You may think you are doing everything right and still your weight loss efforts are stalled, or worse, you find the scale going in the wrong direction! Maybe you successfully lost weight, but now the number on the scale is creeping back up. What's going on here? Well there are a few common pitfalls people tend to slip into without realizing they are sabotaging their efforts. Here are the 3 most common:

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1. Skimping on Protein. Starting your day with a complete protein will increase chemicals in the brain that not only improve sleep but also improve your mood due to their tryptophan content. This amino acid is a precursor to serotonin the feel-good hormone that keeps you feeling happy and motivated. Serotonin becomes melatonin, which helps you sleep at night. Fewer than 6 hours of sleep per day is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, increased risk for obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Sleep is critical for maintaining healthy weight and protein is important for restful sleep. Adequate protein in the morning blunts appetite throughout the day and studies showed starting the day with clean protein instead of carbs can reduce risk of fatigue by up to 75% for 6 hours and double your energy within 30 minutes! (A better workout!) One study found women who included protein at breakfast lost weight 65% faster.

2. Doing the same workout day in and day out. When you follow a consistent exercise program, your body gets more efficient and you no longer burn as many calories. You either have to increase the intensity or change your routine regularly if you want to maintain your weight loss. Your body is Intelligently created and when you do the same 3 miles on the treadmill or the same kettle bell workout every day, your body adapts. Just vary your routine - the intensity, number of reps, speed, and even the specific exercises every few weeks to keep your body surprised and burning the maximum number of calories. It is one of my recommendations in my book, Today is Still the Day.

3. Not Drinking Water. Don't get so caught up in eating healthy foods that you overlook drinking adequate water. Staying hydrated reduces hunger, increases the number of calories you burn and improves your body's ability to burn body fat for energy. Drinking 16 oz. 15-30 minutes before meals boosts metabolism 24-30% over the next hour to 1.5 hours.

My basic recommendation is one half your body weight in ounces and including ¼ tsp. of natural, unprocessed salt for every 32 oz.

Are any of these pitfalls hindering your efforts?