Habits to break for successful weight loss

7 Common Habits To Break If You Want Your Diet To Be Successful

/ Mindset & Habits / By

Do you feel like you’ve been doing absolutely everything in order to lose weight, but your weight still doesn’t go down or at least not as much as you hoped? How is it possible that after all that time you invested in exercising and all that pizza and ice cream you didn´t eat, you’re still not seeing any results? The truth is that you could be sabotaging your weight loss with some seemingly innocuous habits, habits to break for successful weight loss.

Before you get frustrated and give up altogether, remember that weight loss is sometimes not as simple as it looks. You might have thought that as long as you simply eat less and burn more you would see results quickly, but weight loss can be more complicated than that. There are many factors that can have an influence on our weight loss success and if you are not making the progress you hoped despite putting in your best efforts, you might be overlooking some of them.

In this blog post, we will take a closer look at some of these habits, and the way they could be affecting your weight loss. Once you understand their impact and how they are stopping you from reaching your goals, you can address them and find strategies to overcome them. If you manage to replace these bad habits with good ones, they can turn into a very powerful tool that will help you finally achieve those weight loss goals. 

So, before you give up altogether, start by addressing these 7 habits to break for successful weight loss:

  1. You follow an extreme diet and/or exercise regime.
  2. You change your workout plan too often.
  3. You think negatively about your weight loss journey.
  4. You eat mindlessly. 
  5. You don’t sleep enough.
  6. You don’t drink enough (water!).
  7. You skip meals. 

7 Habits To Break For Successful Weight Loss

Here are 7 bad habits you should address, if you want your diet to be successful: 

1. You follow an extreme diet and/or exercise regime.

If you have a very ambitious weight loss goal, you probably want to get there as fast as possible. Unfortunately, a restrictive diet and/or too much exercise are not going to help achieve your goal in the long term, even if you might see some quick results at the beginning. 

If you are cutting out many of your favorite foods or you are undereating over a longer period of time, you will sooner or later return to a “normal” way of eating. Psychologists explain this phenomenon with the principle of reactance: If you tell yourself you can´t have something, you want it even more. So, by giving things up: your favorite dessert, eating out with friends, enjoying an ice cream at the pool….you are actually self-sabotaging your diet.  

The same goes for exercise. If you are doing hours of cardio every week in order to achieve your weight loss goals, you probably won’t get the results you hope for. You don’t need to work to exhaustion every time you work out and you don’t have to suffer for hours in order to get results. 

Setting overly ambitious weight loss goals will lead to frustration and a lack of motivation if your progress is slower than expected. Weight loss requires consistent effort over time. So stop dieting and start focusing on creating a healthy lifestyle based on nutritious foods, that still allows you to enjoy your favorite foods from time to time.

2. You change your workout plan too often.

While variety is important in a workout routine, frequent and drastic changes will stop you from making the progress you hope for. While it can be very tempting to switch up your training whenever you see workout plans on social media that promise even faster and better results, you should try to stick to your plan for at least 8 to 12 weeks, and here is why:

  • Your body needs time to adapt: If you perform the same exercises for a few weeks, your body will get more efficient at those movements. This adaptation process then leads to improvements in strength and endurance. Many exercises also require proper form and technique to be effective and safe. Sticking with a routine allows you to focus on refining your form, which not only reduces the risk of injury but also ensures you’re getting the most out of each exercise. If you keep changing your routine too frequently, your body won’t have the chance to fully adapt and make real progress.
  • You can track your progress: Especially if you are not seeing results immediately, it can be hard to keep showing up and putting in the effort. But consistency will make it easier to track your progress and you will be able to see whether you’re getting stronger over time, if the results are not visible after the first few sessions.
  • It takes time to build a habit: If your goal is to improve your health in the long term, you need to make exercise a habit. By sticking to a workout plan for a few weeks, you’re much more likely to establish a good routine that becomes a natural part of your weekly schedule than if you keep changing it up.

3. You think negatively about your weight loss journey.

Your thoughts and emotions can have a very important impact on your actions, your habits and therefore on your weight loss and overall health. If you have negative beliefs about your ability to lose weight, you will use these thoughts as the perfect excuse to give up as soon as you are facing any challenges. You might think: “I just don’t have any time to work out.” or “I have bad genetics.”. As these thoughts go around in your head, negative emotions are triggered, which in turn can lead to emotional eating, unhealthy food choices and a lack of motivation to exercise. 

If you want to achieve your weight loss goals (or any goals in life!), you have to believe in yourself and be convinced, that you will make it, even if you face challenges or setbacks on the way. This way of positive thinking will provide you with the motivation and determination you need to stick to your plan and be successful in the long term. Instead of overthinking about mistakes and difficulties, you will see them as learning experiences that help you grow and improve.

Start by changing your mindset about adopting a healthy lifestyle. Healthy eating and regular exercise are great tools to feel better, prevent illness in the future and be more energetic to enjoy all the activities you love to the fullest. Keep in mind that positive thinking doesn’t mean ignoring challenges or denying the realities of your weight loss journey. Instead, it means approaching those challenges with a constructive and optimistic mindset.

4. You eat mindlessly.

Do you often find yourself snacking at night while watching your favorite series? Or maybe you keep checking what is in the fridge when working or studying from home? All these are habits that lead to mindless eating, which usually occurs when you are experiencing stress, difficult emotions or boredom, and they will be in your way if you want your diet to be successful.  

Even if you think that these snacks are within your calorie limit, chances are you are eating large portions without even being aware of it. Apart from that, you are probably choosing high-calorie snacks or sugary treats that make it almost impossible to stop eating before finishing the whole bag. 
 
