4 Ways You're Wasting Money and Not Losing Weight

When it comes to weight loss, it's easy to complicate the process. There are so many diets, how-to articles, and more that it becomes easy to get distracted from your ultimate goal. There are quite a few ways you may be wasting money and not losing weight. We want you to reach your goals. So, let's start by removing some of your obstacles.

You're buying the wrong supplements.

You can get protein from many sources, but buy whey protein if you're looking to get it from a supplement. Whey is fast-acting and easily digested, making it a good choice for post-workout shakes or smoothies.

You should choose a brand that includes only high-quality whey protein isolate, which delivers the highest protein level per scoop. Some companies add fillers like soy lecithin or artificial sweeteners to their products to make them more palatable, which can throw off your diet goals.

Tip: If you're going to purchase supplements, make sure they're trusted, have been around for a while, and have a good reputation. Also, take advantage of the free samples that some companies offer.

You're trying to do too much, too soon.

You're eating garbage under the guise of healthy eating.

Many people think that if something is labelled "natural" or "healthy," then it can't possibly be unhealthy — but that's not always true. We're all familiar with products that are marketed as healthy but are full of sugar and other additives.

The same goes for foods labelled "low-fat" and "low-carb," often contain more sugar than their full-fat counterparts. It's a good idea to check the ingredients list on any packaged foods before buying them. If there are words you don't understand or ingredients that sound like chemicals put the item back on the shelf.

Tip: One thing to remember is that less is more. This means that the lesser number of ingredients, the healthier that food product is.

If you want to eat healthily, avoid processed foods as much as possible. Focus on eating whole foods that are naturally sweet, salty, and fatty (good fats).

You think you need to join a gym or buy expensive gear to get in shape.

You've probably heard recommendations for things like adding a personal training budget, for example, and there's nothing wrong with that. But it's not the only thing you need to worry about. Nutrition is also essential, as are supplements, and all of these things have a very nuanced cost-benefit analysis. If you're trying to manage your weight and get fit--which is essential--it's a good idea to try and understand these subtleties when making any decision of financial consequence related to your goal.