1. You treat all calories equally
Calories are not created equally. For instance, eating 100 calories of vegetables is not the same as eating 100 calories of ice-cream. They both have different effects on the body. With regards to weight loss, it is essential to consider how much insulin is released by the body based on the type of calories we're taking in. When a lot of insulin is released by the body consistently throughout the day, it prevents fat loss and also encourages the body to store energy as body fat.
The types of calories that spike insulin the most are those from carbohydrates in the form of simple sugar. So, if you can't get enough of your carbs, best bet would be to stick to healthy carbohydrates from food that gets digested slowly. Along with carbohydrates, protein can also spike your insulin levels, particularly those that are from dairy-based sources, such as skim milk and yogurt.
If you're cutting down your calories and doing cardio, but extra fat is still sticking around, it may be a good idea to focus on your lean body mass. Increasing lean body mass wakes up your resting metabolism and also affects many different hormones in the body like insulin, leptin, and ghrelin. These hormones communicate with your cells and instruct whether it's time to store fat or release it.
3. You believe that eating more meals throughout the day will help you lose weight and burn fat
While there are many diets one can try, another method is simply fasting and it's an amazing way to burn fat. In addition, fasting lowers the insulin levels more than other dietary methods do. It also causes the body to release glucagon to draw energy from your cells, including fat cells. This means that rather than having a few 400 calorie meals in a day, it is better to have one 1,600 calorie meal at the end of the day.
Cardio may not be as interesting as other exercises, still, people think that it's the only way to lose weight. But, because it tends to get rather boring, people stop putting in the effort to lose weight altogether. The good news is there other ways to burn fat without spending long hours on the treadmill. So opt for cardio which can be incorporated with weight-training.
5. You believe advertisements about magical fat burning pills
Bear in mind that there are no shortcuts to fat-loss. If you opt for supplements they will only increase your resting heart-rate to high and unhealthy levels. Stay away from pills and opt for a healthy lifestyle instead.
Sleep is an important part of maintaining weight. A lack of sleep throws your body's hormone levels off balance, which impacts hunger levels the next day. Two hormones affect our appetite. ghrelin (the hormone that makes us hungry) and leptin (the hormone that makes us full). Not getting enough sleep increases the level of ghrelin, and reduces leptin, causing us to feel hungry and overeat. Aim for at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
7. You’re feeling stressed
Stress can wreak havoc on our bodies causing the body to produce a steroid hormone called cortisol increasing the craving for sugary foods that provide instant energy and pleasure. When cortisol levels remain high for a long amount of time, it can increase the fat stored in the belly.
