Nutritionist reveals 9 common mistakes that prevent weight loss
What mistakes make it impossible to lose weight in the summer (photo: Freepik)
Summer is considered the best time to lose weight, as it brings an abundance of seasonal vegetables and fruits. However, many people make mistakes that prevent them from achieving their desired results.
Why weight loss fails
According to Ukrainian nutritionist Olena Kostiuk, people often believe summer is the easiest time to lose weight, but the opposite can be true.
The expert listed common reasons for failure:
- Consuming sweet drinks: These can add 200-250 calories per 0.5 liters.
- Ice cream: Caloric content ranges from 200-400 kcal per serving.
- High fruit intake: Eating 1 kg of strawberries daily adds 330 kcal, grapes 690 kcal/kg, and apricots 480 kcal/kg.
- Increased physical activity leading to higher appetite: More exercise can result in increased hunger.
- Inaccurate assessment of physical load: Fitness trackers often overestimate calorie expenditure by 20-30%.
- Picnics and cafe visits: People may not notice the cumulative calories from alcohol, heavy foods, lattes (250 kcal), and pastries (400 kcal).
- Long days and sleep deprivation: Disruptions in sleep can lead to overeating by 100-200 kcal per day and constant fatigue.
- Coffee affecting sleep: Additionally, extra cookies (40-50 kcal) and excessive stimulation can lead to fatigue and increased hunger.
- Street food and fast food: Includes shawarma, burgers, cocktails, smoothies, and cotton candy.
Avoid rejecting walks and food. Instead, monitor your diet, create balanced meals throughout the day, ensure adequate sleep, and account for treats in your daily calorie intake.
"All unhealthy foods should make up no more than 15% of your daily caloric intake. Avoid regularly combining fat with sweet or salty items, as well as fat with sweet and salty," wrote the nutritionist.
That's because it can be addictive, and all efforts to eat healthy will be reduced to zero.
Starting weight loss
Consult a specialist
Work with a professional to choose a diet that limits calorie intake while considering your health and preferences.
There are many types of diets: some restrict carbohydrates, others fats, but they generally offer similar effectiveness, which depends on individual body characteristics.
Remember, physical activity is the second crucial component of weight loss, helping to improve metabolism and increase muscle mass.
Food diary
The goal is to understand what, when, and in what quantities you eat. Regularly recording this information, including your emotional state, will help you analyze your eating habits.
Maintaining results
Even after achieving initial positive results, don’t relax. Gradually, but steadily, shift your eating habits toward suitable foods.
Once you get used to eating the right foods, you can maintain your weight even after "getting off" your diet. Habits typically form in about 30-40 days.
Sources: Instagram page of nutritionist and dietitian Olena Kostiuk and Doc.ua website.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
