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7 common weight loss mistakes—and how to fix them

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You exercise regularly and you think your diet is pretty good, so why won’t the scale budge? The fact is, we’re not all experts in everything weight loss, and those gaps in knowledge can derail our efforts to shed a few pounds. Find out if you make some of the most common weight loss mistakes—and learn simple ways to correct them.

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Deal-Making

We’ve all made diet deals with ourselves along the lines of, “If I eat a big salad for dinner, then I can have pie for dessert.” The mistake here is separating eating to lose weight with eating for good health. You may be able to burn off the calories in the donut you just ate, but unhealthy foodsShow More

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Skipping Meals After a Slip-Up

Suppose that one slice of pizza turns into two or even three. You may decide to drastically cut calories for the rest of the day or even skip your next meal. The trouble is you risk becoming so hungry that you eat at least as many calories as you tried to save the next time you eat—or become soShow More

woman on scale
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Avoiding the Scale

Certain numbers can tell you a lot about your health, whether it’s your cholesterol levels or blood pressure. The same is true for your scale. Not weighing yourself for fear that the needle has moved up can deprive you of information you need for weight loss success.

The fix: Psychologist JudithShow More

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Pigging Out Post-Workout

While the temptation to eat after exercising isn’t uncommon—you’ve earned it, right?—you could consume all the calories you burned and then some.

The fix: Rewarding yourself for sticking with your exercise routine is great—as long as the reward is something other than food. Get a mani/pedi or planShow More

woman looking in fridge
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Being a Perfectionist

An all-or-nothing mentality makes it difficult to lose weight and keep it off. Why? That mindset requires making perfect choices all day, every day. When you think about it, none of us can make “perfect” choices every time.

The fix: Since setbacks occur, it’s better to have a plan in place to getShow More

woman eating in car while driving
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You Eat … Wherever

Many of us are accustomed to eating wherever we happen to be: in front of the TV, at our desks, in the car, standing at the kitchen counter. The trouble is it’s hard to regulate eating when you do it in so many different places.

The fix: This may not be groundbreaking, but it’s proven to work:Show More

man eating pizza at his desk at night
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You Eat … Whenever

Your body does best when you follow a routine, and this includes maintaining a schedule for meals and snacks. When mealtimes are unpredictable your body starts to stress because it’s not sure when the next meal is coming. This causes cortisol levels to spike, spurring appetite.

The fix: Stick toShow More

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