Weight loss is funny sometimes. You’re hitting the gym consistently and eating a healthy, low-calorie diet, but the scale just isn’t budging. I know, it can be so damn frustrating, right?! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve struggled with this. Over the years, however, I have learned a lot through trial and error. As much as I hate to admit it, I have made these mistakes myself. So, I wanted to share with you the common, yet sneaky weight loss mistakes that you might be making (just like I was) that are slowing down your progress.

*THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS.  PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.*

Mistake #1

Having a cheat day. Look, I know we’ve all been taught by the health and fitness experts that it’s important to give ourselves a ‘break’ or ‘reward’ ourselves one day a week for keeping our diet and exercise regimen on point. The truth of the matter is, that advice can be a recipe for disaster. Have you ever heard that saying – You can’t out train a poor diet? Well it’s true, you just can’t. I get it, you work hard all week and you think it won’t undo all that hard work if you just give yourself one day but trust me it can and for most of us it will.

The Fix

Have a cheat meal. Don’t go crazy and smash an entire pizza and cheesy bread by yourself though. Have a couple slices and enjoy it. When you’re working towards your weight loss goal it’s just as important to develop healthy habits that will replace unhealthy ones as it is to lose the actual weight.

Mistake #2

Underestimating your calorie intake. It can be so easy to underestimate how many calories we actually consume. America as a whole, has such a warped idea of what an actual serving size should look like. Another sneaky weight loss killer to watch out for is liquid calories such as dressings, oils and the obvious – drinks.

The Fix

Keep a food journal. The first thing you can do, if you aren’t already is writing down everything you put in your mouth and I mean, every-single-morsel. The second thing to do is start measuring and weighing everything. Make sure you are using a food scale and weighing your protein source to ensure you are eating the proper portion and measuring everything else. This includes measuring out dressings and oils beforehand so you can accurately log in those calories into your food journal.

Mistake #3

Just a bite. I know that new pasta dish the waiter just brought out to your friend looks UH-mazing and you just gotta have a bite. This may seem harmless and it can be but chances are you are having ‘just one bite’ more than once, yeah? Doing this will add up to mucho calories over time – trust me.

The Fix

Have it for your next cheat meal. If there is something that you just have to try, wait until your next cheat meal and enjoy more than just a bite.

Mistake #4

Planning your rest days. There are two reasons I advise against planning your rest days. First off, things come up all the time. So if you don’t have a rest day planned you always have the option to take a day off without feeling guilty. Secondly, your body will tell you when it’s in need of rest and that’s just something you cannot plan.

The Fix

Plan on working out every day. I’m not saying to actually workout every day. When a day comes that you absolutely cannot workout, take it off. By not scheduling the time off you have afforded yourself this break without derailing your progress.

Mistake #5

Buying into the “low calorie” snack craze. The food industry does a great job marketing their low calorie food as a health food but just because it is low calorie doesn’t mean it’s actually good for you. Nearly everything that has been packaged has been processed and has very little nutritional value, if any. Therefore, if it’s not providing much nutritional value it’s not adding any value to you, period.

The Fix

Make your own snacks. Instead of buying those 100 calorie snacks in the snack aisle start making your own (with real food). Do this and your body will thank you by giving you more satiety and natural energy to get you through your day. Check out some of these healthy + tasty snack options to give you some ideas.

Mistake #6

Using artificial sweeteners. These should be avoided at all costs, regardless if you’re trying to lose weight or not. It seems logical doesn’t it? Switching out sugar for artificial sweeteners to save a few extra calories? Just think about what they are called – artificial sweeteners. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to put any type of artificial food in my body.

The Fix

Opt for a natural sweetener instead. I personally recommend staying away from using any sweeteners at all while you’re trying to lose weight. If you do, however, I’d recommend using stevia.