Weight Loss Journey Thing to and not to Do

by Todd A Brown

No matter where you start or how far you've come, weight reduction journeys are challenging. Most people have attempted weight loss at some point but given up because they hit a plateau or received bad advice. Additionally, countless weight reduction scams claim to be the only thing you need to lose weight, but there isn't a single thing that will actually help you do it. Your weight reduction solution consists of a variety of puzzle pieces that must all fit together. Following are some Dos and Don'ts to keep in mind as you embark on your weight-loss journey:

Don't do only cardio

Cardio should be included in your regimen, but it shouldn't be the only thing. Cardio is a tremendous way to burn calories and is obviously important for heart health, but it is only a minor part of the weight loss issue. Now, I'm not advocating skipping cardio since it must be done, but a healthy weight loss plan does not place the greatest focus on it. For best outcomes, you should still aim for roughly 5 days per week of cardiovascular activity.

Do lift weights at least 3 times per week

Weightlifting and strength training is a must if you want to lose weight because they help you build muscle. Why is that crucial? Your metabolism speeds up as a result of muscular growth, enabling you to burn more calories. Building muscle is beneficial for bone health as well because it makes your bones stronger. For starters, 2-3 days per week of weightlifting are sufficient; but, as your program progresses, you'll want to increase that to 3-5 days per week.

Don't go too fast

Trying to do too much too fast is just as detrimental to your adherence to a fitness program as not doing enough. Too often, people try to do too much starting off and end up burning out after 2-3 weeks and reverting back to old habits. The typical 4-week weight loss guru on Instagram touts a 20-pound weight loss program that's easy to follow but truth be told, those programs are not maintainable and don't encourage long-lasting healthy habits.

Do set realistic short and long term goals

Setting realistic goals helps to stabilize results in addition to the aforementioned factors. No matter how overweight you may or may not be, aiming for 0.5-1 pound of weight loss per week is a fairly practical and doable target for most people. Aiming for a weight loss of 2-4 pounds a month for a year will result in 24-48 pounds gone. Not to mention that you will have developed lifelong, healthy behaviors that you can continue to practice.

Don't take fat burning supplements

These are usually a waste of money packaged with fancy advertising and less than true claims on how they work. Most "fat-burning" supplements do not actually burn fat! If they do anything, they help you burn more calories by increasing your metabolic rate which can lead to weight loss but if you do not burn more calories than you consume, then you will not lose weight. Some supplements will claim that they can "target belly fat" which is absurd.

There are no supplements that target fat in specific parts of your body, that's not how your body works. When you are losing fat, your fat cells decrease in size throughout your body and everybody reacts differently.

Do spend most of your time and effort on your meal plan

Setting realistic goals helps results progress steadily and complements the aforesaid. No matter how overweight you may or may not be, aiming for a weekly weight loss of 0.5 to 1 pound is a very practical and doable target for almost everybody.

You can lose between 24 and 48 pounds in a year if you strive for a weight loss of 2-4 pounds per month on average throughout a year. Not to mention that you will have formed enduring, healthy habits that you can maintain for the rest of your life.

Don't drink liquid calories

Liquid calories are sure to derail your weight loss journey for many reasons. One of those reasons is that it contains extra calories (often sugary) that don't help you feel satiated. Now, having protein shakes is still acceptable as long as it is only whey protein without the extra added sugar.

The extra protein will help you recover for the next workout. The liquid calories you need to avoid are sugary drinks (juices, Gatorade, soda, etc... ) and alcohol. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram compared to carbohydrates and proteins which are 4 calories per gram and also have additional carbohydrates attached to them.

Do drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water

Drink plenty of water since it makes up the bulk of your body! Half your body weight in ounces of water is a decent guideline for how much you should consume each day. For instance, you should consume 100 ounces of water every day if you weigh 200 pounds.

Don't focus on the scale

This may seem counterintuitive but hear me out. It is a great feeling to see the numbers get smaller each week on that scale and can give you a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. When you start to plateau and the numbers on the scale aren't changing as frequently, it can be easy to get discouraged.

It is important to remember that the scale only tells part of the story when it comes to results so don't put all your stock in what the scale says. A more important measurement to also keep an eye on is your body fat percentage.

Do focus on improving your overall fitness

Sometimes it is just best to shift your focus to different, but related goals to kick start your results. Instead of weighing yourself weekly, try tracking and improving upon your fitness levels such as improving your run time on a 3-mile run, or instead of running 3 miles, try to go 4 or 5. For strength, focus on trying to lift heavier weights and improving your overall strength levels.

You can also try different programs to improve how many push-ups or pull-ups you can do. The main point is to get your focus off the scale and to work on your strength, flexibility, or cardiovascular fitness.