Losing weight requires commitment and planning. However, no matter how well-developed your diet and exercise plans are, you might be doing your body a disservice with small habits that seem meaningless. Here are some subtle practices that can halt your progress if unchecked.
Not Enough Sleep
Not getting enough sleep can lead to low energy during the day, difficulty focusing on tasks, and muscle aches. Drowsiness during the day can cause sugar cravings, which can be a hard temptation to stave when you can barely keep your eyes open. Sleep also helps you repair muscles and recover your body from exercise so you can keep going.
Eating Right After Waking Up
The foods you’re eating to begin the day influence weight loss. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning helps your metabolism and removes toxins. Eating anything heavy should be avoided because it can cause bloating. Coffee is another thing to avoid for the first 90 minutes because it can cause an energy crash earlier in the day, leading to sugar cravings.
Too Much Stress on Exercise
Any physical activity is good for your health, but it is possible to lose weight with minimal exercise. What foods you’re eating and how much you eat can have a more significant effect on weight than exercise. Exercising more with an unhealthy diet might lead to a little weight loss, but it’s easy to bounce back after.
Dehydration
Water helps with protein absorption. Having a glass of water every hour or two is a good way to avoid dehydration. Drinking water also helps preserve the body’s pH level, increases energy, and staves off hunger.
Too Much Healthy Foods
While it might sound unintuitive, there is too much of a good thing. Foods marketed as healthy alternatives usually have smaller serving sizes than the box they came in. If you’re eating straight out of the packet, you might unknowingly get more calories than you can spend.
