Common Mistakes People Make With Weight Loss

Puravida Fitness • November 7, 2022

Common Mistakes People Make With Weight Loss

A woman is measuring her waist with a tape measure.

Don’t have the time and energy to maintain consistency in your workout regime? Or lack the proper knowledge to put together effective fitness plans that will keep you motivated? Cause both consistency and knowledge are the keys to healthy weight loss.

If you are struggling with weight loss, that may be because of certain habits that are missing from your lifestyle. Hiring a fitness coach can save you from putting your body through unnecessary and excessive pain.

To help you avoid some basic errors that could prove to be costly, Puravida Fitness has put together a list of the most common mistakes people make with weight loss.

1. Cutting their calories too low

It has been pounded that cutting calories is the best way to lose weight. While creating a caloric deficit is important, it is also important not to cut your calories too low. At first, this will work, but eventually, you will hit a plateau from metabolic slowdown from your body going to a survival/starvation mode. Nobody knows how 1200 calories became the universal target, but it seems everyone defaults to that. This is also a recipe for losing muscle mass, a metabolic tissue that keeps metabolism higher. Most people quit when they hit plateaus due to frustration. The way to avoid plateaus and keep progress consistent is to cut calories slightly and lose weight slower, making slight adjustments to keep the muscle and shed the fat.

2. Going low carb all the time

Going low carb all the time can lead to lost muscle and poor performance in the gym. It also can keep the hormone cortisol high with high stress, which works against a healthy body composition. High levels of cortisol promote fat gain and muscle loss which is exactly the opposite of what people want. Eating carbs from whole food sources around your more active times of day will ensure your body uses the carbs for energy and not storing them as fat. You will also feel stronger in the gym and recover more effectively from your workouts.

3. Dieting only with no resistance training

Most people focus on weight loss, as do many diet plans. The problem is when you diet only. You lose muscle mass which sabotages your metabolism. Muscle is a “use it or lose it” tissue. If I don’t give my body a reason to keep it, it can be broken down for energy in a caloric-restricted environment. Over time this leads to a metabolic slowdown as muscle requires calories to maintain fat does not. So doing resistance training just 2-3 times per week can do wonders to maintain or add to your muscle mass. We always say feed the muscle and starve the fat. Resistance training is feeding the muscle.

4. Following inconsistent eating patterns

Many people have random nutrition practices. They miss meals and eat at different times each day. This can lead to blood sugar crashes, which create big-time cravings and often lead to overeating and giving into sugar cravings. Success leaves clues, and eating the same things around the same time works well for success. Yes, it’s boring, but boring gets results. Every client with nutritional success has an established rhythm with their eating habits.

5. Failing to plan and prep meals

Heard the old saying, “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”? It is 100% true when it comes to weight loss. If you don’t have a plan, you will be more likely to go the “grab and go” route which generally consists of processed foods that spike your blood sugar and create a “fat storing” environment. Once again, success leaves clues. Our successful clients plan a shopping and prep day for their nutrition. This is truly a make-or-break habit when dialing in your nutrition.

6. Doing too much cardio

Just look at most endurance athletes who do tons of cardio. Do they look lean? So why do we still believe cardio is the key to a lean and toned physique? Cardio should be done in moderation; if not, it can contribute to muscle loss and overstressing the body. Doing just three times weekly for 20-30 minutes works well with a cold nutrition plan.

To avoid these and other mistakes, reach out to the experts at Puravida Fitness.

Our founder has 25 years of personal training experience, a combined experience of 32 years working with clients, and a 100% money-back guarantee backs our customer service. We offer one-on-one personal fitness training, group fitness training, nutrition coaching, and online fitness training. Our clients are spread across Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Prior Lake, Savage, Farmington, Elko New Market, Eagan, and the surrounding areas.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about fitness, we’d love to hear from you. For more information, please call us at (952) 522-2462 or email us at info@puravidafitness.com.