So, in order to stop eating mindlessly, you have to be more present while you are eating and be fully aware of what you are eating and how much. Mindful eating is a skill that you can learn and practice, that will have a huge impact on your weight loss success. Some of the benefits of mindful eating are better control over your calorie intake, being more aware of your body’s hunger and fullness cues, reducing emotional eating and cravings, and so many more. 
 
The first step is to always eat without distractions. Turn off the TV and don’t eat in front of the computer either. If you want more tips on mindful eating, check out this amazing program or read my article on the Best Mindful Eating Apps of 2023. 
 

5. You don't sleep enough.

Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis is one of the habits you need to break for successful weight loss, and it’s probably one of the factors that many people don’t take into account when trying to lose weight. 

A lack of sleep can slow down your metabolism, so your body will burn less calories at rest. It will also mess up the balance of hormones that are related to hunger and fullness signals, so you might have more cravings and more appetite in general. On top of that, sleep is essential for muscle recovery after exercise, helping you build lean muscle. 

So, if you want your weight loss to be successful you have to prioritize sleep, which means you be getting at least 7-9 hours every day. Once you establish a healthy sleep routine, you will experience less stress, which also means less cravings for comfort foods, less emotional eating and less impulsive and unhealthy food choices.

Overall, sustainable weight loss requires healthy and consistent lifestyle changes and sleep has to be among them, making it much easier to make healthy choices, stay active and make healthy choices over the long term.

6. You don't drink enough (water!).

If you are not drinking enough water, you are also potentially slowing down the success of your weight loss efforts. Many people don’t even notice their body’s thirst signals anymore and sometimes what you perceive as hunger is actually thirst. So, drinking water when you feel hungry between meals is a great way to reduce unnecessary snacking, as it leads to a sense of fullness, which in turn leads to eating less in general.
 
In order to drink more water, you should cut back on high-calorie drinks, like sodas. They not only reduce the amount of water you drink, but those liquid calories will also add up quickly without making you feel more satisfied or providing your body with any nutrients it needs. 
 
Drinking enough water will help boost your metabolism, improve your digestion (so you will feel less bloated) and help you make the most of your workouts. Paradoxically, not drinking enough water can lead to your body retaining water, causing you to temporarily gain weight, which might lead you to think your weight loss efforts are not showing any results, and you will be more likely to give up. 
 
In order to drink more water, establish a routine, that will turn into a habit after a while. Aim for about 2 to 3 liters per day, depending on your needs. Always bring a reusable water bottle with you, to remind you to drink throughout the day. If you don’t like drinking plain water, you can try flavoring it with natural ingredients like lemon, cucumber or mint. 

7. You skip meals.

You might think that skipping meals will make you lose weight faster or maybe you don’t even think about it anymore, maybe skipping breakfast for example has just become a habit for you. But in fact, skipping meals will slow down your weight loss for several reasons.

If you skip a meal, you will be more hungry later, which means the possibility of overeating or snacking during the day increases. In the meantime you will feel more irritable and less energetic, as your body enters into conservation mode, slowing down its metabolic rate, which is totally contra productive when you are trying to lose weight (you want to increase your metabolism to burn more calories!). 

Eating regular meals will make it easier to provide your body with all the essential nutrients it needs, as you will be more mindful of your food choices and portion sizes, than if you are snacking on high-calorie foods to curb your hunger between meals. Consistently fueling your body will also give you energy throughout the day, so you are less likely to skip your workout and get the most out of your daily activities. 

Eating regular meals starts with a breakfast high in protein. Try not to skip this, even if you have to get up early and don’t have much time in the morning. Just prepare your favorite (healthy!) breakfast the night before, so you won’t be tempted to leave the house without fueling your body first.  

Bad Habits You Need To Break For Successful Weight Loss: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

To lose weight, you should stop thinking negatively about your ability to lose weight, following extreme diets and/or exercise regimes, and changing your workout plan too often. Focus on portion control, prioritize whole foods, and get adequate sleep for optimal results.

To turn bad habits into good ones, start by identifying triggers, setting clear goals, and practicing consistent repetition. Replace negative behaviors with positive alternatives, use positive reinforcement, and be patient with yourself as you establish new routines.

To eliminate mindless snacking, create a food schedule with designated meal and snack times. Keep tempting snacks out of sight, practice mindful eating, and find alternative activities to distract from the urge to snack mindlessly.

 

To establish new and healthy weight loss routines, start by setting clear goals and creating a realistic plan. Incorporate balanced meals, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep into your routine. Use reminders and track your progress to stay motivated.

Summary

Remember that establishing breaking old habits and establishing new routines always takes time and effort. Don’t try to change everything at once. If you suddenly start getting up two hours earlier every day to work out and changing your diet completely from one day to another, you will put a lot of stress on yourself and you will end up giving up as soon as you don’t manage to stick to this new routine (which is practically impossible.)

So make sure you take your time to set realistic goals and make a plan to change your habits little by little. It is not about losing weight fast, the most important thing is you don’t give up and you will get there eventually, even if it takes some time. 

If you are just getting started, chose one or two habits that you think will be the easiest to change. Make sure you are comfortable with the new routines before addressing other (bad) habits or else you will risk the progress you have already made. 

To recap, these are 7 common habits to break for successful weight loss: 

  1. You follow an extreme diet and/or exercise regime.
  2. You change your workout plan too often.
  3. You think negatively about your weight loss journey.
  4. You eat mindlessly. 
  5. You don’t sleep enough.
  6. You don’t drink enough (water!).
  7. You skip meals.