Hi folks and welcome back to the blog! Its been a while since I’ve been on here last as I needed some time to work on some things. Today we are talking about some so-called ‘healthy’ products or habits that are actually RUINING your healthy body goals!
I know it seems crazy that you could actually be crippling your results with healthy things BUT it’s true! I’ve used these habits in the past, and wanted to warn you before you give into products and or habits that you may think are good for you.
1. Eating to many snacks throughout the day
I know that we have all been told 6 meals a day is a great idea and that we should be eating healthy snacks in the day but it’s not true! If you snack throughout the day whether it’s a healthy snack or not, you are constantly shooting your insulin levels up and down throughout the day which causes lots of fat storage and other issues regarding insulin. This is not good!
How to fix the “problem”:
To put it simply, eat a meal when you are hungry. Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you are full!
Sometimes snacking randomly throughout the day really just means: I’m bored, I’m stressed, I’m hungry but not to hungry, I’m thirsty.
Evaluate your reasons for snacking! maybe you really just need a break, water, exercise, or entertainment. Maybe you’re just actually hungry and need a meal. Most of the time its because your body is thirsty, treat your body kindly and give it a drink, you will notice the hunger go away.
This is only a “problem” if you are only eating snacks and not real meals.
Eat well balanced meals with proteins, fats, and carbs to avoid the crash!
Eating at too large of a calorie deficit
This one is definitely a big one! When I was on my little break from blogging for a while, I was trying to be really careful about my calorie intake because I wanted to be in a deficit. Well, it really just made me binge more often and become cranky. I didn’t lose nearly as much fat as I wanted to throughout the month eating a low-calorie diet.
The reason why eating at too low of a calorie deficit is no Bueno is that calories are a form of energy. Low-calorie eating can cause nutrient deficiencies, slow metabolism, and make you feel weak. This means you can’t perform in the gym as well, do your homework, focus, and more. Our brains need 300 calories alone to function well.
It can also cause a binge eat restrict cycle which can be hurtful to your metabolism and weight loss efforts.
How to fix it:
Try to Calculate your calorie requirements and eat a well balanced diet that includes a variety of foods- including fun foods like chocolate, fries and pizza! Once you allow yourself to eat the foods you enjoy, miraculous things will happen and you’ll be less stressed.
Find out your BMR, Daily Calorie requirement to lose weight.
3. Eating ‘sugar-free’ Foods
Some may disagree with me and by some I mean me. It is so hard to knock sweets for myself as I have a really crazy sweet tooth. If you’re like me, please read this section and know I mean everything with love because I care about us!
I thought sugar free foods were like the best thing ever because I thought it meant I could whatever I wanted and be fine because of no sugar!
The result? A terrible bloating stomach and uncomfortable digestion. Some no sugar sweeteners are okay but it’s important not to go overboard as too much can actually give an insulin response throughout the day. They can ball up in your stomach and make it really painful for a couple of days if you go overboard.
How to fix it:
Allow yourself to have a variety of sweet things. Experiement with what balance works best for you instead of what others say! Healthy habits are habits you can sustain for the long term!
4. Having a ‘cheat’ meal on the weekends
With all the hype right now on cheat meals, days, and calorie challenges its no surprise people are interested in eating whatever they want on the weekends.
Some fitness enthusiasts claim that it’s a great release and wonderful way to enjoy whatever they want without tracking calories or worrying- and of course giving in to ALL their cravings! Another reason it may seem good is that they say it may help achieve your goals because you aren’t ‘depriving’ yourself.
The problem with this? Some may not be able to handle the mental thoughts that can come after a cheat meal or day. Thoughts of guilt and shame may come over them or it may create a binge type of behavior to those who attach emotion to the cheat day and go a little to wild completely undoing all of their progress.
How to fix it:
Honestly, you need to rethink why you are ‘dieting’ or working out consistently in the first place. Think about your goals to be HEALTHY, a bunch of pizza, and sugar is not going to make you healthy but more lethargic, tired and lazy. This is very important to remember because you need to be in it for the long haul! Not temporary.
5. Using ‘detox’ Teas for weight loss
There are lots of products that claim they can ‘shrink’ your waist or make you look like a celebrity that may have spent thousands on surgeries and other things to look the way they do.
PLEASE do yourself a favor and do not fall into the ‘detox’ trick because you cant detox your body this way, when they say detox I think they are just saying ‘here’s a laxative tea’ so if you get this kind of tea, know that’s all it is.
Instead try…
Relying on healthy fibrous veggies, WATER, and exercise instead of spending money on detox programs.
