Hi folks and welcome back to the blog! Its been a while since I’ve been on here last as I needed some time to work on some things. Today we are talking about some so-called ‘healthy’ products or habits that are actually RUINING your healthy body goals!
I know it seems crazy that you could actually be crippling your results with healthy things BUT it’s true! I’ve used these habits in the past, and wanted to warn you before you give into products and or habits that you may think are good for you.
11 ‘Healthy’ Habits that are Killing Your Healthy Body Goals
1. Eating healthy snacks throughout the day
I know that we have all been told 6 meals a day is a great idea and that we should be eating healthy snacks in the day but it’s not true! If you snack throughout the day whether it’s a healthy snack or not, you are constantly shooting your insulin levels up and down throughout the day which causes lots of fat storage and other issues regarding insulin. This is not good!
How to fix the problem:
Once I realized how bad snacking truly was for my health (and bloating!) I decided to stop and think about what I was eating and why. You should do the same and evaluate why you might be hungry for a snack. Most of the time its because your body is thirsty AF so you should listen to that and drink about 32oz of water, you will notice the hunger go away.
Another great way to combat snacking throughout the day to accelerate fat loss is to eat big meals in your eating windows. It’s best to wait at least 4 hours in between each meal for the best fat burning results. Because you will be waiting so long to eat your next meal, make sure you get enough protein and fats so you can stay satiated for a longer period of time.
2. Eating a low-calorie diet
This one is definitely a big one! When I was on my little break from blogging for a while, I was trying to be really careful about my calorie intake because I wanted to be in a deficit. Well, it really just made me binge more often and become cranky. I didn’t lose nearly as much fat as I wanted to throughout the month eating a low-calorie diet.
The reason why low-calorie diets just don’t work is because calories are a form of energy. Low-calorie eating can cause nutrient deficiencies, slow metabolism, and make you feel weak. This means you can’t perform in the gym as well. It’s also a way that can form into disordered eating making you binge out on the weekends or continue to restrict your calories further.
How to fix it:
It should be simple, but it can be difficult because food is addicting. The solution? Eat a diet rich in fiber, veggies, good quality fats, and high protein. Tracking your food is great too, I go more in-depth with number 11.
Find out your BMR, Daily Calorie requirement to lose weight.
3. Eating ‘sugar-free’ Foods
Some may disagree with me and by some I mean me. It is so hard to knock sweets for myself as I have a really crazy sweet tooth. If you’re like me, please read this section and know I mean everything with love because I care about us!
I thought sugar free foods were like the best thing ever because I thought it meant I could whatever I wanted and be fine because of no sugar!
The result? A terrible bloating stomach and uncomfortable digestion. Some no sugar sweeteners are okay but it’s important not to go overboard as too much can actually give an insulin response throughout the day. They can ball up in your stomach and make it really painful for a couple of days if you go overboard.
How to fix the problem:
Honestly try to limit yourself to one ‘sweet’ thing a day if you can and do it with better sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia, erythritol or a sugar-free protein shake. Again, you need to be careful with them because to much of any of these can have consequences. When you do decide to make a treat, do so mindfully 😉
4. Having a ‘cheat’ meal on the weekends
With all the hype right now on cheat meals, days, and calorie challenges its no surprise people are interested in eating whatever they want on the weekends. Some fitness enthusiasts claim that it’s a great release and wonderful way to enjoy whatever they want without tracking calories or worrying- and of course giving in to ALL their cravings! Another reason it may seem good is that they say it may help achieve your goals because you aren’t ‘depriving’ yourself.
The problem with this? Some may not be able to handle the mental thoughts that can come after a cheat meal or day. Thoughts of guilt and shame may come over them or it may create a binge type of behavior to those who attach emotion to the cheat day and go a little to wild completely undoing all of their progress.
How to fix it:
Honestly, you need to rethink why you are ‘dieting’ or working out consistently in the first place. Think about your goals to be HEALTHY, a bunch of pizza, and sugar is not going to make you healthy but more lethargic, tired and lazy. This is very important to remember because you need to be in it for the long haul! Not temporary.
5. Using ‘detox’ Teas for weight loss
There are lots of products that claim they can ‘shrink’ your waist or make you look like a celebrity that may have spent thousands on surgeries and other things to look the way they do.
PLEASE do yourself a favor and do not fall into the ‘detox’ trick because you cant detox your body this way, when they say detox I think they are just saying ‘here’s a laxative tea’ so if you get this kind of tea, know that’s all it is. Rely on healthy fibrous veggies, WATER, and exercise instead of spending money on these.
