip start to get a little bit weaker as this workout goes on... That's normal," Rick explains, adding that "The best way to build them up is to work through that grip strength."

Dynamic Movement Combinations

"Using these dumbbells in these dynamic movements improves our balance, stability, strength... and to get the heart rate up," Rick explains. This combination of cardio and strength training maximizes the fat-burning potential of each movement.

Proper Form for Maximum Results

Throughout the session, Rick emphasizes maintaining correct posture: "Keep your back nice and straight, head in alignment." This attention to form ensures you're targeting the right muscle groups while protecting your joints.

RELATED: How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat

The Complete Weight Loss Package

Rick stresses the importance of a holistic approach: "If you do want to tone up, you're going to lose a bit of weight. Make sure your nutrition is aligned with these workouts." This combination of proper nutrition and consistent exercise is key to achieving lasting results. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Emily Ogan livefitwithem
Copyright livefitwithem/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want to lose weight and experience a significant glow-up by Spring Break? It’s doable, according to an expert. Emily Ogan is an Advanced Macro and Hormone Specialist who helps “busy women find balance + results,” she writes in her Instagram bio. In a recent post, she reveals how to transform yourself in just two months by incorporating a few healthy habits. “For the next 8 weeks, become addicted to these habits, and you’ll be unrecognizable by spring break,” she writes. “Commit to 6 weeks of implementing these changes, and you won’t believe the results you’ll be seeing and feeling by mid-March.”

Wake Up Earlier

Her first recommendation is to wake up earlier. “Set your day off on the right foot by giving yourself time to create a non-stressful morning,” she suggests. “Whether you wake up early to workout or not- this was probably the biggest shift that made the biggest difference for me.”

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

Hydrate

Next, prioritize hydration. “Hydrate with electrolytes,” she recommends. “It all starts with a hydrated system. Electrolytes help your system function optimally, balance hormones, and curb sugar cravings.”

Walk More

Next, make sure to add steps to your day. “Walking is the most accessible and effective form of exercise. Aim for 8-10k steps a day- ideally getting your dose of vitamin D while you’re at it- and you’ll take fat burning to the next level,” she writes.

RELATED:7 Simple Daily Exercises To Shrink Hanging Belly Fat

Track Your Macros

Macro tracking is also important. “Learn what your food is made up of, and the right balance of macros that your unique body needs to be able to thrive and get results,” she says.

Amp Up Your Protein Intake

Another crucial nutritional change you should make is increasing protein. “Aim for 100g a day, around 30-40g/meal, and you’re golden,” she says.

RELATED:8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat

Lift Weights

Lifting weights is essential in terms of exercise. “Strength training with a plan is the ultimate way to burn fat. Keep it simple: 3 times a week, focus on foundational compound movements like squats, rows, deadlifts, and presses. With just 30 min sessions you’ll feel stronger, leaner, and more confident,” she writes.

Do HIIT Workouts

She also recommends doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts. “Strategic 20-30 min sessions of short, quick, intense bursts help tap into fat stores for energy and keep your metabolism revved all day long,” she explains. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Cassie B cassiebfitness
Copyright cassiebfitness/Instagram
Evidence-Based

This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.

Do you want 2025 to be the year you achieve all your weight loss goals? If the answer is yes, one expert claims that you may need to modify your behavior. Cassie B of Cassie B Fitness is a coach and influencer who shares her health and fitness journey with thousands of social media followers. In a new post, she reveals some changes she had to make to lose weight. “Realistic things I gave up in order to lose 75 pounds in less than a year,” she writes. “Here’s what I gave up to lose over 75lbs,” she writes in the post. “I went from 225/230 to 150 in less than a year! I gave up these things and finally saw HUGE results.”

She Stopped Viewing Foods as “Good” or “Bad”

The first thing she did? “I gave up viewing food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. No single food makes you gain weight just like no single food makes you lose weight. Instead, I ate and enjoyed ALL food while staying in a deficit,” she writes.

RELATED:8 High-Protein Foods with Nearly Zero Calories That Melt Fat

She Stopped Viewing Exercise as Punishment

She also changed her mental approach to exercise. “I gave up thinking of exercise as a punishment. Exercise is a way to celebrate what your body can do and make it stronger for what you want it to be able to do, not a punishment for what it’s currently capable of. I also realized exercise can occur ANYWHERE! Not just in a gym,” she says.

She Stopped Looking for Quick Fixes

She then stopped searching for the easy way out. “I gave up looking for quick fixes. I tried every single fad diet and ‘quick fix’ out there. They don’t work and they aren’t sustainable. Instead, I focused on sustainable, realistic changes,” she wrote.

She Stopped Trying to “Speed It Up”

“ I gave up trying to speed it up,” she continued. “Weight loss is slow, but the time will pass anyway, and quitting won’t speed it up!!!”

RELATED:12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster

She Stopped Striving for Perfection

The last thing she did? “I gave up trying to be perfect. This isn’t all or nothing! Life happens! Aim for consistency, not perfection. Keep going when you have a day (or week) where you overeat. Enjoy the calories, and KEEP GOING!!” she wrote. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.