15 Habits That Sabotage Your Body Shape

These common pitfalls can seriously obstruct your journey toward your ideal physique. Surprisingly, they often extend beyond just diet.

Natalia Koshkina

Nutritionist, health coach, and founder of the NK Health project focused on wholesome nutrition.

In my profession, I constantly analyze people's habits related to eating, physical activity, and lifestyle. It turns out that seemingly minor weaknesses can cost people dearly, impacting their health, slimness, beauty, confidence, relationships, and overall quality of life.

So, what are these little monsters that, when they become habits, ruin our lives and block us from reaching our goals?

1. Chasing Perfection

You might be disappointed, but perfection is unattainable because you are human. Life will always throw obstacles your way: lack of time, work overload, family issues, or caring for a young child.

But you don’t need perfection. What truly matters for achieving your nutrition and fitness goals is consistency.

Why is perfection dangerous? Because after a failure, you may decide to pause and postpone changes until a better time—which never comes. Trust me on this.

What to do?

Aim to do “good enough” every day rather than “perfect” once a week.

2. Making Excuses and Delaying Change

A Chinese proverb says: “He who fears taking the first step spends his entire life on one leg.”

When I ask clients, “What will change tomorrow, Monday, or January 1st?” 9 out of 10 admit honestly that nothing will change. So why wait and lose precious time and health?

What to do?

Make the best of your current situation. Remember the power of small steps? Small, consistent efforts lead to big results. Improve a little each day, and success will follow.

3. Keeping Unhealthy Foods at Home While Healthy Options Are Out of Reach

Your environment heavily influences your health. It largely determines what you eat and avoid. John Berardi, founder of Precision Nutrition, states, “If unhealthy food is in your house, sooner or later you or your loved ones will eat it.”

Likewise, if healthy food is available, it will get eaten. Accessibility and convenience are key drivers of our food choices.

What to do?

Don’t buy or store foods you don’t want to eat. Always have healthy foods and snacks on hand to significantly reduce the chance of grabbing something unnecessary.

4. Eating While Distracted

The first step to mindful eating is developing awareness. It helps you listen to your body—knowing when and how much to eat, and when to stop. Eating while rushing, watching TV, or browsing news diminishes your ability to tune in.

What to do?

Eat slowly at the table without distractions. Focus on the taste, aroma, and texture of your food. Create a pleasant atmosphere and treat mealtime as your personal moment.

5. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Short or poor-quality sleep negatively affects health. Sleep preserves youthfulness and is essential for overall well-being, physical recovery, brain function, hormonal balance, and more. Aim for at least 7 hours of nightly rest.

What to do?

• Maintain a routine: consistent sleep and wake times regulate hormones that ease falling asleep and waking up.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine in the afternoon and evening.
• Refrain from eating or drinking 2–3 hours before bedtime.
• Clear your mind of worries and postpone urgent tasks until the next day.
• Turn off electronic devices which stimulate the brain and reduce melatonin production.
• Avoid intense evening workouts.

6. Eating Too Few Fruits and Vegetables

Plant-based foods should make up half your diet. Vegetables and fruits are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals vital for health. Depending on your goals, the ratio of vegetables to fruits should range from 7:1 to 3:1.

What to do?

Include vegetables in every meal—varying colors, raw and cooked. Enjoy a fruit as dessert after meals.

7. Not Planning Your Meals

Spontaneity is the enemy of healthy eating. Knowing what and when to eat greatly reduces the chance of unhealthy choices.

What to do?

Plan your meals several days ahead. Prepare ingredients in advance on your day off (e.g., Sunday). Wash, chop, and store vegetables in airtight containers. Cook and portion meats, grains, and legumes. These can be refrigerated for days, ensuring healthy meals are ready when you’re tired after work.

8. Shopping Without a List

Shopping without a list invites impulsive purchases, often unhealthy. Making a list saves time, money, and helps you make better choices.

What to do?

Create a shopping list based on your weekly meal plan and take it with you to the store.

9. Relying on Processed Foods

Your diet should mainly consist of whole foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, free from preservatives. Processed foods often contain additives, artificial colors, flavors, trans fats, and other unwanted ingredients that your body struggles to process—foods your ancestors likely never ate.

What to do?

Increase whole foods in your diet and reduce or eliminate processed products.

10. Consuming Too Little Protein

Protein is the building block of body tissues and promotes satiety. It boosts metabolism and triggers hormones that suppress appetite, helping you eat less and stay full longer.

What to do?

Include protein in every meal—meats, fish, eggs, legumes, tofu, quinoa.

11. Not Drinking Enough Water

Over a third of adults suffer from dehydration, which increases with age. Pay attention to your hydration. Drinking a glass of water before meals helps prevent dehydration and reduces food intake.

What to do?

Drink 1–2 glasses of water before or during each meal.

12. Overindulging in Unhealthy Foods on Weekends

Many treat weekends as “free-for-all” days—eating sandwiches for breakfast, popcorn at the movies, fast food during outings, and indulging at social gatherings. Anticipating Monday’s restrictions often drives this overeating. Paradoxically, weekend bingeing isn’t the worst habit—it’s what follows that matters most.

What to do?

Drop strict weekday rules. Tune in to your body’s signals and feelings. Reflect on how you felt physically and emotionally after weekend overeating. Were you satisfied? Maybe it’s time to stop making excuses.

13. Imposing Strict Food Restrictions

After indulgent weekends, you might impose harsh restrictions to “make up” for it. These strict days often lead to bingeing later, even when you’re full.

What to do?

Avoid rigid restrictions and occasionally allow yourself desired foods. You don’t need to overeat in advance—you can enjoy treats anytime. You control your body and are learning to listen and understand its needs.

14. Being Constantly Stressed

Stress is a natural physiological response to threats and can help you grow stronger. However, excessive or prolonged stress harms health and life quality.

What to do?

Find your balance between beneficial and harmful stress based on your ability to handle and recover from pressure. Don’t overload yourself. Remember the camel carrying a heavy load—just one extra straw broke its back. Don’t be that camel.

15. Thinking in All-or-Nothing Terms

The “all or nothing” mindset rarely yields “all” and often results in “nothing.”

What to do?

Don’t chase perfection. Act according to your abilities and circumstances. Can’t hit the gym? Take a walk. Ate dessert after lunch? Reduce your dinner portion slightly.

And remember the Chinese proverb: the most important thing is to take the first step—starting today.

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