The Same 10 Weight Loss Mistakes All Women Make

By Alyssa Shaffer
Updated August 28, 2016
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Start your weight loss journey aware of these common flubs, and you'll be on your way to fat-loss in no time.
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The biggest weight loss mistakes

Are you dieting but not seeing results yet? You might be stalling your weight loss. Watch this video for the reasons why you're not losing weight yet.

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OD'ing on protein

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"Protein is important, but if you have too much, the excess gets stored as fat," says Felicia Stoler, RD. "And high-protein shakes and bars tend to be sugary and fatty." Women need about 46 grams a day, per the CDC.

Read More: How Much Protein Do Women Really Need?

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Skimping on veggies

People who eat more plant foods than animal products may lower their risk of dying from heart disease or stroke. And you don’t have to become vegetarian to do it. Watch the video for six easy ways to increase your veggie intake without changing your regular diet.

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Having just a big glass of juice for breakfast

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"Most juice raises blood sugar, so your body produces more insulin. You'll get hungry and overeat later," says Louis Aronne, MD. Get in protein and fiber, such as eggs and whole-grain toast. Check out the 20 best foods to eat for breakfast.

Read More: 10 Easy Ways to Slash Sugar From Your Diet

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Overestimating weight-loss rate

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Most people shed a lot of pounds in the first couple of weeks of a program, a combo of carbs and water. It's an artificially high drop, so don't get discouraged when progress peters out.

Read More: 25 Ways to Lose 2 Pounds in 1 Week

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Slacking on shut-eye

You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: adults need to sleep an average of seven to nine hours per night. Why? Catching sufficient Z’s is healthy for many reasons—some of which may surprise you. Here, we explain why hitting the sack for too few hours can affect your health.

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Considering workouts license to binge

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One recent study in Marketing Letters found that people who were told a one-mile walk was for exercise ate about twice as much afterward as those informed the outing was for fun.

Read More: 6 Bad Excuses for Overeating

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Underestimating how much time you have

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Some weeks, finding that extra half hour to slip in a workout isn't easy—why it's good to have a backup plan. "Even a 10-minute cardio video on YouTube can keep you on track," Stoler says. Try these tips for making exercise a daily habit.

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Always doing the same routine

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"You can't perform the same exercises over and over and expect the same benefits," Stoler says. To get better results, follow the FIT principle: Vary the frequency, intensity or time.

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Ignoring weights

Lifting will not make you bulky

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Giving in to your energy drain

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A top excuse for not exercising: "I'm too tired." Fake yourself out, urges Holly Wyatt, MD: "Say you'll walk for only 10 minutes and you'll likely go longer. Exercise energizes you!"

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By Alyssa Shaffer