Each body is different. A regimen that works for 99% of the population may not work for you. A diet and training your friends keep raving about may make you gain weight rather than lose it. We probably all know this feeling of frustration and the sense that nothing works. It may be that you’re doing everything right and yet you’re making small mistakes which are the reason why you’re not getting the results that you want.
Learn the 6 training mistakes you may be making that prevent you from losing weight
Mistake # 1: Getting stuck in a workout rut
Your body loves getting used to exercises. Things that work wonders for the first three weeks will be no problem by week four. Your body loves being surprised by a mixed pace or type of workouts. So, it is a good idea to change your workout routine completely once in a while or to mix exercises.
Mistake # 2: You only focus on one body part
This is a common mistake made by people who only want to get great abs, toned butt or any other selected body part. You may be disappointed to hear that training one body part 6 days a week will not suddenly give you six-pack abs or Beyonce’s butt, even if your workout is varied. You need to balance your workouts and do varied exercises to ensure all body parts get the attention they need.
Mistake # 3: You eat back the calories you burn during exercises
Working out too much so that you end up feeling like eating twice as much as you normally do is another mistake. Supplement protein, carbohydrates and fats after each workout to avoid feeling hungry like the wolf. Those muscles are there, somewhere deep down, but without the right diet no one will ever see them.
What to eat after a workout to lose pounds?
Eat quality protein after a workout to rebuild your muscles – lean meat, dairy products, fish and eggs. You need unsaturated fats – they will give you the energy and help your body to absorb vitamins. Nuts, seeds, fatty fish and eggs are the perfect source of unsaturated fats. As you exercise, the glycogen level in your liver goes down – glycogen gives you the energy during a long workout so you need to add carbohydrates to your meal to be fit for your next activity. Add vegetables, fruit, groats and whole-grain pasta or bread to your meals.
Mistake # 4: The breaks between workouts are too long
If you go to the workout, you can easily notice the engagement of the people who exercise on the machines. There is certainly a group of people working out who measure the time diligently but there is also quite a large group of people who are just... staring at their phones. In fact, you should make a 10- to 20-second break between exercises; you can have a slightly longer break if you are lifting really heavy weights or doing interval exercises that require a lot of energy.
An average break between series should be 30 to 60 seconds, depending on the weight and intensity of the training. If your breaks are too long, you will not activate your muscles and you will not get results that are adequate to the time you’ve put in.
What about that break during the workout?
Imagine that you make 20 repetitions of an exercise and then go grab some coffee. You return for another series and then go to watch your favourite film series. It doesn’t make sense, does it? The same rule applies to working out. Your body does not really have the time to get to speed, and an inadequate break will cool it off. This is how your muscles feel when you take rests that are too long – your muscles feel as if they were starting anew.
Mistake # 5: Irregular workouts
It may have been you, and if not, one of your friends has certainly experienced such a situation. You’ve made the decision – it’s time for an active lifestyle and intense workouts that will help you lose those extra pounds. Day one of your workout – you’re highly active, doing intense and tiring exercises. On the next day, you are checking the mirror to see if there are any changes. None. So you have another day of intense workouts to lose those pounds as soon as possible. Checking the mirror for results. None. And you keep fighting like that for a few days. The weekend comes and you give up your exercising. You eat back what you have lost, and in a few days’ time, you start your fight for beautiful body again. Another example: You have been working out and living an active lifestyle for a few weeks. Vacation comes and you go from one barbecue to the next, drink one cocktail after another, and the couch has become your best friend. Does it ring a bell? Unfortunately, each of us falls into that trap from time to time and expect instant results. Rather than be patient and keep training, we train and break, train and break – after all “it’s not working anyway”. You do not gain weight in one week, and you do not lose weight in seven days.
Mistake # 6: No time to recover
You can train seven days a week, however, without the right recovery, your body will not look better and you will not lose the weight you have planned to lose. It does not mean that you cannot train all week long – you can but you need to do it in a smart way.
Did you know that each workout destroys the muscle cells in your body? Relax, it’s a normal process and you need the right recovery to rebuild them.
Working out until you drop?
If you feel that your workout was too heavy and too intense, train less intensely on the following day to recover properly.
Not getting enough sleep and lack of recovery is one of common mistakes that prevent people from losing weight. What to do to get better rest at night?
- Make sure you get quality sleep. Unwind before the time you plan to go to bed.
- Put your phone away, go away from the TV set at least one hour before bedtime
- You need a comfortable mattress and a dark room.
- Make sure the room is quiet and airy.
Why is post-workout recovery so important?
There are a few reasons. Burning muscles instead of fat is one of them. This is what happens when you do not take enough protein and other nutrients after your workout and when you do not let your muscles rest. Rather than break down fat and burn it, your body can even lose the muscle mass by burning the muscles! After all, your body needs to get the energy somewhere.
Did you know that your body needs to renew the muscle fibres that were left damaged after an intense physical activity? That process leads to a muscle build-up and increases the muscle volume.
Some ideas for post-workout relaxation:
- Self-massage
- Body roll massage
- A hot bath after a workout
- Body stretch
Do you make any of the above 6 workout mistakes? If so, it’s time for quick fixes. You can do everything perfectly but sometimes it takes one or two mistakes and rather than lose weight, you’re stuck with the same number on the scale. Now you know how to work out and rest properly.