Losing weight is a common goal for many people, whether for health reasons or to alter their appearance. However, it is often easier said than done.
Many of us are aware that eating in a calorie deficit is one way to shed a few pounds.
This means that you consume fewer calories than your body needs for activities and functions throughout the day.
Again this can be harder than it sounds. And one expert has revealed a mistake lots of us might be guilty of that will hinder any weight loss efforts.
Speaking on social media platform TikTok, personal trainer and nutritionist Luke Hanna shared a trick that “could be the difference between getting results or not”.
He explained: “You know that in order to lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit.
“So you limit your foods during the week, consume lots of low-calorie foods and things that you have been told are good for weight loss.”
The problem is that this can lead to “bingeing” unhealthy foods at the weekend, he said.
Luke continued: “Now this next part is the issue that you might not even be conscious of.
“The weekend rolls around and suddenly you’ve got social stuff going on and delicious foods being shoved in your face, all the things you’ve been restricting during the week and are now craving.
“So what happens? Well, you cave in because you are only human, but you overdo it so much so that you undo this small calorie deficit that you created throughout the week.
“Monday comes around and you start the process all over again.”
Luke shared his tips for making sure this doesn’t happen.
“And here comes the advice that seems counterintuitive but it’s actually going to help,” he advised.
“You make your diet during the week less restrictive and more balanced.
“It could mean ensuring that you’re eating foods that are filling and satisfying and not just low calorie or adding in some more foods that you typically eliminate, but in more sensible quantities.
“Now this time when the weekend rolls around, you don’t feel like you’ve been starving yourself and therefore feel less of a need to binge and actually stay in a deficit throughout the week. Magic.”
Followers were impressed with Luke’s recommendations.
One commented: “Been an emotional overeater for decades and recently managed to kick my bad habits by doing this – thanks for sharing quality advice.”
Another said: “Great advice, when I realised my weekends were undoing my hard work during the week. When I educated myself on calories I found that every day is the same.”
And one added: “You teaching me this changed my life!”
To lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way, the NHS advises you:
- Get active for 150 minutes a week – you can break this up into shorter sessions
- Aim to get your five-a-day – 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables count as one portion
- Aim to lose one to two pounds, or 0.5 to one kilo, a week
- Read food labels – products with more green colour coding than amber and red are often a healthier option
- Swap sugary drinks for water – if you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour
- Cut down on food that’s high in sugar and fat – start by swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives
- Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help motivate you when you have a bad day.
If you are concerned about your weight you should speak to your GP.