5 Weight-Loss Mistakes You Might Inadvertently Be Making Right Now

These tried-and-true tips may work wonders for you.

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Published January 03, 2025
illustration of woman looking down at scale, weight loss, lose weight
Eva Redamonti

It’s that time of year again when people make New Year’s resolutions. At the top of that list for many of us is eating healthier and losing weight.

But exactly how to lose weight is confusing. It’s not as simple as just eating fewer calories, especially as we approach menopause.

Fluctuating hormones (mainly estrogen and progesterone) make it hard to avoid putting on unwanted pounds. "After 40, it's like women have been handed a new body and they need to figure out how to take care of it,” explains Collette Chandler, a nationally board-certified health and wellness coach.

Many of us find that even when we do everything “right,” we still can’t seem to shed more than a pound or two. The problem may be that while we’re busy making good choices, we’re actually making mistakes that lead to frustration (and a stagnant number on the scale).

Here are 5 approaches to weight loss to reconsider:

1. Believing One Approach Fits All

One of the most prevalent misconceptions is that there's a universal way to eat and lose weight. Chandler emphasizes the role of individuality in dietary choices. “Just because intermittent fasting or no dairy works for a friend or family member doesn’t mean it's the right fit for you,” says Chandler, who encourages her clients to keep an online food and mood journal. "I tell them to write down how they feel before they eat a meal, the food eaten and how they feel after."

"Rather than getting frustrated, remain curious. It may take some trial and error to determine what foods work for you and which may not love you right now. Writing it all down helps to connect the dots.”

2. Going on a Diet

"I see so many crash diets that promise massive weight loss in 30 days, but when you look at the programs, they're horrible,” says Dr. Mindy Pelz, women’s health expert, lifestyle advocate and author of several books, including the recently released Eat Like a Girl. “Yes, if you eat tiny plates of chicken breast and broccoli for a month, it's true that you'll lose weight — but you'll be absolutely miserable while you do it, and the second you stop, you'll gain that weight right back.

As tempting as the promise of a quick fix is, crash diets don't work long-term. "We need to stop looking at a health or a certain weight as a destination that, hopefully, we will arrive at one day,” explains Dr. Pelz. “Sustainable weight loss takes time. It’s the consequence of a nourishing, well-balanced eating.”

She encourages her clients to find a way to eat that they can enjoy and follow for years, not weeks. “Eat to build a stronger, more vibrant version of yourself. The weight loss will come as a natural side effect of that.”

3. Fear of Skipping Meals

The idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day has been ingrained in many of us since childhood. So, we may feel obligated to eat a big morning meal even if we aren't hungry.

“The truth is, you can skip breakfast or any other meal and it can actually make weight loss easier, not harder,” says Dr. Pelz. “Fasting is such an amazing tool for health in general and for weight loss specifically. For a lot of my clients, it's the thing that made losing weight finally click and start working.”

4. Avoiding Cooking

As women age and no longer have to cook for a family, it may seem easier to order takeout, go out to eat or just pick rather than cook a full meal. However, restaurant meals and prepared foods can be filled with sodium, preservatives and other additives that aren’t optimal if you’re trying to avoid weight gain.

“Food is the single most important part of your health,” says Dr. Pelz. “We all know it affects your weight but also influences mental clarity, mood, energy, hormones, longevity and disease risk — virtually every aspect of your wellbeing.”

“‘Good food’ doesn’t mean ‘complicated food,’” she adds, urging women to reframe cooking from a chore to the ultimate form of self-care. “Most of the meals in Eat Like a Girl take under 30 minutes and have just a few ingredients, but the nourishment you get from them will make an enormous difference in how you feel day-to-day. Simple, wholesome cooking is time well spent.”

5. Eating the Same Foods Every Day

Rather than varying their diet, many women eat the same thing to simplify meal prep and avoid overeating by limiting their choices. But this type of unvaried diet isn't ideal. “Eating too many of the same foods with the same ingredients can upset gut bacteria,” explains Chandler. “Adding variety to our daily diet helps balance the good and bad bacteria.”

“Every meal should include a protein, lots of fresh produce and a small amount of good fat like avocado or coconut oil,” adds Chandler, who encourages her clients to eat the colors of the rainbow. “Eating various foods in different colors makes meals less monotonous and ensures you get the wide range of nutrients your body needs.”

Are any of you trying to lose weight in the new year? How are you planning to do it? Let us know in the comments below.

Randi Mazzella is a freelance writer and journalist. Her work has appeared in numerous online and print publications The Washington Post, Next Avenue, Your Teen for Parents, SheKnows and New Jersey Family. She writes about a wide range of topics including parenting, mental health, wellness, pop-culture, teens, finance and midlife issues. She is a wife and mother of three children who inspire her every day. To read more of her work, go to randimazzella.com.