Small Things That Prevent Us From Losing Weight

Jul 24, 2018

Obesity is a global health challenge, with many labeling it as a pandemic or epidemic. The World Health Organization, or WHO, reports that worldwide obesity rates have tripled over the last four decades. Despite a plethora of diet trends and novel ways to exercise, people continually struggle to lose weight and keep it off. Could the problem with weight maintenance be that we are so focused on the big, grand accomplishments that we forget the little things that add up daily?

Former World Heavyweight Boxing champ James John Corbett once said that it’s only those with “patience to do simple things perfectly” whoever develops the skillset to “do difficult things easily.” Maintaining exercise and diet are without a doubt difficult, but could our biggest hindrance be in those simple daily habits that we forget to perfect. It’s these daily habits that indeed often prevent us from losing weight on diet and exercise plans, and they actually can cause you to gain weight. Let’s look at eight of them.

A lot of people skip breakfast in an attempt to cut calories or because they’re in too big of a hurry in the mornings. This is actually doing tremendous harm to your metabolism and leaving you prone to overeating during other meals from increased hunger. Research tells us conclusively that breakfast eaters gain less weight and have smaller waistlines than those skipping breakfast.

As workdays get longer, socialization takes priority, and bedtimes get later, we are eating evening meals later and later and are up long hours and feel hungry for late night snacks. Research shows that late meals and snacks go straight into fat storage because there isn’t enough time and energy expenditure between consumption and bedtime to burn it off.

Nutritional experts recommend eating your evening meal before 6pm-7pm. If you exercise at night or have glucose issues, a light snack in the evening is fine, but otherwise stay away from the fridge before bedtime.

Bottom line is that you drink to stay hydrated, and nothing is a better hydration source than regular old water. Sodas and other high-fructose drinks are doing nothing but adding to your empty calorie count. Drinking water has been proven to help you burn more calories, stay fuller longer, and increase the absorption of the good nutrients you eat.

One study showed drinking a liter of water per day for a year resulted in an average of 2kg weight loss in the subjects.

There are good, healthy fats and bad, unhealthy fats. Fat-free foods mix both if the label is true to its fat-free advertisement. Our bodies actually need those good fats to prevent us from releasing hunger hormones and assist in the absorption of key nutrients and minerals like calcium and vitamin D. So, while it may sound odd, adhering to a fat-free diet can actually cause you to gain weight.

Another paradox, right? But, missing out on sleep has a big impact on your weight. You’re up longer, meaning you’re likely to be more hungry, eat more, and eat more often. Your body lacks the rest and energy it needs to function, meaning you continually choose high fat, high carb, sugary substances to provide boosts of energy. Your metabolism is confused and slows down, and exercise is likely not on your priority list because you simply don’t have the energy.

You should be getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night to allow your body the rest it needs to support you making good nutrition and exercise choices.

When you eat, your main focus should be on your food, not conversation, your phone, or television shows. Getting caught up in such distractions takes your control away, leading you to miss signals of fullness and resulting in you eating more than you need or want to at a meal. Grazing opportunities also interfere with controlling your diet. You see the food laying around open and ready to eat and your brain sends hunger and want signals to your body.

So, it’s fine if you have a cookie or a handful of chips, but don’t leave the package laying around so that you graze eat on it every time you pass by it.

Happy hour is your worst enemy. Mixed drinks, beer, and wine are mostly loaded with sugar and carbs, and research has proven alcoholic drinks contribute to the worst kind of fat for your health - midsection fat. Limit yourself to one and make it an infrequent indulgence.

Whether it be a 9am-5pm corporate desk job, sit-down hobbies, or a home office job, most of us spent a lot of time idling and sitting. Research has confirmed the link between obesity and the time one spends sitting each day. Of course, prolonged sitting also contributes to circulation issues and increases the risk of soft tissue injuries that can sideline exercise efforts and thereby further contribute to obesity.

Experts recommend getting movement in every 60 to 90 minutes, whether that be taking a walk to get a drink of water, chair exercises, or standing up to walk in place and stretch.

Are any of these small habits part of your everyday? Have a great idea on how to mix any of these or other daily habits contributing to obesity? Pass this on to your friends and loved ones.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!