If you're frustrated with the number on the scale not moving as fast as you want, you're going to want to tune in for this one

If you've been on a rollercoaster of results and dealt with yo-yo dieting over the past weeks, months, or years - then pay extra attention

Because this is going to reveal some of the top mistakes that you're probably making if you're trying to lose weight (but not seeing progress)

Some of these might be obvious

But most will probably surprise you and are mistakes that are often being made without you even realizing it

On our recent coaching call, Lindsey and I went deep on the details of what's really needed to burn fat and build muscle

Several people in the group didn't realize the amount of misinformation that's out there

And because of that they were making mistakes that we've all made at one point or another

Curious on how you're doing or if you're making any of these mistakes too?

Here are a few 'gut checks' to some common mistakes I see all the time

If you stop making these mistakes, you won't have to keep checking your gut (let that sink in for a sec) 

Mistake #1: You think you're eating in a calorie deficit...but you're not

Most people underestimate calories that they are consuming by 20-50%

On a 2,000 calorie diet, that's the difference of being off by 400-1000 calories

That is 100% going to stall your progress if you're underestimating to that degree

Now this isn't all your fault

There can be inconsistencies with nutrition labels, tracking apps, and natural differences that are going to be present in foods

However, the biggest factor to this, by far, is a lack of awareness

Most people don't realize how much a bite or handful of food 'here and there' throughout the day can add up

Most people think a serving of peanut butter is how much you can fit on your biggest spoon

People also don't realize what appropriate portion sizes are, and should be, for your physical stature, your activity level, and your goals

This is often due to deceptive marketing by the health and fitness industry (ex: a small bag of chips or a drink that actually has 2 or more servings in it)

Our plate sizes have also gotten bigger over the years, and we're just conditioned to fill them with food, leading you to overeat without realizing it

This is also just due to how you were raised or how you grew up eating

If you grew up eating a big heaping scoop of starchy carbs with every meal, you probably just assume that's a normal serving

When in reality you might be having 4 or more servings in that big portion of pasta or potatoes

Here's the better way and what you should do instead: choose one of these four strategies to track your food. Think consistency>accuracy. If you track foods consistently, even if it's not 100% accurate, you'll be able to make the adjustments needed to see the number on the scale move when you hit a plateau

Mistake #2: You think you're burning more calories than you actually are

Did you know exercise only burns, on average, 5% of your total calories

That means 95% of the calories you burn do not come from exercise 🤯

It's no wonder you didn't get results if you've tried to lose weight simply by jumping on a peloton, going for a run, or doing a bootcamp class/crossfit workout

Exercise, on its own, is not a good way to lose weight

What's worse, is that these exercise trackers lead you to believe you're burning far more than you probably are

Exercise trackers have been shown to overestimate calorie burn by anywhere from 27-93%

That means if you're orange theory class or apple watch tell you that you burned 500-1000 calories, you might end up actually gaining weight if you try to eat those calories that you "burned"

Here's the better way and what you should do instead: don't use exercise as a way to burn calories and lose weight. Instead, focus your efforts on building muscle so that you're metabolism burns more calories when you're resting. Your metabolic rate, which is largely determined by the amount of muscle mass you have, makes up 70% of calories burned on average. If you're like me, I'm choosing to focus on the 70% instead of the 5%

Mistake #3: Your '80/20' compliance is more like 60/40

"I don't want to be too strict" or "I prefer to live by the 80/20 rule"

I'm all for finding an approach that works for your lifestyle, an approach that's sustainable, and what that allows you to enjoy the process while actually getting results (which is exactly what I teach with my clients)

However, I've seen many hide behind the excuse of not wanting to be so strict, too extreme, and wanting to enjoy date nights, family dinners, and eating out with friends

I'm 100% fine with all of that, and I've seen all of these things work very well...for people that are being honest with themselves

I've tried this strategy many of times

The times it's worked has been when I've been both aware and honest

I've also used it as an excuse to eat more, or to emotionally eat, and 'wondered' why I wasn't losing weight

When it comes to weight loss, an '80/20' approach can wreck your progress if you're taking the '20%' part a little too far

Eating for enjoyment 20% of the time doesn't negate the fact that you need to eat less calories to lose weight

So if every weekend (or during the week) you're overindulging, your progress is going to stall

You may think you're living '80/20' when in reality you might be far from it

Here's the better way and what you should do instead: if your goal is weight loss, think about your overall calories as your weekly budget. As long as you're staying under budget, the scale has no choice but to move sooner or later. If you want to indulge more on the weekend, then make sure you're compensating by eating less on other days. Believe it or not, one big cheat meal can be the difference between losing weight or seeing the scale stay the same (or worse, actually go up)

Mistake #4: In rare cases, you're actually making progress but just not being patient enough

Weight loss is not linear

There have been many times in my life where I've stayed the same weight for 10-15 days at a time

Then for whatever reason, on that 11th (or 13th or 16th) day - my weight suddenly dropped 2 or 3 lbs...and that became my new set point

I've seen this time and time again with other people I've helped coach

If you're doing the fundamentals that I coach my clients through (following the strength program, prioritizing protein, consistent calories, fiber focus, daily hydration goals, sleep, etc) - then you don't need to panic if the scale is staying the same

Especially when we can see changes in progress pictures and overall body composition

Don't assume you're making progress if you're actually stalled - but if you're checking the box on the first 3 mistakes, staying consistent, or working with a coach - then you might be right where you need to be

Here's the better way and what you should do instead: instead of weighing yourself here and there, weigh yourself every day and track your average weight. Weight can fluctuate several pounds day to day, but if you track your average weight you'll have a much better idea of the progress you're making (or not making). Many times people think they're not losing weight, but when they start tracking their average weight, they realize they're losing 0.25-0.5 (or more) lbs per week. That may not be as much as you want to lose, but that's certainly progress in the right direction and a sign you should keep on going. Don't make any adjustments to your eating unless it's been 2 weeks without any positive change in your average weight. 

Which mistake are you most guilty of?

Reply right here and let me know

When you do the right things, you should be seeing progress.

If you're not seeing results, something has to change.

If anything doesn't make sense, or you've been stuck for several weeks (or months) send me a DM and I'll do everything I can to set you up for success

Dr. Dave

P.S. If you're dead tired of being overweight, out of shape, or you're stuck spinning your wheels with your fitness and nutrition: let's chat