4 ways you’re sabotaging weight loss – and how to avoid them

Even if you’re on a roll achieving weight loss success on a Medical Weight Loss Clinic program, you may unintentionally sabotage that progress. Jeannine Thompson, manager of our Clinton Township location, shares the top four ways patients accidentally disrupt their weight loss success.

Jeannine Thompson, manager of our Clinton Township Medical Weight Loss Clinic location, knows just how to ensure you don’t sabotage weight loss success.

Learn what they are, why it’s so important to watch out for them and how to get back on track.

Not Weighing and Measuring Foods

Most people eat serving sizes that are greater than what their bodies need and tend to overeat foods that they perceive to be healthy. Using a food scale and portion measurement tricks is crucial to consuming amounts of food that keep you on track to achieve your weight loss goals.

This is especially important earlier in your program. Practice with the scale and portion measurement will help you eyeball portion amounts when you eat at a restaurant or other times you don’t prepare your own food.

Not Drinking Enough Water

There are several reasons it’s important to stay hydrated. Even if you’re mildly dehydrated, you may feel a headache, constipation, fatigue, irritability and more unpleasant side effects.

Long-term, not drinking enough water can negatively impact your weight loss efforts. Without enough water, your body’s metabolism slows. According to one study, drinking 16 ounces of water daily increases your metabolic rate by 30 percent.

In addition, your body can’t efficiently remove waste when you’re dehydrated, which can cause digestive problems like constipation on a regular basis. When you don’t drink enough water, your body confuses thirst for hunger, causing you to eat when your body doesn’t really need food. And particularly dangerous for diabetics is that dehydration can cause increased blood sugar.

Not Journaling

Journaling is an important part of Medical Weight Loss Clinic programs because it may help you succeed on your weight loss journey. Tracking what you consume helps you become more aware of your decisions and eating habits. While keeping a food journal may seem daunting, it can actually be quick and simple! In fact, research published in the journal Obesity showed that it takes about 15 minutes per day, and the frequency of entries is more important than the level of detail in them. People who use their food journal most frequently — at least three times per day — dropped the most weight.

Not Weighing in at Least 3 Times a Week

Regardless of where you are in your program or which program you’re on, we recommend you visit the clinic at least three times per week to be most successful on your weight loss journey. Lauren Lipinski, regional director at Medical Weight Loss Clinic, estimates that patients who go to their clinic at least three times a week lose 1 to 1.5 pounds more per week than those who visit less often.

“Speaking with someone face-to-face is a more personable experience, and in person, a patient can reveal their struggles more openly and get the help they need,” she says.

How to Avoid Sabotaging Your Weight Loss

At the Clinton Township clinic, Jeannine agrees that sticking to frequent clinic visits and talking with MWLC staff are crucial to staying on track and avoiding accidental weight loss sabotage.

“We help people avoid these issues by counseling them,” she says. “The biggest key is listening to the patient - and really asking the right questions.”

In the busyness of life, patients don’t always realize they aren’t measuring their food well or consuming enough water. That’s when things like journaling and visiting the clinic can drop off.

“Sometimes, people don’t realize what they’re doing or what they’re missing, so the staff brings it all to their attention during their daily visits,” Jeannine says. “That’s why we encourage people to weigh in as much as we do, so we can see what they’re doing on a day-to-day basis. It’s really about all the little things that we encourage our patients to do day-to-day to ensure their success.”

If you find yourself facing the challenges above, don’t panic! You’re never alone in your weight loss journey with Medical Weight Loss Clinic. Jeannine says patients who hit these stumbling blocks get back on track by refocusing on them every day.

We make it convenient for you to visit a clinic, with 27 locations across Michigan and Ohio, no copays or appointments, and hours that can accommodate most schedules, including early morning, evening and Saturday hours. We also keep most visits brief, between five and 10 minutes, so you can quickly be on your way.

If you’re ready to kick off your weight loss journey or to get help overcoming setbacks, sign up for a free consultation today at mwlc.com.

*Results may vary. Minimum purchase required. Some restrictions apply and discounts may not be used for online purchases.
When you enroll in a Medical Weight Loss Clinic program, the length of your program will be determined by you and the staff based on the amount of weight you want to lose and how quickly you want to lose it. Your actual weight loss will be determined by many factors, including, but not limited to: your medical circumstances, the plan you choose, adherence to the meal plan and use of nutritional supplements. Your goal and program duration information will be given to you in writing at the time of enrollment. As your program progresses, the rate you lose weight may change and you will have the opportunity to discuss this at every daily visit with your weight loss consultant, where changes to your meal plan and/or program can be made.