Avoid These 4 Common Nutrition Mistakes If You Want to Lose Fat and Build Muscle Faster

There are just a few nutrition mistakes that can prevent you from losing weight and building muscle. The truth is that if you don’t get all the conditions for weight loss and muscle building right, you’re either significantly limiting your gains or even completely preventing progress. It’s unfair ... I know. That’s why, in this article, we’ll go over the four most common mistakes people make when it comes to their nutrition and how to avoid falling into these traps.

Eating Too Much “Healthy” Food

The most common mistake by far is thinking that only “bad foods” will make you fat and that avoiding fast food or takeout will automatically lead to weight loss. Unfortunately - it’s not that simple. While cutting out highly processed foods and fast food is a step toward better health and improved digestion, it doesn’t guarantee weight loss. Just because a food is labeled as “healthy” doesn’t mean it’s low in calories or will help you shed fat.

Foods like granola bars, peanut butter, smoothies, and nuts can easily prevent you from losing weight if you’re not mindful of portions. The key takeaway here is that while food quality matters, quantity matters even more. To lose weight, you need to be in a caloric deficit, and even nutritious foods (like nuts) - can prevent that if consumed in excess. The solution? Understand how many calories you’re consuming to ensure you stay in a deficit.

Not Eating Enough Protein

A lot of people think they’re eating enough protein when, in reality, they’re not. Many of the individuals we see at the studio tend to overestimate their protein intake while underestimating how much they actually need. This is crucial not only for building muscle but also for weight loss. In both cases, protein will be your ally.

Protein sources are diverse and not limited to meat and eggs. You can find protein in dairy, beans, tofu, fish, seafood, and even supplements if necessary. Ensuring your body has enough protein allows for proper recovery from exercise and helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss. A simple rule of thumb is to aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day (e.g if you weigh 170 lbs, you should aim for 170 g of protein per day). To put it into perspective, a large egg contains about 6 g of protein.

Not Prepping Your Meals in Advance

The biggest roadblock to achieving a leaner, more defined physique is a lack of planning. Think about it for a second, how much easier would it be to stick to your diet if all your meals were prepared in advance ? That would certainly eliminate the need to decide what to eat on the spot. The problem is that many people have good intentions (losing weight or building muscle) but fail in execution. Not prepping your meals and recipes ahead of time is a huge mistake that often leads to impulsive food choices and exceeding your calorie intake.

You need to prioritize convenience and practicality. The more you plan and prepare in advance, the easier your life will be. You don’t need to be a chef to cook a batch of meat and store some rice in the fridge to have your next two lunches at work ready without a second thought. The same applies to snacks, if you prepare them ahead of time, staying on track won’t be a struggle.

Skipping Meals

The last mistake on our list is skipping meals. Not only is this ineffective, but it’s also counterproductive when trying to lose fat and build muscle. When you skip a meal, you essentially signal to your body that it will be starving until the next one. This can trigger cravings, low energy levels, and overeating later in the day. By prolonging hunger, you increase the likelihood of making poor food choices, which is especially problematic when aiming to shed fat.

Once again, planning can save you from this pitfall. It may seem repetitive, but eating balanced meals at regular intervals is the best way to ensure your body stays fuelled and avoids extreme hunger signals (such as fatigue, headaches, and stomach aches). If you’re too busy to sit down for a meal, keep portable, healthy options on hand (hard-boiled eggs, tuna sandwiches, or protein smoothies can be lifesavers.)

Rewind

Avoiding these four mistakes won’t guarantee instant results, but it will set you up for success. Remember, small adjustments can lead to significant changes over time. Don’t rush the process—focus on building sustainable habits rather than fixating on the end goal.