Sometimes no matter what you try doing, those few extra pounds might refuse to leave you. It might be so disappointing and demotivating. But be informed that this might be due to a few mistakes that you’ve been making while trying to lose weight. Continue reading to find out the most common weight loss blunders all of us tend to make.

1. Obsessing with the weight scale

Sometimes you might not be losing weight in spite of following a strict diet and exercise regimen. But you should stop obsessing with the number displayed on your weight scale. The number displayed on your weight scale is only one measure of your progress. Sometimes you might be losing fat mass even though there might be no change in your weight. Taking monthly pictures and measuring your waist using a tape might definitely reveal your progress.

2. Never exercising or exercising too much

Needless to say, a sedentary lifestyle can cause weight gain. But working out too much can also be a mistake while you are trying to lose weight. Over-exercising can lead to stress, which in turn impairs hormonal production that might result in weight gain. So stop trying to force your body to burn more calories by exercising too much.

3. The so-called diet foods

The ‘diet’ foods or the commercially available processed low-fat foods are often chosen for weight loss. But in reality, they might actually have the opposite effect on the body. Such foods might contain large amounts of sugar and you might have been consuming them thinking that they are effective for weight loss. And there are certain low-fat products. They are a serious blunder because, instead of trying to make you feel satiated, they tend to make you hungrier. You end up eating more than usual.

4. Overlooking food labels

Not concentrating on the food label information can make you eat unwanted calories as well as unhealthy ingredients. It is so unfortunate that a majority of foods have been labeled with healthy-sounding words on the package. To know the most important information for weight control, you should rather read the ingredients list and the nutrition facts label listed at the back of the food containers.

5. Unrealistic expectations

Although having weight loss goals can help keep you motivated, having unrealistic expectations can actually have a negative effect. It can not only cause frustration but also make you give up on your goals altogether. Research has also proved that individuals with the highest expectations lost the least amount of weight compared to others who had more modest goals.