What's stopping YOU SLIMMING?

Ditch these common mistakes and the weight loss will follow fast!

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There’s nothing more frustrating than sweating your way through a home workout or depriving yourself of your favourite treats and not seeing the results that you’d like. But if the scales aren’t showing a loss, bad habits could be to blame. The good news is that once you know what’s sabotaging your goals, there are simple solutions to help. Ready to reboot your diet regime? Here’s how.

YOU’RE… SNACKING AFTER EXERCISE

Finish a workout, then reward yourself with a tasty treat? If you’re burning fewer than 300 calories during a session, that hard work is cancelled out if you then reward yourself with a chocolate bar or smoothie. FIX IT Skip the calorific snacks and then have a healthy meal once you’re home – ideally within two hours. After longer sessions or heavy strength training, eat as soon as you can to refuel muscles and restore energy. ‘But make it a small handful of nuts,’ says personal trainer Rebecca Fredericks.

YOU’RE… CONSUMING UNWANTED CALORIES

While a squirt of ketchup with dinner or a teaspoon of sugar in your tea isn’t going to tip the scales, it might prevent you from going into a calorie deficit. Jam on porridge, full-fat mayo, granola, ‘healthy’ ready meals and low-fat dressings are some of the products with hidden sugar and calories. Plus, that nightly tipple could mean you’re drinking more cals than you realise.