6. Doing too much cardio
Don’t get me wrong, cardio can burn a lot of calories if done correctly BUT there’s this new thing I’ve been doing and its called ‘resistance training’. It’s not new but it’s amazing at burning calories, building muscle, and making you stronger! Not only that, but it creates shape to the body with tiny waists, and a bigger tush if that’s what your goal is. Muscle mass is the best thing you can have in your body besides fat so when you are building the muscle, it takes more calories to build the muscle thus making you burn more!
If you do too much HIIT or treadmill, you will get bored, have fatigue creating unmotivated. I do, however, recommend doing a warm-up for 10 minutes on a cardio machine before your strength training workout. I also don’t think you should eliminate cardio completely if your main focus is a fat loss! Doing just a 10-minute HIIT workout 3 days a week should be just enough to burn off some stubborn fat.
Check out this article from POP Sugar Fitness about why you shouldn’t just do cardio.
7. Eating protein bars
Protein bars are amazing. They are a highly satisfying food that’s supposed to be a healthy but… how healthy are they really?? Well, they can be addictive, full of sugar, and contain random ingredients. Instead, opt to make your own protein bars OR go for a filling protein-packed meal.
How to fix the problem:
Go for a sugar-free, limited ingredient protein bar and limit your self to having them occasionally. Or make them your self using this recipe here.
8. Breakfast
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”
While this may be true, waiting until lunchtime may provide more fat loss. Try skipping breakfast in the morning to accelerate fat loss, and feel better by doing so (and save money!). It will keep you feeling clean and light throughout the day! There’s no reason to stuff yourself full that early since your body is still trying to digest from the night before.
How to fix the problem:
If you absolutely cannot skip breakfast, try going for a lighter breakfast that will be easy to digest. Ideas like, fruit, protein shakes, or an egg can help ease hunger while still making you feel light.
9. Avoiding fat
Back in the day, there were so many health enthusiasts that were saying fat is terrible for you. The biggest problem? They forgot to mention how important HEALTHY fats are! You need healthy fat for brain health, satiety, and energy. The Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics claims that Omega-3 fatty acids are great and optimal for:
- Brain & Nervous system Health
- Lowering cholesterol and creating a healthy heart
- Reducing inflammation in the body
Types of Healthy Fats according to the Academy for Nutrition & Dietetics:
Omega-3 Fatty Foods:
- Fatty Fish like Salmon ( Vegan? try an algae-based Omega-3 Supplement)
- Walnuts
- Flaxseeds
- Chia Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Eggs
Monounsaturated Fats:
- Nuts; Brazil, Almonds, Hazelnuts
- Oils; Olive, Avocado, nut oils
- Avocado
- Nut Butters (Sparingly)
10. Relying on a scale
Scales are extremely beneficial to keep track of your goals and how well your diet is going for you. But the problem is that scales aren’t very accurate and there’s more to your body than just the scale ‘number’. Weight means a whole lot of things! Things that aren’t measured on a scale are; Muscle Mass, Fat %, Water, Protein, and Bone Density just to name a few.
How to Fix the problem:
Get a Dexa Scan or get measured at your local gym, or doctors office. They have a little more accuracy when determining what you are really carrying. The scale may show 145, then you weigh 140 a month later. You could have easily gained muscle and lost a lot of fat.
The takeaway; if your clothes are getting looser, you look different, you feel healthier, this is all that matters 🙂
11. Ignoring Calories or Not Counting Them
It goes both ways in my book. It’s not logical to eat whatever you want in the day and wonder why you aren’t losing weight. If you’re trying to gain weight, you need to track calories. Look I know you don’t want to do it but will help give you an idea of what you consume. You will reach your goals if you track at least 3 times a week.
However…
Some may say this isn’t good for mental health and can become an obsessive thing you constantly do. Don’t make it a habit to track every day but if you seriously cant hit your goals, its time to consider tracking. If you meal prep, you won’t have to count calories because you will know what you are eating already!
My favorite FREE macro trackers are: Fitness Pal, and Chronometer(aff link)
I hope you found this post helpful! And if you need help with reaching your goals, send me a question I would be glad to help! Try some of these tips out and let me know what you think. Also, do you think that some of these are actually healthy habits we should be doing? If so why?! The comment section is down below boss babe!
xoxo,
DACIA
