3 Weight Loss Mistakes You Don't Want to Make

For those trying to lose just a few pounds, it can come quickly.  For others who had a lot of weight to lose, it may not show up for quite a while.  But chances are, it WILL come... the dreaded plateau. It

can be frustrating and drive you to the brink of giving up, but if you recognize one of these patterns in your diet, you CAN do something about it.

You're not eating often enough

That may sound a little counter-intuitive... but you really do need to eat more often to lose weight! Rather than the usual "three squares a day" mentality, try to eat every 2-3 hours, getting 5-6 small meals each day.  This keeps your metabolism cranked up and burning calories digesting all those meals. It also keeps your blood sugar & insulin levels at a more even level.  Not having that drop in blood sugar lessens the temptation to overeat when it's time for your next meal.

Portion Distortion

I almost hate to say it, but those prepackaged food diets (you know the ones - Valerie, Dan, Chris, and Kirsty do the commercials for the two biggies) do get one thing right.. they show you what a portion should look like.  In our super-sized world, it's very easy to underestimate how much food (and number of calories) we eat each day.  Although weighing your food is a great habit to get into, it really isn't always practical.  So what is a "portion?"

One portion of lean meat (3 ounces) is about the size of your palm or a deck of cards
One portion of vegetables (1/2 cup) is about the size of a tennis ball
One portion of rice, pasta, or noodles is about the size of a baseball

Try to fill up on nonstarchy vegetables that are loaded with nutrients and are almost completely lacking in calories.

Drinking your calories rather than eating them

This is a growing problem in our fast-paced, gotta get the kids to soccer practice world.  The market is absolutely saturated with meal replacement and weight loss shakes, "diet" smoothies, and premade protein concoctions.  Three things you need to remember about these things...

A lot of these liquid shakes and ALL fruit smoothies are loaded with sugar!  You get an immediate spike in blood sugar and the inevitable crash as your body releases insulin to balance it out.  These incredible swings in insulin levels aren't good for your body and are TERRIBLE for weight loss.

Most of these shakes are completely lacking in fiber.  Not only does fiber help to moderate the sugar/insulin swing, it does a GREAT job of making you feel full!  Now, I know what you're going to say - Fruit is full of fiber!  Well, that's true... but how much actual fruit is in that fast food smoothie?  Unless you're making your own, skip the smoothie and just eat the fruit!

Ever wonder how many calories get packed into a shake or smoothie?  One 16 ounce fruit smoothie could actually contain up to 600 calories!  And that's just a refreshing drink, NOT a meal, so how long will it keep your appetite at bay?  Now try to sit down and eat 600 calories worth of real fruit... considering the average medium banana has only 80 calories.  You really want to eat 7 or 8 of them?

When you're trying to lose fat, you want the most bang for your buck out of every calorie you consume.  Wouldn't your rather eat something and fill up rather than drink it and be hungry in half an hour?

For the absolute best guide to learning what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat, check out Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle.  It's the most comprehensive guide to burning fat you'll ever find.