Hoping to slim down but not sure about what works for you and what doesn’t? Well, sadly weight loss is a complicated thing and sometimes you just have to try everything.

However, you may diet religiously or exercise super hard but it’s possible for the number on the scale to not budge as much as you thought it would.

It’s truly heartbreaking but don’t fret or give up. Actually there might be things that you do that could be sabotaging your efforts, without you even realising it. Let’s find out what they are.

1. You expect perfection

When you begin, usually you have a goal in mind, right? “I want to lose 10kg, I want to lose 10kg.” This mantra keeps running on your mind because you’re hyped.

Unfortunately, often times you expect the results to turn up right away. In reality, good things come to those who wait.

Try setting smaller goals so that you can try to achieve them over time, and in the end you will be able to reach the bigger goal.

2. You’re waiting for motivation

If you wait for something to motivate you to start losing weight, you’ll go nowhere. It has to come from you yourself. You just have to get up and practise some discipline in order to keep going.

3. You’re driven by the number on the scale

Yes, it is a device that determines whether your efforts have been fruitful, but the numbers are not all weight loss is about.

“It’s all about acquiring a new skill set,” says Dr Saray Stancic. “Learning and reinforcing optimal behaviours leads to adopting new health building habits.”

4. You have an “all or nothing” attitude about weight loss

When you’re trying to shed some kilos, it’s still okay to drink or eat what was considered a staple in your diet. Trying to entirely cut it from your meals can hinder your weight loss efforts in the future.

For instance, if you eat rice, eliminating it until you are at your goal then “reintroducing” it in moderation fails 99.9% of the time.

In other words, don’t eliminate something out entirely if you plan to re-introduce it into your diet later.

5. You’re only counting net carbs

If your weight loss plans require you to count carbs, it doesn’t really matter where the carbs come from.

Dr. Charlie Seltzer says, “If you’re counting carbs, your carb goal should be the same whether the carb comes from candy, fiber or sugared drinks.”

6. You’re consuming too many liquid calories

If you’re eating healthy to lose weight, remember that drinks give an impact to your efforts too. “Liquid calories” like coffee, tea and sodas are the sneakiest and they add up fast. Before you know it, you will end up with an extra kilo of fat.

7. You’re not strength training

When you start working out or dieting, your body’s initial reaction is to burn muscle instead of fat. It’s because muscle hogs your tissue and requires more calories to sustain than fat does.

So when your body gets the signal that you’re starving, it will lose the muscle first. This is why regular strength training sends a signal that you need every ounce of muscle you have.

8. You’re not drinking enough water

You should know the importance of water to your body, especially when you’re trying to cut down some weight. How can it help with your efforts, you wonder?

Firstly, it keeps you feeling full. Secondly, it helps increase your metabolism. If you think you drink enough water, you’d probably need some more, especially if you’re burning fat.

9. You’re not being mindful of portions, especially when dining out

When you’re dieting, portion size is important especially when you’re out eating at a restaurant. Usually you are served with a larger portion than is necessary but that doesn’t mean you have to finish everything.

Try ordering from the kids’ menu, sharing what you order with a friend, or taking it away for later eating.

10. You’re not getting enough sleep

If your efforts aren’t showing the results that you want, try taking a look at your sleep patterns. According to a study, those who had too much or too little sleep, or sleep inconsistently more likely have higher body fat than those who sleep regularly.

How they correlate specifically isn’t clear, but together with other studies, it has been found that losing weight is easier when we’ve had enough rest.

Source: Insider