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Why Guardrails Are the Key to Better Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness Results

July 10, 2026

One of the biggest reasons people stay stuck with their fitness, nutrition, and wellness goals is not because they are lazy or incapable. It is because they give themselves too much rope. And when you give yourself too much rope, you can eventually hang your results with it. At Puravida Fitness, we see this all the time with people from Lakeville, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Farmington, Savage, Prior Lake, New Market, and Elko who come to us frustrated because they feel like they are working hard but not seeing the progress they want. Many times, the problem is not one giant mistake. It is the little compromises repeated over and over again. Song of Solomon 2:15 says, “It is the little foxes that spoil the vine.” That verse is incredibly true when it comes to fitness, nutrition, discipline, and long-term health. The Little Compromises Add Up Most people do not lose momentum because of one bad meal, one missed workout, or one weekend off track. They lose momentum because they keep allowing little compromises to become normal. Things like: “Everything in moderation.” “Just one won’t hurt.” “I’ll get back on track tomorrow.” “Missing one workout is not a big deal.” “I deserve this.” The problem is that when those thoughts become a pattern, they start to slowly destroy your progress. One drink becomes three. One dessert becomes dessert every night. One missed workout becomes two weeks away from the gym. One weekend off track becomes an entire month of going backwards. This is why so many people feel like they are constantly starting over. Guardrails Create Freedom A lot of people think discipline is restrictive, but the truth is discipline creates freedom. When you have guardrails in place, you do not have to constantly negotiate with yourself. You already know the standard. You already know the plan. You already know what you are committed to. This is one of the reasons working with a personal trainer, fitness trainer, nutrition coach, or structured group fitness program can be so powerful. You are not just getting workouts. You are getting accountability, structure, guidance, and guardrails that keep you moving forward. Whether you are training at a gym, health club, or personal training studio, your results will improve when you stop leaving everything up to emotion and start building specific standards. Examples of Good Fitness and Nutrition Guardrails Guardrails do not have to be complicated. In fact, simple guardrails are usually the most effective. Here are a few examples: Limit alcohol to one time per week. Avoid added sugar five out of seven days per week. Schedule your workouts like appointments. Eat protein at every meal. Avoid mindless snacking at night. Get to the gym at least three times per week. Walk daily. Plan meals before the week starts. These types of parameters help protect your progress. Without them, it becomes way too easy to drift. And drifting is dangerous because most people do not notice they are going backwards until they have already lost momentum. Why Most People Need Accountability The reality is most people know what they should be doing. They know they should exercise. They know they should eat better. They know they should drink more water. They know they should get more sleep. They know they should stop making excuses. But knowing what to do and actually doing it consistently are two very different things. That is where coaching comes in. A good personal trainer or fitness trainer does more than count reps. A good coach helps you build discipline, create better habits, stay accountable, and make adjustments when life gets busy. At Puravida Fitness in Lakeville, we help people from Lakeville, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Farmington, Savage, Prior Lake, New Market, and Elko build real-world fitness and wellness plans they can actually stick to. Our programs include personal training, group fitness, nutrition coaching, and wellness support designed to help people lose weight, build strength, improve energy, and stay consistent for the long term. Discipline Is Protection One of the biggest mindset shifts you can make is this: Discipline is not punishment. Discipline is protection. It protects your health. It protects your energy. It protects your confidence. It protects your future. It protects the goals you say matter to you. If you keep crashing your results, it may be time to stop relying on willpower and start building better guardrails. Because without guardrails, you will continue to drift. And if you drift long enough, you will eventually end up somewhere you never wanted to be. Ready to Build Better Guardrails? If you are tired of starting over, tired of feeling stuck, and tired of watching your fitness and nutrition goals slip away, it may be time to get help. At Puravida Fitness, we help everyday people build strength, lose fat, improve wellness, and create sustainable habits through personal training, group fitness, nutrition coaching, and accountability. If you live in Lakeville, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Farmington, Savage, Prior Lake, New Market, or Elko and are looking for a personal trainer, fitness trainer, gym, health club, or wellness program that will help you stay consistent, we would love to help. Your results do not need more excuses. They need better guardrails.

