How You Could Be Harming Your Fitness Results
You’re getting up early, putting on gym gear and heading out to train… yet nothing’s happening. It’s very demotivating when you’re making the effort and you’re not seeing results, but sticking on a pair of runners and joining your local gym doesn't automatically equal better fitting jeans. If you’re struggling to reach your goals despite doing all the right things, check this list out and make sure you’re not being held to ransom by self-sabotaging habits.
1. You take shortcuts
Are you putting everything into your workout, or do you make little excuses to keep things comfortable? “I’ll just drop straight to my knees in these push-ups because I’ll be able to do more”, “I’ll stick to these weights because I don’t want to bulk up”, “I have to get back to work after this session, so I won’t get too sweaty”. These excuses come in all shapes and sizes, and they can be cunningly creative. Fact is though, they are just that – they’re excuses, designed to keep you in your comfort zone. And we all know what happens in your comfort zone. Not much.
2. You don't get enough sleep
Everything is harder when you’re tired, let alone trying to push yourself to brand new fitness heights. Try hitting the pillow a little earlier for a few nights and see if it gives you the extra energy you need to go a little harder in your training. You’ll also avoid falling into the ‘I’m too tired to train’ trap, which in many cases is the most common excuse of all to drop a training session.
3. Your diet is all wrong
Your body needs good nutrition to perform at it’s best, so make sure you’re getting your fair share of good lean protein and plenty of green, leafy vegetables. Of course, even if you’re eating well, if your supplementing your chicken breast and broccoli at dinner with a block of chocolate and a bottle of red wine, you’re pretty likely to experience set backs. Cut back on treat foods to intensify your results. You can’t out-train a poor diet.
4. You keep doing the same workouts
If your workout is always the same, your body will always be the same. When you stick to the same workout all or most of the time, your muscles adapt to the exercises and it becomes a less effective way to burn fat and calories. Your body also needs time to recover so it’s important to mix up your workouts to give it time to recuperate and repair.
5. You're socialising during your workouts
The social side of training can be great, but not if it’s distracting you from achieving your fitness goals. Stay focused on what you’re doing and avoid turning your workout into a social event. Leave your phone alone, too. If you’re having a text conversation while you’re lifting weights, your rests are probably too long. If you’re answering the phone during a run, you’re giving yourself an excuse to slow down.
If you’re making the effort to workout, hold yourself accountable. Avoid falling into traps that rob you of the results you deserve by identifying the self-sabotaging habits that might be getting in the way. Changing one of two of these habits could be the key to unlocking the results you’re looking for.