I'm very well into my weight loss journey. I've since lost 18kgs/39lbs, and here's a few things I realised was holding me back.

• Drinking liquid calories. I'd often indulge in frappes, iced coffee, tall glasses of fruit juices, high calorie smoothies and sodas. I didn't realise just how many calories I was taking in by drinking them. I just assumed that they "didn't count".

• Not measuring out my carbs. I would pile my plates high with white rice and pasta. I'd often have multiple slices of white bread with lunch and dinner, too. Carbs aren't evil. It's just good to be aware of how much you're eating.

• Eating a copious amounts of nuts and trail mix. An actual serving is tiny. I was eating this stuff by the hanful. It adds up quick.

• Severely restricting certain types of food. Yes, when you're dieting, you might cut back on certain types of food. But I found banning it completely was a recipe for disaster. Forbidden fruit is sweetest, and when you start, you can't stop.

• Being extremely sedentary. My medication makes me very tired, so I stopped getting my walks in. My medication also makes me hungry, so I was eating more, and moving less. My walks were always an effort, so I stopped. But anything worth while takes effort, and once I was on the walk, I felt much better.

• Adding way too much oil and butter to my dinners. A little bit is fine. It's flavour and nutrients. I was using a TON of butter and oil, more than I needed. These guys can catch up to you quick!

• Believing that just because a food is "healthy", that it can't possibly make me gain weight. Looking at you nuts and avocado!

• Eating after 8pm. I try to finish my dinner/any snacks I have before 8pm. I've noticed I only ever eat things like chocolate and chips after 8pm. It's never good food.

• Sneaking little bites here and there while I was making lunch and dinner. Sure, it's a little bit, but I'd have 5-6 spoons or a handful of pasta/rice before I'd even started dinner.

• Eating out of an open packet. For me, it's a recipe for disaster. I'd regularly finish a big bag of chips or skittles when I ate out the packet. Pouring a portion into the bowl keeps me under control.

• Constantly snacking. I used to be a big snacker. Nothing wrong with snacking, but back in the day, I'd eat entire tins, containers and bags of snack foods. Now my snacks are fruit or protein.

• Not practicing mindful eating. Slowing down, using all my senses to enjoy my food, and stopping between bites to assess how full I am has been a life saver. I also tend to enjoy my food more this way.

• Not prioritising whole foods and protein. Protein keeps you full. When I make protein a priority, I tend to snack less. Whole foods also up my nutrients and are also quite filling, plus they make me feel good!

• Loading everything up with a crap ton of cheese. I'm a vegetarian. We love cheese. I'd add cheese to EVERYTHING, and a lot of it! Soups, chilli's, spaghetti, bread, you name it, I did it. It's ok to enjoy cheese! But I was flying through 1kg blocks.

• Emotional eating. This is a big one for me. I still struggle with emotional eating. It's easy to get stuck in the loop. I just remind myself that it's an unhealthy coping mechanism, and it makes me feel worse after. I've exchanged it for going on a nice walk, or writing in my diary, having a chat with loved ones, or watching a movie. It still happens occasionally, but I used to do this everyday.

Thanks for reading :)