‘The 4 Mistakes That Sabotaged My Weight-Loss Journey for Years’

It took me a very long time to lose the weight (we’re talking not until after graduation), all because I didn’t know what I was doing.

Here are four things I wish I’d known at the start of my weight-loss journey.

1. Don’t Eat Peanut Butter from the Jar

While peanut butter is full of heart-healthy fats, it’s not void of calories—one tablespoon contains 105. I found myself spooning it straight out of the jar, wondering why my jeans weren’t any looser. This is important to remember with all healthy foods: Just because a food isn’t considered junky, it doesn’t mean that you can eat as much as you want. Be aware of portion sizes when it comes to whole grains, nuts, seeds, and health food store snacks.

2. Going Vegan Might Not Work

My two roommates in college were tall, skinny, and vegan. So I thought eating a plant-based diet was the key to dropping pounds. I may have ditched animal products, but I ended up eating tons of pasta, bread, French fries, dairy-free ice cream, and vegan chocolate cupcakes. Had I focused on fresh fruits, veggies, legumes, and whole grains, a vegan diet might have helped me reach my weight-loss goal, but my junk-food vegan diet actually caused me to gain weight.

RELATED: Giving Up Dairy Changed My Body in So Many Surprising Ways

3. Walking Isn’t Always Enough

Walking is definitely a better workout than doing nothing, so I strolled through the mall and walked to class. But walking isn’t a major calorie burner like running. When it comes to losing weight, you need to burn or cut out 3,500 calories a week to lose a pound. A 30-minute walk only burns about 122 calories, which is well under the 500 calories a day needed to lose a pound per week. If you want to lose weight, you’ll need to kick up the intensity and the length of your workouts.

RELATED: 10 Ways to Lose Weight, No Gym or Diet Required

4. Don’t Overdo Post-Workout Meals

After hitting a step class with my college roommate, we’d hit the dining hall and fuel up. We worked out, so we deserved it, right? Little did I know I was actually eating way more than I had burned, which was making me gain more weight. If you need a little workout reward, don’t do it with food. Download some new songs on iTunes, pick up a fitness mag, or buy yourself a new top to motivate you to get to the gym.