If you aren't seeing the results you desire from your workout routine, reevaluate your eating habits. Working out will not get rid of extra pounds without adopting healthy eating habits. Losing weight requires creating a calorie deficit by burning more calories than you consume each day. Making healthy changes to your daily habits can help you cut calories and facilitate weight loss.
Eliminate Empty Calories
Consuming calories that have very little to no nutritional value can contribute to weight gain. For example, adding 1 tbsp of heavy cream and 1 tbsp of sugar to your coffee can pack 100 calories into one cup, notes MayoClinic.com. Flavor your coffee with skim milk and calorie-free sweeteners to cut calories. Drinking one vodka and cranberry juice can add up to 230 calories; drinking a couple of these each day can add up to a 1 lb. weight gain per week, according to the University of Illinois, McKinley Health Center.
Eat Natural Foods
Follow a healthy, balanced diet that revolves around natural, unprocessed foods. Consume foods like low-fat dairy, whole grains, lean meats, healthy fats like olive oil and salmon, poultry, fish fruits and vegetables. Natural foods take longer to digest so they fill you up faster with fewer calories.
Avoid Processed Foods
Stay away from processed foods that contain large amounts of refined sugars, saturated and trans-fats, sodium and chemical preservatives. Avoid foods like deli-meats, frozen dinners, pre-seasoned items and boxed meals that seem convenient, but contribute to weight gain.
Create a Calorie Deficit
Consume fewer calories daily to help create a deficit and facilitate weight loss. Monitor your daily calorie intake with a food journal or an online tool like LIVESTRONG's The Daily Plate. Track your calories for five days to see the average number of calories you consume. Subtract 500 from your average to calculate the number of calories needed to lose about 1 lb. per week.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source
- MayoClinic.com: Coffee Calories
- University of Illinois McKinley Health Center: Alcohol and Nutrition 101
- "Sports Nutrition Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers; 2006
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss Basics



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