Committed or Just Interested? The Real Difference Between Wanting Weight Loss and Achieving It

June 29, 2026

At Puravida Fitness, we hear it all the time from people in Lakeville, Burnsville, Prior Lake, Farmington, Apple Valley, New Market, Elko, and Savage: “I want to lose weight.” “I hate my body.” “I’ve tried everything and nothing works.” “My metabolism is broken.” And we get it. That frustration is real. When you feel stuck in your body, your energy is low, your clothes do not fit the way you want, and your confidence is slipping, it can feel like nothing is working. But here is the honest truth. For most people, the biggest thing holding them back is not their busy schedule. It is not their age. It is not always their hormones. It is not that they need another random diet, another gym membership, another YouTube workout, or another quick fix. The missing piece is commitment. Interested vs. Committed There is a huge difference between being interested in weight loss and being committed to changing your health. Interested sounds like this: “I’ll start when life calms down.” “I’ll try it for a few weeks and see what happens.” “I’ll work out when I feel motivated.” “I’ll eat better unless I’m stressed, busy, tired, traveling, or around friends.” Committed sounds different. Committed says: “I am doing this even when it is not convenient.” “I am going to follow the plan long enough to let it work.” “I am done jumping from one program to another.” “I am ready to make my health, fitness, and wellness a priority.” That is where real change starts. Commitment Comes Before Results Whether your goal is weight loss, building strength, improving energy, navigating menopause, getting back into a fitness routine, or improving senior fitness, the first step is commitment. Not halfway. Not only when it is easy. Not until it gets uncomfortable. All the way. To commit means to devote yourself completely. Whether it is your family, your career, your marriage, or your health, commitment means you are fully invested. To steal a poker term, you have to be ALL IN . Not testing the waters. Not waiting for the perfect time. Not looking for reasons why now will not work. You make a decision, and then you back that decision up with consistent action. Why Most Fitness Plans Fail Many people start strong. They join a gym or health club. They hire a personal trainer. They get excited about a new diet. They start walking, lifting weights, tracking meals, or cutting calories. Then a few weeks later, something happens. They see a new program on TikTok. They hear about a new supplement. They read about fitness peptides. They decide their current program is too hard, too boring, too slow, or not exciting enough. So they switch. Then they switch again. Before long, they are bouncing from shiny object to shiny object without giving anything enough time to actually work. That is not a lack of options. That is a lack of commitment to one clear plan. Your Body Does Not Need More Confusion If you are constantly changing your workout, nutrition, or wellness routine, your body never gets the consistency it needs to adapt. This is especially true for adults over 40, women going through menopause, and seniors working on strength, balance, and longevity. Your body needs the right plan, but it also needs time. A great personal trainer can help you build that plan, but no trainer, gym, health club, nutrition strategy, or wellness tool can replace your commitment to showing up and doing the work. Support tools may have their place. Some people explore options like fitness peptides, hormone support, or other wellness strategies with a qualified medical provider. But those things should support the foundation, not replace it. The foundation is still: Strength training. Consistent movement. Balanced nutrition. Recovery. Sleep. Accountability. And commitment. Stop Restarting. Start Committing. If you feel like you are always starting over, it is time to ask yourself an honest question: Am I committed, or am I just interested? Interested people quit when it gets hard. Committed people adjust and keep going. Interested people chase the next new thing. Committed people follow the plan. Interested people wait for motivation. Committed people build habits. Interested people want results. Committed people earn them. That difference matters. You Do Not Have to Do It Alone At Puravida Fitness, we help people in Lakeville, Burnsville, Prior Lake, Farmington, Apple Valley, New Market, Elko, Savage, and surrounding communities build a fitness and wellness plan they can actually commit to. Whether you are looking for weight loss, strength training, menopause fitness support, senior fitness, better energy, improved mobility, or a personal trainer who can help you stop guessing, we are here to help. Our goal is not to give you another random workout. Our goal is to help you build a plan that fits your life, challenges you appropriately, and gives you the accountability you need to finally follow through. Ready to Go All In? If you are tired of spinning your wheels… Tired of starting and stopping… Tired of blaming your schedule, age, hormones, or metabolism… Then it may be time to stop being interested and start being committed. Your breakthrough starts with a decision. And we are here to help you make that decision pay off. Click the button below to schedule your complimentary Success Session with Puravida Fitness, and let’s build a solid plan you can commit to. Your strongest, healthiest, most confident self is waiting. The question is: Are you ready to go all in?

