If you’re working out on a regular basis and eating well, but you still aren’t seeing results when you step on the scale, there may be some hidden loopholes to your weight loss approach. In this short guide, we’ll pin point some techniques that can skyrocket your success—and send you on the fast track to your ideal weight.
You’re Not Eating Breakfast
Are you skipping breakfast on a regular basis? Or, does your ‘breakfast’ typically include a sugary latte, or multiple cups of coffee—and that’s it? If so, you’re missing a prime opportunity to increase your metabolism that fuel your body with essential nutrients it requires to run efficiently—and stay full throughout the morning.
If you want to see greater weight loss or fitness results, you have to start with a healthy meal with 60-90 minutes after waking up. If you aren’t big on breakfast, that’s okay! Choose a smaller first meal of the day, such as a protein rich smoothie (frozen berries, cashew milk and a spoonful of peanut butter is perfect!) or scrambled eggs with plenty of chopped veggies are a few great choices to move you towards your goals. When you eat a sensible breakfast, you’ll boost your metabolism, elevate your mood and stabilize your appetite. It’s a simple and easy way to stay on target—no matter what your goals may be!
Your Cheat Day Turns into Multiple Cheat Days
Are you calculating everything you eat with an app like Fitness Pal or SparkPeople? If not, it’s easy to overdo it calorie-wise. Giving yourself a cheat day can be a great way to reward yourself for a week’s worth of clean eating, but if you’re not careful, one cheat day can turn into several cheat days per week. Before you know it, you may consume 1,000 or more extra calories per week than you intended—which can jeopardize your diet altogether.
If you find that it’s difficult to stick to one cheat day, give yourself one cheat meal per week—and don’t go all out, calorie-crazy on that one meal. For example, if you love Mexican food, don’t order a large order of nachos with sour green, guacamole and extra cheese. Instead, stick to one or two toppings that you love the most. Skip dessert, and the next morning, get right back to your clean eating diet (loaded with smart protein and healthy fat choices!)
If you aren’t seeing the results you’d like, remember: losing weight, tightening and toning and improving your overall fitness takes time and dedication. However, eating a healthy breakfast and monitoring your ‘cheat’ meals are a great way to stay on top of your weekly goals and achieve them at record speed!
