The health and wellness world is an industry. If you’re trying to get healthy and fit, you’re going to encounter your fair share of shady products, clickbait, and unfounded claims. I know because I sure have! You’re going to be bombarded by opinions on the best diets, whether eggs are good for you, and what the best fat-burning exercises are.
When I say these are “dumb mistakes” it doesn’t make you dumb. Let’s make that clear. This is a world fraught with conflicting information and misinformation. With that said, there are dumb mistakes we all make – mostly because we’re never given clear, concrete advice on how to pursue our best health in the best way.
Don’t accidentally stifle your hard-won progress or set yourself back: avoid these mistakes!
6 Big Mistakes Holding You Back from Your Best Self
1) An Overly Restrictive Diet
One of the most common dieting strategies is to cut out certain “bad” foods. Oftentimes, these are fried, sweet, salty, or heavily processed foods. Cutting down on your intake of these products is advisable. However, cutting out total food groups or completely depriving yourself of food that you genuinely enjoy sets you on a course for disaster.
When you feel deprived, you’ll come to resent your diet. You’ll want to rebel. And when you do, it’s not likely to be a small rebellion. In these strategies, it’s common for a restricted eater to binge on the “forbidden fruit.”
The key isn’t to label particular foods as good or bad, but to eat in moderation.
2) Not Eating Enough
Calorie-counting is the top way to manage your weight. If it’s just a matter of math, it should be simple. Eat fewer calories than you burn. Easy! But this strategy can backfire when you don’t eat enough. Everyone’s metabolism and caloric needs are different. If this is your plan, you must consult a nutritionist to ensure that you’re getting everything that your body needs.
If you eat too few calories, your body will switch to “starvation mode” in which it does everything it can to conserve energy and store fat. Ultimately, this slows your metabolism and makes it harder to lose those extra pounds.
3) Skimping on Hydration
Statistics say that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Not only are we not drinking enough water, but we’re offsetting our H2O intake with high-sodium foods, sodas, alcohol, and caffeine. Not only does a lack of proper hydration cause fatigue, irritability, and problems with concentration, but it can slow the metabolism, too. Dehydration is also a common trigger for painful kidney stones!
4) Ignoring the Ingredients
Reading ingredients can be tedious, I know. With that said, we really benefit from knowing what we’re putting in our bodies. When you’re at the grocery store, make the health-conscious decision to read over the ingredients of what you buy. A general rule of thumb is the shorter the list and the more recognizable the ingredients, the better. Whole over processed.
We most often get into trouble when we buy “healthy” options without looking at what’s in them first. Things that are marketed as health foods can be anything but. In the same way, do your due diligence when going out-to-eat. Most mainstream restaurants will have dietary information available online. This will help you gauge what is a good choice for you and what you should skip.
5) Neglecting Balance
What you eat is only part of the health and wellness equation. Fitness and diet go together. If you have a great diet but live a sedentary lifestyle (or vice versa) you’re sabotaging your potential. Approach any health and wellness effort with a sense of balance and moderation. Exercise at a level appropriate for you. Make slow, small changes to your diet. Champion every step you take towards better health!
6) Taking Shortcuts
There is no pill, no vitamin, no magic diet, no secret exercise, to get you where you want to be quickly. Remember that your health and fitness journey is a process. It takes months and often years to reach your goals. Don’t fall for the scams and so-called shortcuts. There aren’t any. Trying out crash diets, pills, supplements, and shortcuts is only going to leave you disappointed and with a light wallet.
Be patient. Good things come to those with patience, persistence, and focus.
Have you realized you were making a health & wellness mistake? Share what it was in the comments.