Eat the Frog: How Starting Your Week with the Hardest Workout Builds Strength, Discipline, and Momentum

June 12, 2026

Every Monday, I eat the frog. No, not literally. “Eat the frog” means doing the toughest, most unpleasant, or most challenging thing first. For me, that means starting the week with my leg workout — and taking it one step further by putting the hardest exercise at the very beginning. Why? Because leg day is not just a physical challenge. It is a mental one. When you walk into the gym on a Monday and choose to do the hardest thing first, you are setting the tone for the rest of your day and the rest of your week. You are telling yourself, “I do not run from hard things. I face them.” Why I Start Monday with Leg Day For many people, leg workouts are the most difficult part of strength training. They demand effort, focus, energy, and mental toughness. Squats, lunges, presses, deadlifts, and other lower-body movements challenge your entire body. That is exactly why I put them first. As a personal trainer serving Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, Prior Lake, New Market, Elko, and Savage, I see this all the time: the thing people avoid is often the thing they need most. Whether your goal is weight loss, improved strength, better health, more confidence, or simply building a more consistent fitness routine, learning to do the hard thing first can change everything. The Hardest Exercise Comes First It is one thing to say, “I am going to work out today.” It is another thing to walk into the gym or health club and start with the hardest movement on the plan. That first hard exercise becomes more than just a lift. It becomes a mental win. When you complete the toughest part of your workout first, you build confidence. You prove to yourself that you are capable of pushing through discomfort. Once that first battle is won, the rest of the workout feels more manageable. That same mindset carries into the rest of your day. Fitness Is Mental Before It Is Physical Most people think fitness is only about workouts, calories, and exercises. Those things matter, but long-term wellness starts with mindset. There will be days when you are tired. There will be days when motivation is low. There will be days when you do not feel like going to the gym, joining a group fitness class, or sticking to your weight loss plan. That is when discipline matters. Eating the frog teaches you to stop negotiating with the hard thing. You do it first. You get the win. You move forward. How This Helps with Weight Loss and Strength Training If your goal is weight loss, strength training should be a major part of your fitness plan. Building muscle helps support your metabolism, improves body composition, and gives you a stronger foundation for long-term health. Leg workouts are especially powerful because they use some of the largest muscles in the body. Training your legs can be demanding, but it also delivers a major return on effort. When combined with smart nutrition, consistency, accountability, and the right personal trainer or group fitness program, strength training can help you build momentum that lasts. Start the Week with a Win The reason I eat the frog every Monday is simple: I want to fight my toughest mental and physical battle early. Once I push through that challenge, the rest of the day feels less daunting. The rest of the week feels more manageable. I have already proven to myself that I can do hard things. That one win matters. And for many people, one win is what creates the next win. Looking for a Gym, Health Club, or Personal Trainer Near You? If you are in Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Farmington, Prior Lake, New Market, Elko, or Savage and you are looking for a gym, health club, personal trainer, weight loss support, group fitness, wellness coaching, or strength training program, the first step is simple: Show up. Do the hard thing first. Build confidence early. Set the tone for the week. Eat the frog.