Bad habits. Everyone has them. But there are some bad habits that stop you losing weight!
If you are trying to lose weight but don’t seem to be able to, it could be down to some bad habits. You might not even be aware that you have them, but these bad habits could be stopping you from achieving your weight loss goal.
Luckily bad habits can be changed. It might take a bit of extra effort, but it is possible. When it comes to weight loss, it’s essential.
10 Bad Habits That Stop You Losing Weight
To help keep you on track and motivated with your weight loss goal, we’ve rounded up the 10 most common bad habits and ways to get rid of them as you may have at least one of these bad habits that stop you from losing weight.
1. Snacking
The odd snack here and there may only feel like a light bite but these extra bites tend to add up pretty quickly, and soon enough you can add hundreds of extra calories a day to your diet. That’s the equivalent of inviting an extra ½ pound to your waistline every week. Snacking on unhealthy foods is one of the bad habits that can hurt your weight loss goals. Try to stay on track by reaching for healthier and more nutritious foods – my favorite snack is frozen blueberries!
One way to get rid of this bad habit is to keep a food journal. By tracking what you eat, you can avoid thoughtless snacking. Or if you do feel like snacking, grab a glass of water. More often than not, we can mistake dehydration with hunger, and so we would always recommend having some water.
2. Eating Fast Food
It’s cheap. It’s easy. And for most people, it’s a way of life. However, fast food is one of the worst habits to have when it comes to weight loss. For starters, the ingredients are frightening and the nutritional value is barely measurable. There’s nothing good that comes from fast food if you’re trying to lose weight. Even if fast food is a weekly treat for you and your family, it all adds up eventually.
Finding the willpower to avoid fast food is difficult. The best advice for trying to avoid fast food is preparation and planning, as often fast food is bought as it is convenient. Why not keep some healthy exante products in your car just in case you are ever tempted when driving by a drive-thru?
3. Distracted Eating
I’m sure we can all be guilty of passively eating at times, perhaps you are at your desk at work or watching TV while you eat. Unfortunately this type of distracted eating may add to weight gain as it can prompt you to eat more. If you don’t pay attention while you are eating, you are not savouring your food and controlling your intake.
Overall, try and be mindful while you eat, mindfulness includes noticing the colors, smells, flavors and textures of your food. It also means avoiding distractions like the television or working on your laptop.
4. Eating Too Quickly
Eating too quickly can often lead to overeating and weight gain. Your brain needs time to process signals of fullness. It can often take 20 minutes for the brain to realize you are full, and so if you eat a meal quickly in 5 minutes, you may still feel hungry and react by grabbing another portion or making a dessert which can lead to weight gain.
We would recommend slowing down the pace in which you eat, make sure you really chew your food and breathe between mouthfuls, maybe eat with a smaller fork or spoon, drink water in between bites, or try eating with your non-dominant hand, etc.
5. Skipping Breakfast
For most people, mornings are busy and fast-paced. Skipping breakfast seems like an easy way to save some time. However, your body needs fuel in the morning to kick-start your metabolism, raise your blood sugar and set you on a better path to weight loss success.
If time is an issue, trying making a meal replacement shake for breakfast. They’re quick, easy and tasty. Our shakes are full of vitamins and minerals, it’s even got extra enzymes to help digestion and there are no artificial ingredients.
6. Drinking Calories
Alcohol is just one of many ‘drinking problems’ you need to be aware of. Soda, juices and other drinks can often be full of empty calories and they can be lacking any nutritional value also.
To avoid the wrong drink choices, you need to change your mindset about water. Don’t think of it as a boring drink. Think of it as a super drink that is going to help benefit your skin, hair, nails and weight loss also. Buy a cute water bottle, set a goal for daily water intake, make sure you always have your water bottle handy and start sipping your way slimmer. Or maybe try the exante Boost drinks, they are our range of tasty low calories weight loss drinks that are formulated with unique appetite controlling ingredients.
