Most folks looking to lose weight start out with the best intentions.

 

They want to lose fat, probably build some lean muscle and become mentally & physically healthier.

 

But even with the best intentions, many people approach fitness–especially losing fat and dieting–as a negative experience.

 

They assume to lose fat, they need to focus on eliminating, restricting, and following the perfect plan.

 

While there are things that will undoubtedly need to be reduced or eliminated, the truth is that you'll be much more successful if you focus on positive changes that include adding, swapping, and moderating.

 

All while following a sustainable plan.

 

Here are three common mistakes people make when planning their fitness regimen, and how to fix them. This way, losing weight is rewarding, not troubling.

 

3 Fitness Focuses that Limit Your Fat Loss

1. Focusing  on “Restriction”

The majority of diet programs are centered around elimination.

 

Restrict this food, eat less of that food...blah, blah, blah…

 

But, clearly, there is a reason for this.

 

To lose weight, we have to eat in a calorie deficit. No and's, if's, or but's about it.

 

….but… if you only ever focused on restricting, you'll be setting yourself up for disappointment later down the road.

 

Everyone slips up on their fitness plan at one point or another. You’ll miss a workout, overeat at a family dinner, or have 2 or 3 (maybe four) too many drinks at your friend’s wedding.

 

When you're focused on restricting, the smallest screw-up or error will cause an unproportionate amount of guilt and regret.

 

Plus, trying to re-motivate yourself from this negative mindset is tough to do...

 

Here’s what to do instead:

 

Focus less on Restriction and more on Adding/Swapping.

 

Instead of restricting certain foods, add in healthy alternatives or swap high-calorie foods with low-calorie ones.

 

For example: Add in a serving of low-calorie vegetables with each meal. Or, you could take it a step further and swap a high-calorie food (like french fries) for a low-calorie alternative (such as a plain baked potato).

 

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You can do this for activity & exercise as well…

 

Instead of restricting how much you use Facebook or Netflix you watch, start adding in more daily exercise. Or, alternatively, you could swap that third episode of The Office for a 20-minute walk outside?

 

The bottom line: The negative mindset created through too much restriction can lead to shame and guilt when things don't go as planned.

 

Instead, focus on positive changes like adding or swapping.

 

You'll find that by adding and swapping healthier alternatives, you'll naturally begin to reduce the amount of high-calorie foods you eat and the time you spend on sedentary activities like Facebook and Netflix.

 

2. Focusing on “Elimination”

We tend to think of things as black or white. Either we eat cheeseburgers and get fat, or we eat kale salad and get lean.

 

This is a gross overstatement for what’s really going on.

 

I’ve already talked about health foods and dieting in a previous article, but the short answer is that food quality is far less important than food quantity when it comes to losing weight.

 

The reason it’s easier to get fat from eating cheeseburgers as opposed to kale is that the former is much higher in calories for less total food volume whereas the latter is lower in calories for more food volume.

 

The simple fact is that weight loss comes down to calorie balance.

 

Eat too Many Calories = Weight Gain

Eat too Few Calories = Weight Loss

 

You could eat exclusively "healthy" foods and still gain weight if you consume too many calories. Likewise, you could eat twinkies and lose weight if you’re consuming few enough calories.

 

So, the first issue is that simply eliminating certain foods won’t guarantee weight loss.

 

You’ll still have to focus on how much food (and calories) you’re consuming each day.

 

(Granted, healthier foods will provide more nutrients, fiber, and water–all of which lead to greater satiety and fullness. But that’s beyond the scope of this article.)

 

Click Here to read the article I wrote specifically about whole foods and dieting. (opens in a new tab)

 

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The second issue with focusing on elimination is that–similar to restriction–it will lead to a negative mindset when things go astray.

 

For example: let’s say you’ve decided to eliminate bread from your diet. (poor you)

 

One evening, you go out to dinner with your spouse or a friend, and the server plops a huge basket of steaming fresh bread down in front of you…