3 “Healthy” Habits That Are Killing Your Weight Loss

By Christina | December 15, 2014 |

It’s been a couple weeks since you decided, “this is it! It cannot wait a minute longer – I’m starting my weight loss regimen NOW.” You’ve scrutinized food labels, have watched your portions and you choose “healthier” options at the grocery store. You exercise more, you’ve switched from regular to diet Coke, and you’ve even gone so far as to start cooking at home more often!

So how come the scale isn’t budging as much as it should be?

You might be sabotaging your fitness goals without even knowing it… sounds crazy, but unfortunately it could be very true. And I’ll explain why.

LOW FAT and FAT FREE FOODS

Years ago, all the craze was “choose low-fat or fat-free foods” if you want to lose weight. How’s that working out for you? It sounds good and all, but the things manufacturers do to make those foods “fat-free” and “low-fat” is actually going to do more harm than good to your waistline.

As companies take out fat, they’re adding in things like sugar, salt and additives to improve the texture and taste of their “healthy” products. In addition to this, when we eat fat-free or low-fat foods, psychologically we tend to think we can eat bigger portions.

Unfortunately though, most low-fat and fat-free products contain around the same amount of calories as their full-fat counterparts. It sucks, but it’s true. So what’s the solution? Always choose the option with the least amount of ingredients and eat a normal portion. Know what ingredients are, and put it back if you can’t pronounce the ingredient. Your waistline and your body will thank you.

NO SUGAR-ADDED and SUGAR-FREE FOODS

This is where I went wrong years ago. I mean, completely overboard. As most of you know who have followed me for years, I’m very open about my battles with eating disorders, including binge-eating (or emotional-eating). After I got off from my night shift as a waitress, I would head over to the grocery store and buy a carton of “no sugar added/sugar-free” ice cream and a bottle of fat free Ready Whip – and eat half the tub and the entire bottle of Ready Whip within 20 minutes (no joke).

Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can be anywhere from 300 to a whopping 12,000 times sweeter than regular table sugar. Artificial sweeteners are also shown to be addictive, and the reason why some people gain weight. The idea that artificial sweeteners and diet drinks can help you lose weight is a carefully orchestrated deception – don’t be fooled.

When saccharin, sucralose and aspartame (just to name a few) touch your taste buds, it sends a signal to your brain that energy (calories) is on its way. When your body doesn’t get the calories it was expecting, it can actually spark your appetite, making you eat more than you would’ve before you ate that “sugar-free” treat.

When your body tastes the sweetness but doesn’t receive the calories to go with it, it ultimately affects your appetite control mechanism. So what’s the solution? Opt for natural sweeteners like all-natural organic raw honey, monk fruit, Stevia and the sugar alcohols erythritol, xylitol, chicory and inulin.

SKIMPING ON MEALS

One common misconception of “how to lose weight fast” that I’ve experienced among some of my clients and followers is that skimping on meals helps. Unfortunately, this is so far from the truth and can lead to very unhealthy habits.

Your body’s metabolism is a carefully fine-tuned machine that you have shaped over months and years of eating habits. When you disrupt what your body is used to, it freaks out. For example, if you normally eat very large meals that are high in calories and then suddenly switch to eating only two or even three small meals per day, your metabolism will switch into starvation mode, automatically storing more calories than it normally does. This is because your body is literally putting itself into survival mode. Even if you see a drop in weight – it is very temporary weight loss, which can lead to lethargy and in some cases, even depression. This metabolic transition alters the way your body releases hormones, which are largely responsible for your appetite and emotions.

To make sure your body doesn’t go into starvation mode and create hormone imbalances, you want to stick to consuming 5 to 7 meals throughout the day, each consisting of (typically) 250-550 calories each. This number will depend on your basal metabolic rate, which you can find by using my BMR calculator.

THE BEST WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT?

With my experience helping thousands of people reach their fitness goals, I’ve noticed one very important common denominator among those who are most successful. It’s their mindset. Think about it – your mind is the control panel for your entire body. It’s where cravings come from, it’s where your beliefs come from, it’s where you measure your results and with that, your potential and future action (which is dependent on results you’ve seen) relies upon your mindset. Your mind is quite literally the most important part of getting in and STAYING in the game long enough to win. Long enough to lose weight. Long enough to win trophies. Long enough to feel great about the way your body looks in the mirror. Long enough to feel sexy in front of your significant other.

Fortunately for you, there is a very specific approach that is proven to work for shifting your mindset into one that supports your goals, and it involves just a few exercises. But rather than physical, these are writing and mental exercises that will help you get an absolute jumpstart on your weight loss goals.

My 7 Day Boost program is meant to help you literally boost your weight loss (or fitness) journey with proven strategies that are responsible for getting real results. After 7 short days, you’ll feel more confident about your body, your results and your trajectory. You’ll feel inspired and excited when you step on the scale after 7 short days. You’ll join hundreds who have successfully lost weight with my methods, and you’ll have the support of my private online community.