6. Doing too much cardio
Don’t get me wrong, cardio can burn a lot of calories if done correctly BUT there’s this new thing I’ve been doing and its called ‘resistance training’. It’s not new but it’s amazing at burning calories, building muscle, and making you stronger! Not only that, but it creates shape to the body with tiny waists, and a bigger tush if that’s what your goal is. Muscle mass is the best thing you can have in your body besides fat so when you are building the muscle, it takes more calories to build the muscle thus making you burn more!
If you do too much HIIT or treadmill, you will get bored, have fatigue creating unmotivated. I do, however, recommend doing a warm-up for 10 minutes on a cardio machine before your strength training workout. I also don’t think you should eliminate cardio completely if your main focus is a fat loss! Doing just a 10-minute HIIT workout 3 days a week should be just enough to burn off some stubborn fat.
Check out this article from POP Sugar Fitness about why you shouldn’t just do cardio.
7. Eating to many protein bars
Protein bars are amazing. They are a highly satisfying food that’s supposed to be a healthy but… how healthy are they really?? Well, they can be addictive, full of sugar, and contain random ingredients. Instead, opt to make your own protein bars OR go for a filling protein-packed meal.
Alternative:
Treat yourself with protein bars, experiment with other healthy foods you like that give the same satisfaction. Try nuts, yogurt, jerkey, energy balls or a small ingredient list protein bar.
8. Skipping Breakfast
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”
Do not skip breakfast! Just don’t do it. Eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full. Breakfast is a healthy habit that can help you to provide energy for the day so you don’t feel tired, lethargic, and energized. i skipped breakfast for the longest time because i thought it was healthy. Once I added it in, I felt energized, fuller for longer, and did not have as many cravings.
What to do
Try a light breakfast you enjoy, add it in and experiment with it. how do you feel when you do eat a nourishing breakfast? how do you feel when you don’t? This is your healthy habits and lifestyle! do what makes you feel best. My favorite way to lower my cravings of sweets is to opt for a savory breakfast over the sweet ones.
9. Avoiding fat
Back in the day, there were so many health enthusiasts that were saying fat is terrible for you. The biggest problem? They forgot to mention how important HEALTHY fats are! You need healthy fat for brain health, satiety, and energy. The Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics claims that Omega-3 fatty acids are great and optimal for:
- Brain & Nervous system Health
- Lowering cholesterol and creating a healthy heart
- Reducing inflammation in the body
Types of Healthy Fats according to the Academy for Nutrition & Dietetics:
Omega-3 Fatty Foods:
- Fatty Fish like Salmon ( Vegan? try an algae-based Omega-3 Supplement)
- Walnuts
- Flaxseeds
- Chia Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Eggs
Monounsaturated Fats:
- Nuts; Brazil, Almonds, Hazelnuts
- Oils; Olive, Avocado, nut oils
- Avocado
- Nut Butters (Sparingly)
10. Relying on a scale
Scales are extremely beneficial to keep track of your goals and how well your diet is going for you. But the problem is that scales aren’t very accurate and there’s more to your body than just the scale ‘number’. Weight means a whole lot of things! Things that aren’t measured on a scale are; Muscle Mass, Fat %, Water, Protein, and Bone Density just to name a few.
How to Fix the problem:
Get a Dexa Scan or get measured at your local gym, or doctors office. They have a little more accuracy when determining what you are really carrying. The scale may show 145, then you weigh 140 a month later. You could have easily gained muscle and lost a lot of fat.
The takeaway; if your clothes are getting looser, you look different, you feel healthier, this is all that matters 🙂
11. Ignoring Calories or Not Counting Them
It goes both ways in my book. It’s not logical to eat whatever you want in the day and wonder why you aren’t losing weight. If you’re trying to gain weight, you need to track calories. Look I know you don’t want to do it but will help give you an idea of what you consume. You will reach your goals if you track at least 3 times a week.
However…
Some may say this isn’t good for mental health and can become an obsessive thing you constantly do. Don’t make it a habit to track every day but if you seriously cant hit your goals, its time to consider tracking. If you meal prep, you won’t have to count calories because you will know what you are eating already!
My favorite FREE macro trackers are: Fitness Pal, and Chronometer(aff link)
I hope you found this post helpful! And if you need help with reaching your goals, send me a question I would be glad to help! Try some of these tips out and let me know what you think. Also, do you think that some of these are actually healthy habits we should be doing? If so why?! The comment section is down below boss babe!
xoxo,
DACIA
