You will never lose weight if you keep doing these 5 things

Let’s be honest: losing weight isn’t an easy walk in the park. It takes hard work, dedication, strong motivation and a game plan that works best for you. Whether you are just starting out on your journey or you are weeks in, there are certain habits that you must avoid at all costs. In fact, you will never lose weight if you continue to exercise as part of your routine.

We chatted with Victoria Brady, personal trainer on Fyt, the nation’s largest personal training service that makes expert-guided fitness, whether in-person or virtual, convenient for everyone. Brady shares five bad weight loss habits to give up ASAP if you want to speed up your progress. Keep reading to learn all about these people, and then, don’t miss the four worst weight loss tips that will never work.

According to Brady, mindless eating and grazing is a surefire way to hinder your weight loss progress. why? You don’t keep track of your calorie intake, which can lead to overeating.

“Regardless of whether or not it’s considered a ‘healthy’ food, too much of anything can become a bad thing,” Brady explains. “Instead, practice portion control so you can track how many calories you’re consuming throughout the day and reduce overeating.”

Brady explains that skipping meals puts your body into “survival mode,” which means you hold on to the calories you consume in order to conserve energy. “Moreover, you are more likely to make poor food choices out of hunger, such as stopping at a fast food restaurant because it is the quickest option for getting a meal,” she adds.

Related: 5 little things you can do every day to lose a lot of weight

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Whether you’re sipping on fruit juice or your glass of wine, keep in mind that drinks can be packed with extra calories. “A lot of people don’t realize how many calories most drinks have, along with how much sugar is in the drinks to make them taste better,” Brady tells us. “Consuming too much sugar not only leads to weight gain, but drinking alcohol, in particular, can slow down your metabolism.”

Related: The easiest ways to move the scale back up after a plateau

Don’t underestimate the importance of getting a good rest and recovery after your workouts. The less you rest, the more likely you are to gain extra pounds, according to research.

“Your body is unable to recover, which leads to a loss of hormonal balance and stimulation of appetite because the body tends to crave carbohydrates and calorie-dense foods when it is sleep-deprived,” says Brady. “It’s also important to note that other days are critical, and by exercising more often, you can reach a plateau in weight loss and increase your risk of injury.”

Exercise is central to any weight loss program, but a healthy balance of exercise and nutrition should be a top priority. Because, Brady says, you won’t be able to “get rid of a bad diet.”

She explains, “This is where the 80/20 rule of weight loss comes into play. Eighty percent of weight loss depends on what you eat and the other 20 percent depends on what you do, aka exercise,” adding, “So, what this means is That you can’t diet badly, no matter how long you exercise, if your diet is high in calories, you won’t lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you take in and a few more.” Do most people realize that only a small percentage of the calories you eat The ones you burn throughout the day come from exercising. Therefore, in order to lose weight, you have to focus on nutrition and calorie consumption.”

Alexa Melardo