Want to lose weight? Avoid these 3 common traps

We started off 2018 with big plans: to lose weight, get in shape, break out of that rut we're in.
Dr. Taz Bhatia, the founder of CentreSpring MD, says having a get-healthier goal, is a good thing.

"But there are some common traps that I see people fall in over and over again," Dr. Bhatia says.  "One of those traps is over-exercising."

So, yes, we're all-in, killing it when it comes to our workout. We should be shedding the pounds, right? Wrong.

"Many people don't realize that over-exercising, and exerting your body too much, causes stress.,  Bhatia explains.  "It's also an attack on your immune system, that can cause a hormone imbalance, which will block you from losing weight."

Something else that can sink our diet?  That drink in our hand.

"A lot of people are drinking a whole lot," Bhatia says.  "And, they're so great about food and counting calories.  But, they forget that the average drink has about 250 calories."

Multiply that by 2 or 3 drinks at a go, several times a week, and, she says, you're pretty much guaranteed to gain weight, rather than lose it.

"So really watch the amount you're drinking, and limit it to 1 or 2 nights a week, and limit the amount you drink," Bhatia says.

Lastly, go to bed, and get some rest.

"You know we all, and I am guilty of this as well, we underestimate the power of sleep," she says.

Chronic lack of sleep is a recipe for diet trouble. We all have different sleep needs; some of us can get by on 5 hours, some of us need a good 9 hours to feel good. Bhatia recommends shooting for at least 6 hours of sleep a night, 4 nights a week.  And, If you're not getting that, it may be hard to lose weight.

'We're going to have a lot more stress to our body," Dr. Bhatia says. "We're going to overproduce, and pump out cortisol.  That is going to mess with your blood sugars, it's going to mess with your metabolic rate, and it's going to cause us to gain weight."