Are You Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Program?

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, and when it comes to weight loss, this sentiment rings true for many. We have good intentions but the outcome is not always what we'd hoped. Below are a few tips to help you avoid the traps that can keep you from achieving your weight loss goals.

Eat, eat, and eat 

Going on a diet doesn't mean you should stop eating. In fact, if you skip meals or don't eat enough, your body will go into 'survival mode' and your metabolism will slow and hang on to your fat reserves. Essentially, you will be producing the opposite effect that you intended with your weight loss program. So be sure to eat and eat often. The trick is to watch your total amount of calories consumed throughout the day.

Drink, drink, and drink 

You need plenty of fluids to keep you hydrated. Water is best. A hydrated body is a fat-burning body. Drink at least 64 ounces a day.

Kisses but not sugar 

Enjoy all the sugar, that is, kisses that you want. In fact kissing can burn as much as 60 to 70 calories per hour. But you should limit your sugar intake. Sugar and sweets are essentially empty calories and can keep you from burning unwanted fat. When your body gets excess sugar, it burns the sugar as calories instead of your fat.

Respect for protein 

Protein is important to a healthy diet. Diet fads that reduce protein intake as an attempt to reduce fat intake do you no justice. You need protein in your diet to feed your muscles. Muscles help you burn more calories. A lack of protein in your diet can also increase sugar cravings and we have already discussed above the ill effects of sugar in your diet.

Embrace the weights 

Diet alone cannot produce and maintain good weight loss results. But don't rely purely on cardiovascular training. Indeed, walking and running are great exercise but try to incorporate some weight-bearing training into your exercise program. You don't have to lift like a body builder. Light hand weights or even push-ups, dips, and squats using your own body weight will get the job done. The important thing to remember is that weight training will increase your muscle make-up, which will increase your metabolism.