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Many people start exercising as a way to lose weight, which is great, but be careful not fall into these common traps that could see you undo all your hard work.
Some common traps to watch out for as you start exercising more:
1. You think you have burnt more calories than you actually have
Weight loss is about reducing calories: eating fewer calories than you burn off during a day. You will certainly burn extra calories by exercising, but how many calories you burn depends on many factors, including your weight and the intensity at which you exercised.
Foods can be surprisingly calorie dense, and you may not have burnt off nearly as many calories as you think, so make sure you are actually in a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight. Apps like MyFitnessPal are great in that they can help you track your calorie intake and energy output, but they also tend to over-estimate the amount of calories burnt through exercise (sometimes by twice as much!). So if you are using these, make sure you also use a heart-rate monitor for a more accurate result.
2. You reward yourself for your exercise efforts with a food treat
It is a common thought-pattern to have: “I have just been for a tough run so now I can have that slice of cake”. If you are exercising in order to lose weight, try to make sure your rewards and treats are not food based. Instead, how about a nice, relaxing bath? Or time to read the next chapter of your favourite book?
3. You spend more time on the sofa after you have exercised than you normally would
Research has shown that people who start up an exercise programme often fall into a trap of doing less the rest of the day. So, if you were typically averaging 7,000 steps a day, suddenly your activity levels drop to only 5,000 steps. This will have an impact on how many calories you burn. Consider investing in an activity tracker to help you monitor your activity levels, and make sure they are going up rather than down. Perhaps set yourself a weekly or monthly target to try and achieve a certain number of steps? Or set an alarm to remind you to move from your place of work on a regular basis to go for a short walk?
4. As you get fitter, you burn fewer calories
Your body’s metabolism adapts and as your body mass reduces, you burn fewer calories, so you need to re-adjust your calorie intake every now and then. If your weight loss does start to plateau, you can kick-start your metabolism through high intensity interval exercise, which will encourage your body to burn calories even after you have exercised.
The good news: exercise will get your body fitter and stronger, with all your body's systems working more efficiently and your joints healthier as well. It will improve how you feel mentally. It can have great social benefits and just make you feel all-round better about yourself. And whilst it is not an instant fix for losing weight, exercise can definitely help as long as you do your best not to fall into these common traps.
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