Exercises are a great way to lose weight. They are natural and healthy, which is why they require persistence and lots of hard work. However, when you’re devoted to workout routines, but still gaining weight or not making much progress, it can be depressing .

This is why you should be mindful of some small habits that cause you to gain weight. You should also understand that weight gain or loss isn't just about exercises (or the lack of adequate exercise), but more about your whole lifestyle: what you eat, what you do, how you do it.

You need to identify habits that create an enabling environment for gaining weight and avoid them as much as possible. So, while engaged in your workout routines, accompany them with good habits (that will be discussed here) in order to achieve your dream body.

  1. Learn to avoid sugar: You’ll likely have no idea how great an impact sugar intake has on your body. Apart from several related health complications, sugar level is one factor that accounts for weight gain. It’s advised you don't exceed 30 grams of added sugar per day. However, it’s very easy to lose track of your sugar intake.


After a workout, you might want to reward yourself with a can of Coke, but only count the sugar you added to your coffee or tea that morning. Another reason it’s easy to lose track is that our taste buds get used to sugary products. Therefore, if you can't completely remove sugar from your diet, try consume less and be more mindful of the amount you take on board.

  1. Get enough rest: Research has shown a connection between sleeplessness and weight gain. For one, it could be that staying awake most of the night interferes with your hunger hormones (leptin and ghrelin), thereby making you eat more than you should; or that it leaves you too weak in the morning for your workout routines. Whichever it is, ample sleep is important for general health and to attain your dream body. Get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.
  2. Don’t skip meals: At surface level, it might seem like a good idea to skip some meals, but it isn’t. You should eat your meals on time - especially breakfast. Most people skip this very important meal of the day, because of work commitments. However, when you skip meals, it will make you overeat when consuming your next meal, which will jeopardise your workout efforts.
  3. Drink plenty of water: Get in the habit of drinking water - especially after you wake up in the morning. Water triggers the burning of calories - at least for the next 60 minutes after drinking a cup. Different studies points to an improvement in weight loss when participants began drinking more water. Also, drinking enough water will discourage you from snacking on junk foods. Consume at least two litres of water every day.
  4. Quit alcohol: Giving up alcohol whilst exercising is one of the easiest ways to gain weight. It might not seem so, but alcohol is high in calories - more so when combined with those you’ve consumed during the course of the day. That's not all; alcohol helps you forget all other habits you adopted for losing weight by lowering your inhibitions. Also, alcohol increases your appetite significantly, so that you’re more likely to eat more than you should after you’ve been drinking.
  5. Eat only at the dining table: Most people prefer eating whilst watching television so that they can save time and be distracted all the while. However, if you’re not looking to gain weight, make a habit of never eating in front of the television. This way, you’re able to keep track of the portions you have consumed and not overeat. Also, never eat directly from packs of food. Always portion them out in order to keep track of how much you’re eating.
  6. Keep high calorie foods hidden: Reduce your intake of high calorie foods with little nutrients. You may be well aware about how easily they make you gain weight. However, rather than go through the emotional struggle of resistance, learn habits to keep them out of sight. Have your chocolate bars, cakes and doughnuts hidden in opaque jars for visitors and introduce Lectin Shield into your diet to mitigate any damage from harmful lectins, which includes weight gain.
  7. Evaluate yourself: Always evaluate yourself in terms of what you’re eating, how much you’re eating, what you are doing, when you eat, and so on. Some people want to lose weight so badly that they stop eating entirely. This slows down metabolism, in turn making it difficult for the body to burn fat. The key word is moderation. Make it a habit to take into account everything you eat and any activities you undertake and hold yourself accountable in every case.