Happy New Year People and lets make it an awesome one!  We all know losing weight correctly isn’t easy. We eat incorrectly, we don’t exercise, we don’t take in enough fluids, we don’t eat enough nutrients that are good for us, ie fruit and vegetables and the list goes on and on.  So here are some Weight Loss Mistakes to avoid.

Losing weight slower is better.

So the first “diet” I ever went on back in 2009 was called “The Milk Diet” I lost 60lbs in 3 months.  Ridiculous I know and you guessed it, the next 3 months I put the weight right back on.  Yes SMH!  The main reason the weight came back on is because the diet didn’t have basic nutritional principles.  I lost water weight and that’s it.  The slower you lose weight the better it will stay off.  It’s an old saying but it’s a true saying.  Slow and steady does win the race.

Weight loss changes from week to week so don’t expect unrealistic weight loss expectations.

When you first begin losing weight, your body loses a lot of weight extremely fast.  That is because your body isn’t used to the change you are putting your body through.  In the beginning, you’ll probably lose about 5 to 7 pounds per week until you reach about 30 to 50 pounds lost (It also depends on your body frame).  But don’t get used to it! After that phase your weight loss will then slow down to 1 to 2 pounds per week.  That’s not a bad thing!  Normal healthy weight loss averages about that much.  Think about it, 2lbs per week is 8 lbs per month and 96lbs per year. That’s almost 100lbs!  So if your weight loss slows down, don’t freak out it’s normal.

Food is not a reward.

On that “Milk Diet”, the first thing I did when I lost 13lbs in 7 days was reward myself with a Chicken Club Sandwich meal from Burger King.  It was the first food place near the weight loss office.  LOL! I know.  I sat my butt in the car gobbled that meal down and felt sooooo badly afterwards.  I mean I hung my head low!  So with that said, don’t reward yourself with food.  Try using a reward system such as treating yourself to a pedicure or a new piece of clothing.  The ultimate reward will be knowing that you resisted the thing that keeps you down and you will have continued weight loss.

Setbacks are normal.

Ok so even the mighty have fallen.  Yes me!  Setbacks are normal.  The smart thing to do is not wallow in your setback but move forward.  Get over it and go on.  Don’t let a bad meal turn into a day off and then a week off.  Make up in your mind that you have a goal that is worth more than some slice of pizza or ice cream.  Make up in your mind that you are worth it and that you deserve and owe it to yourself to meet your goal.

Everyone is different.

I’m 5’11 and started losing weight at 345lbs.  I looked good.  I was fat but I looked good.  Nonetheless I still needed to lose weight.  When I started losing weight, the main questions were:  How much did you lose in the first month? How long did it take you?  Everyone is different.  You can’t gauge your weight loss based on how I’ve lost my weight for obvious reasons.  So lets say you did start when someone else did, you can’t measure your success by what someone else is doing.  Everyone is different.

Stay away from processed food.

When losing weight, it is important to do away with processed food.  I know Costco has all those pre-packaged goods on the CHEAP but honestly all that processed stuff is not good for you especially when you are trying to lose weight.  The best thing to do when planning your meals is to make sure you eat fresh food.  I know it’s a little more expensive but technically it isn’t.  Your portions sizes are smaller which means you are able to stretch the more nutritious food further.

So these are just a few things you want to be mindful of when on your weight loss journey.  I know it’s hard but you can do it!

Again HAPPY NEW YEAR and let’s make 2013 the year that we all SHINE!

LOVE YOU WITH THE LOVE OF THE LORD JESUS AND THERE AIN’T NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! TTYL and DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE, REPOST, COMMENT AND SHARE!