Stop Weight Loss Biggest Mistakes

Eating large amounts of 'low fat' foods.

Low fat foods are an important part of a healthy eating plan too BUT too much is not good for weight loss. Food labels for the products we buy can mislead us in to thinking Fat free foods are also calorie free or low in calories! These foods still have sugar, (or artificial sweetener) and still have carbs so a lot of people simply are fooled by this notion and believe that they can have twice as much - well guys think again.

Here are a couple of examples of some products on the market. Note the difference in calories, not a great deal really:

Weighing yourself every day.

Come on, who is suffering from being a scale addict? Could this be you constantly checking the scales? The scales are just another appliance, and if we allow this little device with the numbers on it to rule our lives but in particular our emotions and how we feel from day to day, lets face it - "Houston, we have a problem".

Let's say for instance that you have been really really good and have stuck to your nutrition and exercise plan consistently (98% of the time at least) and you have kept yourself hydrated, you hop on the scale and 'Oh my god, I have gained weight' expression comes on to your face! Relax...because you have been very busy growing lean muscle tissue and not fat. This is the reason for the change in the direction of the needle. Muscle weighs much more then fat, it is smooth and lean, its what gives you curves if you're a woman and 'the ripped look' if you're a guy. Fat is a bulky tissue and in all appearances is a bit lumpy.

For women it can be quite damaging, as many suffer from pre menstrual bloating and therefore your weight will fluctuate at these times by as much as 1 to 2 kg and is mainly just fluid retention. Also your weight increases by a small amount over the course of a day. If a visible change is not seen on the scales, exercise plans are usually abandoned as you don't think that you are getting the results you really deserve when in fact you are! Just take your measurements instead because the more you stress out about this it will only make the situation of weight loss seem unattainable. The reason being is that cortisol levels are raised, i.e. the flight of fight hormone. If this is constantly present in your body it inhibits stress relief, the more the body is stressed more weight can be gained, but not in everyone.

We suggest weighing yourself once a month to see the difference in the body's muscle to fat ratios. The Tanita Body Fat % scales are ideal for this...just don't become an addict. Losing fat is the most important thing.

Dean Piazza is the resident personal trainer @ http://www.homegymequipment.com.au. - Australia's Biggest range of Home Gym Equipment at Cheap prices. Dean Is the expert personal trainer on NineMsn, Australia's largest website portal and regularly appears in magazines with his training tips, weight loss comments and fitness equipment reviews.