By now, almost everybody knows there is no substitute for exercise. It is essential if you want a healthy mind and a healthy body. The fitness lifestyle is actually quite popular these days. You can see that in crowded gyms, athleisure apparel brands, dietary fads, and fitness influencers. However, simply going to a gym for an hour and sweating out doesn’t constitute exercise. If you really want to see results, you have to do it right, and that means bringing many changes to your lifestyle. However, there are still many common working out mistakes that people make. This blog will look at some of them in detail so you can avoid them.
Are You Making These Common Working Out Mistakes?
Nobody likes to hear that all their hard work in the gym isn’t paying off. But as bitter as it may sound, it will not unless you do it right. Yes, even a little exercise is better than no exercise. But if you’re looking to bring about a noticeable change in weight and appearance, you need to pay attention. At the very least, you should try to avoid these common working out mistakes:
Not Warming Up Correctly
Muscles are a lot like rubber bands in many ways. Pulling on a cold rubber band can make it snap. Pulling a warm rubber band makes it more elastic and stretchable. The same applies to muscles. When you start stressing your muscles and tissues without a proper warm-up, it can result in serious injury. A light warm-up such as a few minutes of running on the treadmill can be exactly what you need to get ready. That’s not to mention the numerous benefits of running and other daily cardio.
Working Out Without a Plan
One of the worst working out mistakes you can make is to exercise without a daily plan. This does not mean your idea of the perfect shape you want to be in. It means knowing what muscle groups you want to exercise on a specific day. You can’t go into the gym and work out on random equipment that’s available. You need a strategy that targets specific muscles at specific times. This is where having a fitness trainer by your side can be very valuable.
Using Your Phone in The Gym
The only place your phone should be at the gym is in your locker. Don’t be tempted to keep it on you. If it is with you, you will inevitably look at it. If you look at it, you’re bound to lose your focus. Even if you have to keep it with you, discipline yourself to not take it out until the end of the workout. If you have to snap a gym selfie for Instagram, do so when you’re done for the day.
Don’t be the person goofing off in the gym while everyone else is trying to work out. Sure, everyone wants to document their journey from skinny to buff. Everyone wants to brag how they gain weight fast but shred it in the gym. But do it after your workout, not before or during.
Overtraining and Poor Recovery
It can be very tempting to push yourself with every workout. It makes sense that you want to transform and test your limits. But doing this too often can result in overtraining. Overtraining will only harm your body, rather than making it stronger. If train too hard and don’t give your body time to recover, you are also open to health risks like heart failure. Always train responsibly and safely.
Skipping Dynamic Stretching
Dynamic stretches are warmups that increase blood circulation and prep the body for a workout. On the other hand, static stretches are stretches that you hold for 10 to 30 seconds. These slow down your heart rate and help with muscle soreness. Doing static stretches and skipping dynamic ones at the start of your workout is counterproductive. It actually preps your body for a post-workout scenario before you’ve started training. This can often result in injury and severe muscle soreness. Especially if you’re dealing with excess body fat, such as weight gain during pregnancy
Becoming Complacent in Your Workout Routine
Becoming too comfortable with your routine is the death of your summer body goals. Fitness is all about challenging yourself to improve. It is a continuous process, something that you have to learn to live with. The fitness lifestyle involves a lot of sacrifices, hard work, and ambition.
So if you suddenly find that your workout is not a big problem, it may be time to challenge yourself. Try to lift more weights, do more reps, and push yourself harder. If you’re a cardio person, think of how all that extra running will keep your lungs healthy and your body fit. Just remember you won’t achieve your body goals by being complacent.
Eating Unhealthy Foods All The Time
There may be no sure ways to quickly lose belly fat but there are plenty of ways to gain it. A major part of the fitness lifestyle is always watching what you eat. You don’t necessarily have to give up yummy junk food like pizza or hotdogs for the rest of your life. But you need to change how you look at them. Think of a cheat day once every month. Treat yourself to a pizza or a burger or a chocolate fudge only on that day, and only in moderation. But for the rest of the month, you should be strictly off unhealthy foods and only eating your fitness diet. Otherwise, you may find yourself considering non-surgical weight loss procedures despite your hard work. There is no substitute for a proper diet.
