Top 10 mistakes that are derailing your weight loss

There might be a few things on this list that surprise you.

1) You’re not counting all your calories.

A lot of the time, we think of our daily calories as what we consume during breakfast, lunch and dinner, but when in reality, we may be taking in much more than just that. Little things add up, that splash of cream you put in your coffee, the crust you snag off your child’s plate, the handfuls of nuts at the bar, or the crackers before a dinner party can all add up to hundreds of calories a day that you may not be counting.

2) You’re depriving yourself too much.

The key thing is to be realistic with your current consumption and realistic about your goals. You don’t have to make massive changes in order to see a difference. If you restrict yourself too much, you’re more likely to get hungry (and “hangry,” so your friends are coworkers are going to start to avoid you) and end up overeating later. If you cut back too much, you’ll also feel sluggish on your runs or during sessions at the gym.

3) You’re not switching up your workouts.

Us runners are often guilty of this. We like to run, so that’s all we do. Not only is this worrisome from an injury-potential perspective, it means that our bodies adapt to burn fewer calories at our regular pace. Switch things up and throw in some tempo or interval workouts to get your heart rate up and body working, or hit the pool or bike for some cross-training time to keep your muscles guessing.

4) You’re not looking at the big picture.

Weight loss is not achieved solely through exercise, or solely through diet, it is a combination of the two. Often we runners think we can eat anything after our morning run because, well, we went for a morning run. Out-exercising an unhealthy diet is a hard task.

5) You’re not catching enough zzz’s.

That’s right, I’m telling you to sleep more in order to lose weight. Recent research has shown that people in sleep debt have an increased likely of being overweight.

6) You’re not hitting the weight room.

Again, you’re a runner, so you run. We get that (and respect it). BUT, that doesn’t mean you can skimp out on pumping some iron a couple days a week, especially if weight loss is your goal. Building muscle means that you burn more calories throughout the day, as well as makes your stride more powerful and your body less injury prone.

7) You’re not letting your body recover.

If you’re working your body hard every day without giving it some time to take it easy, you’ll find yourself fatigued and lagging in workouts. Keep yourself feeling fresh and motivated by alternating hard efforts with easier sessions.

8) You beat yourself up for straying.

It happens to everyone and while it can seem like you’ve “ruined” something, focus on the effort that you’ve already made and take a quick walk or breath break to shake off the stress. Move on to your plan for the next day.

9) You’re eating “diet” foods.

Packaged foods that come in individual portions, like 100 calorie snack bags, diet sodas or microwavable meals often have lots of added preservatives or manufactured ingredients like aspartame that can wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels and hunger. Opt instead for wholesome, fresh ingredients in reasonable quantities.

10) You’re not surrounding yourself with supporters.

If you’re hanging out with people that are making fun of you for ordering a salad, or having water instead of booze with dinner, you might need to have an honest conversation with them about why you’re trying to make healthier choices and that you would appreciate them backing you up. If they’re true friends, they’ll get on board.