The 4 biggest mistakes when it comes to fat loss
BLOG BY SHANI KAPLAN
A PT reflects on her experiences - both personally & professionally
At the beginning of lockdown, there is no doubt that I was eating my feelings. As a highly social person, I found myself struggling with the inability to get out and see friends, or work from a cafe with all of my favourite familiar faces. Like many others, I was worried beyond belief and found myself panic-buying staple pantry foods I wouldn’t usually buy. Suddenly, I had all this food in my cupboard which saw me easily polishing off endless amounts of granola, chocolates, biscuits, and more. I definitely gained a few kgs and despite keeping active, I knew my caloric intake was way exceeding my expenditure.
That tends to be where the mistakes lie - rather than it being a problem of completely losing yourself and not attempting to stay healthy at all, I've found that much of the time, people tend to get frantic about weight-gain and thus, go about losing it the wrong way. It's also important to note that there are many times in life where weight fluctuates and there has never been a better excuse for it than a pandemic! However, there are ways to combat this weight-gain using simple and effective methods that focus on balance and sustainability; think 'smart', not 'fast'. And always remember, there is no benefit at all in punishing yourself for weight-gain, instead, focus on simply jumping back in where you left off on your health journey!
So, let's look at some of the common mistakes we make when trying to shed those extra kgs and dive into the best way to combat these:
#1 Thinking that exercise trumps diet
The thing is, when it comes to weight-loss, diet should always be your number 1 priority. Of course, this is not to take away from the importance of exercise and its many benefits: fitness, strength, muscle development, stress relief, improving sleep quality, self esteem - to name a few. In saying this, it is true - however unfortunate - that you can’t outrun a bad diet. Most people (and fitness trackers) overestimate the calories burned through an average person’s daily bout of exercise. Of course, for an athlete this is a different story. Exercising for hours on end means adequate fuelling is a necessity, and an exceptionally high caloric intake is perfectly normal. However, the average person exercising for 45-90 minutes daily will burn significantly less calories than they expect.
Solution:
Exercise because a) you enjoy it b) you are privileged to live in a body healthy enough to exercise c) you love reaching goals and d) because you simply know it will improve your quality of life in all respects! Choose a combination of strengthening, stretching, and cardiovascular workouts throughout your week. The choices are endless! Bonus tip - don’t underestimate the effectiveness of simply walking 30-60 minutes a day.
#2 Underestimating the caloric intake of food
A close relative is on a weight-loss journey. He has lost over 50kgs so far. This has been a year-long effort and to be achieving his goal in his 60s has been inspiring, to say the least. I remember at the beginning of his journey, he had replaced a lot of his calorie-dense snacks with fruits and nuts; and lunches and dinners with protein and vegetables. Sounds healthy, right? Totally. Until I saw his breakfast.
He was eating a bowl of porridge at his favourite cafe every morning, topped with guava, banana, honey, tahini, and chopped nuts. As the rest of his meals would only be equating to perhaps 1200-1300 calories, he still had calories to play with to be in a caloric deficit. What he was completely astounded by was the fact that this breakfast bowl of “health” came to a whopping 800-900 calories. This is just one example that goes to show that just because you’re eating healthy foods, it doesn’t mean you should ignore your caloric intake!
Solution:
Don't let the numbers dictate anything but keep them in mind if you feel like you're doing everything right, yet not seeing the desired results. Good fats like nuts and nut butters, avocado, and olive/ coconut oil can be hugely beneficial for satiety and health, but be mindful of over-consuming them, especially if your physical activity is limited.
#3 Giving up too quickly
Most people start a diet with one goal in mind - to lose weight. We are impatient beings and if we don’t see immediate changes - ones often reflected by the scale - we can be quite put off, which inevitably leads to giving up. The problem is, based off of many factors like drinking a lot of fluids, a woman’s cycle, a heavy weighted session at the gym etc. the numbers on the scale are always susceptible to fluctuating. I have seen this happen with many of my clients who will complain that they have not seen changes for 'x' amount of days and quickly lose all motivation.
Solution:
Remain consistent! The saying "consistency is key" is popular for a reason. For the average person, as long as you are in a caloric deficit and remain consistent with this 80% of the time, science says you will lose weight. Give yourself a realistic and attainable goal that isn't so highly restrictive that it impedes on the quality of your life. This way you can stick to it and make it a lifestyle so that there is nothing to "give up" on.
#4 Cutting out all of your favourite foods
"Low-carb", "low-fat", "low-sugar", "low-calorie"... these are the highly marketed diets and product labels on what seems to be every package in the grocer. Whilst I am all for finding a diet that suits you (even if it falls within the above categories), from personal experience, clients cannot sustain a strict diet like this for long periods of time, and often regain their weight. But I will let you in on a secret - you don't need to cut out all your favourite foods to lose weight. Moderation is key! You are still able to have some dessert, eat carbs and fruit and reach your goals if you're within a caloric deficit.
Solution:
Include foods you enjoy, but focus on - and experiment with - how various foods make you feel. I have a massive sweet tooth, but I know that having a lot of sweets during the day within my workweek triggers an inevitable afternoon energy crash - which is not at all helpful for my productivity! I will instead opt for a small bowl of fruit; like berries and some mango or passionfruit; and a protein shake, to satisfy that craving but allow me to feel the best in that moment. Some days, however, chocolate and biscuits just win! I have found with clients that allowing yourself the foods you love - in moderation - takes away from the restriction mentality and means you're more likely to stay consistent on your weight-loss journey. Just make sure that most of your weekly food intake is filled with vegetables, proteins and healthy fats to keep that body functioning at its best!
#4 Cutting out all of your favourite foods
"Low-carb", "low-fat", "low-sugar", "low-calorie"... these are the highly marketed diets and product labels on what seems to be every package in the grocer. Whilst I am all for finding a diet that suits you (even if it falls within the above categories), from personal experience, clients cannot sustain a strict diet like this for long periods of time, and often regain their weight. But I will let you in on a secret - you don't need to cut out all your favourite foods to lose weight. Moderation is key! You are still able to have some dessert, eat carbs and fruit and reach your goals if you're within a caloric deficit.
Solution:
Include foods you enjoy, but focus on - and experiment with - how various foods make you feel. I have a massive sweet tooth, but I know that having a lot of sweets during the day within my workweek triggers an inevitable afternoon energy crash - which is not at all helpful for my productivity! I will instead opt for a small bowl of fruit; like berries and some mango or passionfruit; and a protein shake, to satisfy that craving but allow me to feel the best in that moment. Some days, however, chocolate and biscuits just win! I have found with clients that allowing yourself the foods you love - in moderation - takes away from the restriction mentality and means you're more likely to stay consistent on your weight-loss journey. Just make sure that most of your weekly food intake is filled with vegetables, proteins and healthy fats to keep that body functioning at its best!
I hope this helps you wherever you are on your health journey! Just remember - slow and steady wins the race.
Any topics you would like to hear more on? Email talk@truthnaturals.co.uk
Shani Kaplan
Shani Kaplan is a contributing writer for Truth Naturals. She combines her knowledge gained from working within the fitness/wellness industry in Sydney and London for the last seven years as a Personal Trainer, and class instructor, with her addiction to research due to her BA in Business Marketing. Shani loves martial arts, resistance training, dance and yoga, nutrition, travel, design, photography, and art.