A New Year leaves many of us wanting to make healthier lifestyle choices. If your resolutions included wanting to manage your weight, here are seven bad habits that you may not have known can hurt your weight loss goals.
Not Eating Your Vegetables
Vegetables are a natural weight loss food and some of the healthiest food that you can eat. They are low in calories and fat plus they are high immune-protecting antioxidants and fibre, which can help keep you fuller for longer.
Skipping Meals
Skipping meals will leave you with little energy because the body has run out of the fuel you get from food, with a slower metabolism, as your body is now playing catch up.
Planning your meals and when you are going to have them is an easy way to avoid missing your meals! Follow a rough eating timeline each day to develop a healthy routine, and when time is an issue, you can easily whip up a delicious ReShape shake to take with you on the go!
Neglecting Water
When we are dehydrated, our bodies often confuse thirst for hunger, leading you to overeat. A good way to test if you are hungry is to have a glass of water, and then wait to see if you are still hungry after.
Carrying a water bottle, setting frequent reminders on your phone, and adding other hydrating drinks such as Innergize to your routine are some ways to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day!
Not having food in the fridge or pantry
When we don’t have the right ingredients on hand, our meals lack nutritional value, or we end up or opting for takeaway instead. Ensure that when you are grocery shopping you are covering all the food groups – fruit, vegetables, beans, dairy and lean meats – so even if you are running behind schedule, you will still have time to whip up a healthy home-cooked meal.
Multitasking at mealtimes
Our daily lives are full of distractions, and it’s not uncommon for us to eat with the TV blaring or while scrolling through our phone. Consider making mealtime an electronics-free zone and focus on mindful eating. This means eating with the attention necessary for noticing and enjoying your food and its effects on your body, enjoying each mouthful, and watching for signs that you’re full so you don’t overeat.
Not Cleaning Your Kitchen
A dirty kitchen can turn off anyone from cooking dinner and can be the catalyst for poor food choices and unhealthy habits. Take the time to clean after you cook and eat each meal, or even better, clean as you go!
Lack of sleep
If you’re trying to lose weight, not getting enough sleep can sabotage your efforts. A lack of sleep is linked to poorer food choices, increased hunger, and calorie intake, decreased physical activity, and ultimately, weight gain. Make sure you are getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.