When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, we don’t always make the, uh, healthiest choices. Here's nine mistakes trainers wish we’d stop making in order to stay healthy and see better results.
1. Stop avoiding carbs. Carbs are your body's first resource for energy, so cutting them, especially while executing high-intensity workouts, isn't smart, according to trainer Kellie Sikorski.
2. Stop fad dieting. Body architect Grant Weeditz says to stop juicing, detoxing and fad-dieting because these weight-loss attempts are unsustainable and unbalanced. He says these dieting tactics are a form of starvation that really only lead to small decreases in body mass.
3. Stop skipping meals. Not eating causes your metabolism to slow, which means yous tore fat more easily and burn fewer calories, Sikorski explains.
4. Stop eating protein bars. Sure, they're convenient, but a lot of them contain as much sugar as candy bars and, if not sugar, they contain alcohol, fat and lots of carbs. Body architect Jacqueline Kasen suggests eating a small meal with nutrients instead.
5. Stop drinking excessively. Alcohol is filled with sugar, carbs and empty calories, plus it makes it harder for your body to burn fat, Kasen says.
6. Stop skipping protein. "Never eat a meal or snack without a major source of protein," Weeditz advises. "It will convert to fat within hours after consumption without exercise. A banana, toast, and coffee do not qualify as breakfast."
7. Stop eating fake food. Eat real food raised on a farm, caught in the wild or grown in the ground, recommends Weeditz.
8. Stop starving yourself at night. Weeditz also says as long as you're doing some kind of muscle-building activity a few times during the week, eating a big dinner or having a snack before bed is fine as long as your overall calories are consistent from day to day.
9. Stop giving up. Trainer Sam Karl says when things get hard in life, you shouldn’t give up. That goes for the gym, too.
Source: Byrdie; photo: Getty Images