At first, when you started exercising and dieting, the pounds seem to melt off! We’ve all been in the situation where the last pounds of belly fat don’t want to leave. We’ve discovered there could be a few factors contributing to the extra fat on your belly without you even realizing it.
These habits may be sabotaging your weight loss.
1You’re Not Including Enough Vegetables in Your Diet
Besides the other healthier choices you make, you must eat as many veggies as you can. Danielle Omar, R.D., blogger at Food Confidence suggests making half your plate vegetables and/or salad since veggies are nutrient-dense and full of fiber, filling you up without overloading on calories.
2You’re Eating Out Nightly
Eating fast food and at restaurants, every night isn’t the best diet choice! These foods have more fat and salt whereas you cook lighter meals at home. Instead of choosing the local burger joint, try making a burger at home. At home, you can make it as you like it the most, so it will be tastier, that’s for sure!
3You Eat Too Much Protein
Protein is the essential nutrient for losing weight, but eating too much can do more harm than good. A Spanish study discovered the individuals who ate a high-protein diet over a six-year period, were 90% more likely to gain over 10% of their original body weight compared to people who ate less.
4You’re Eating the Wrong Fats
Foods like nuts or avocado are full of healthy fats, like omega-3 and monounsaturated fatty acids, helping with heart health and weight regulation. Don’t you ever avoid them because they are high in fat!
5You Eat Three Large Meals a Day
Eating large meals three times in a day isn’t the best choice for your waistline. A study published in the International Society of Sports Nutrition discovered eating more frequent, smaller meals a day can help lower cravings and control hunger, leading to weight loss. The best solution is to reduce the size of your meals and have healthy snacks like fruit or nuts if you’re hungry in between meals.
6Your Meals Aren’t Colorful
As we mentioned above, veggies are an essential part of everyone’s diet, and a colorful medley of them on your plate will give you variety of minerals and vitamins you need for a balanced diet. So, if your plate is beige, you’re doing it wrong!
7You Drink Diet Soda
You cut soda from your diet, but you keep drinking diet soda, expecting to be a healthier choice for you since it has fewer calories and sugar than its regular counterpart. However, researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center observed 475 adults for 10 years and discovered the individuals who drank diet soda had a 70% increase in waist circumference compared with people who didn’t drink any soda, and individuals who drank more than two diet sodas a day suffered a 500% waist expansion. So, stop drinking any type of soda altogether and always go for water!
8You Didn’t Include Whole Grains in Your Diet
Due to their high fiber content, whole grains have been proven to help regulate body weight, according to The Journal of Nutrition, besides having more flavor than white slices of bread and baked goods. Fiber helps regulate your digestive tract, and whole grains are full of minerals and vitamins, keeping the body fit and running smoothly.
9You’re Eating Whey
If you’re lactose intolerant, Whey may cause bloat, since it’s made from cow’s milk. It’s advisable to choose plant-based protein foods and powders. Some brands have as much hunger-killing and muscle-building protein as whey but are better for sensitive individuals.
10You Eat the Wrong Proteins
Lean meats like chicken and turkey have less fat content than red meats, like lamb and beef. It’s best to stick to leaner meats like fish and poultry to get your protein intake without consuming excessive amounts of fat. Go for grass-fed beef, which has less fat than farm-raised beef if you can’t fight your red meat cravings.
11You Drink Too Much Beer
We call it a beer belly for a reason! A study published in the journal Current Obesity Reports demonstrated light to moderate drinking did not affect much weight, but heavy drinking can lead to obesity. Additionally, heavy beers have more empty carbs and calories than clear liquor or red wine. So, grab a glass of red wine instead!
12You Don’t Balance Diet and Exercise
Eating a slice of pizza after a workout is only going to add those calories you burned off back into your body. Also, eating salads without working out could lead to weight loss, but the muscles will not get the necessary workout they need to be strong and toned. Your body requires a balance of both exercise and diet, so incorporate the pair into your daily lifestyle.
13Your Workouts Are Too Easy
You aren’t doing it right if you aren’t sweating! Doing the same exercises over and over without making it more intense, won’t make your body stronger. You should try switching up and explore another workout, like a Zumba, boot camp, a spin class, or a CrossFit.
14You’re a Social Media Addict
You’re wasting precious time staring at your phone for hours that can be used to go outside and be active. A study published by Pediatric Obesity discovered the students with access to one electronic device in their bedrooms were 1.47 times more prone to be overweight compared the individuals with no device in their bedroom.
15You Don’t Get an Enough Night’s Sleep
The quality of your sleep has an influence on every aspect of your health, on your weight as well. Research organized by Harvard University discovered the sleep is associated with weight gain. They found women who slept less than 7 hours a night were 15% more at risk for obesity than those who had a full and quality night’s sleep.
