Have you been working out in Max Fitness for months and still not seeing the results you want? Take a look at our list of common fitness mistakes – and see if you’re doing any of these. If you are, stop doing them ASAP.
1. Avoiding carbs
Contrary to what you may have been told, a high-intensity workout and a low-carb diet is not a good combination. Your body needs carbohydrates for fuel! It’s really more about how much you’re consuming and what kind of carbs you’re consuming, rather than avoiding them completely.
2. Fad Dieting
Doing extreme fad diets (less than 1,000 calories a day) may work at the start but they are inherently unsustainable. Plus you run the risk of not giving your body all the nutrients it needs to function optimally. Instead of eating one meal a day, why not just eat 3 balanced and healthy meals?
3. Eating Protein Bars
A protein bar is a convenient snack for a busy person but it’s also filled with sugar, unhealthy fats and high carbohydrates. Prepare your healthy snacks ahead of time so you don’t have to resort to “quick fixes.”
4. Drinking Excessively
Cut back on alcohol – it contains empty calories, high sugar and high carbs. During the digestive process alcohol also turns into acetate which makes it difficult for your body to burn fat.
5. Skipping Protein
You shouldn’t eat a meal without a sufficient amount of protein. This macronutrient helps build muscle tissue and at the same time, helps you feel satiated quickly and avoid cravings. Aim for 20 grams of protein with every meal.
6. Eating Heavily Processed Foods
Heavily processed foods including those that contain artificial ingredients are unhealthy and lacking of valuable nutrients. Moreover they can cause you to feel hungry easily, leading to overeating.
7. Being Inconsistent
If you don’t complete your workouts regularly, your body won’t be able to positively adapt to your training. Not only will you be unable to reach your fitness goals but you’ll also be more susceptible to injury.
8. Skipping Meals
Are you guilty to skipping breakfast to “save” calories for later? Skipping breakfast often leads to low energy, poor food choices and rebound overeating later in the day.
9. Giving Up
Quitting when things get tough will never lead to positive results – as far as your fitness is concerned. To get stronger and fitter, you have to constantly challenge your body. As long as you aren’t experiencing any injury-related pain, you should always push yourself harder.
10. Focusing Only on Cardio
Many people think that if the goal is to burn calories and lose weight they should just focus on cardio. But you may not be burning as many calories once your body adapts to your cardio exercise. Instead of mindlessly spinning every day at the gym, you should try strength training. It builds lean body mass, which in turn increases your metabolic rate, so you burn more calories even after you’re done working out.
11. Skipping Warmups
Skipping warmups make you susceptible to injury. And if you get injured, you may not be able to work out for a long time. Warm ups are necessary and you should aim for 5-10 minutes to warm up your muscles before the actual workout.
12. Working Out Without a Plan
You need a workout plan to help you reach your fitness goals. Without a plan, you won’t be able to see your progress and you could very well be neglecting important elements such as the different muscle groups to target and the types of workout you should be doing, your rest days, your nutrition, and so on.
Are you a newbie? Here’s a guide to help you create a workout plan: