Maintaining a consistent exercise routine is crucial for achieving and maintaining good health. However, many people find that despite their efforts, they aren’t seeing the desired results. If you feel like your exercise routine isn’t working for you, it might be because of one or more of the following reasons.
1. Poor Form
Your form is the most important part of exercising. Improper form during exercises reduces the effectiveness of your workout and increases the risk of injury. Whether you’re lifting weights or doing cardio, no matter how you’re exercising, using the correct form ensures that the targeted muscles are engaged properly. It’ll also stop you from seriously hurting yourself.
2. Skipping Warm Ups
The most cardinal exercise faux pas you can make is skipping warm-ups. A proper warm-up increases blood flow to the muscles, enhances flexibility, and lets your body know it’s about to be rigorously exercised. Spend at least 10-15 minutes warming up with stretches or light cardio to avoid injury.
3. Lacking Intensity
Workouts shouldn’t be easy, you should be working up a sweat with a good, rigorous routine. If your workouts aren’t physically challenging you won’t see significant improvements. To make progress, you need to vary the intensity of your workouts which can be done by adding more weight, increasing repetitions, or incorporating high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
4. Obsessively Exercising
Working out too much can actually be detrimental to your fitness regime. Overtraining your body can lead to fatigue, decreased performance, and an increased risk of injury. The best approach is to have ‘off days’ where you allow your body and muscles to recuperate.
5. Inconsistent Routine
Consistency is the hardest part of exercising, but it’s the key to seeing results from your exercise routine. Sporadic workouts throughout the month won’t get you the results you want to see. Aim to exercise at least 3-5 times per week and stick to a schedule to see steady progress.
6. Not Setting Clear Realistic Goals
Sure, exercise is great to incorporate into our everyday lives, but without clear goals, it’s easy to lose focus and motivation. Whether it’s losing weight, building muscle, or improving endurance, setting specific, achievable, and time-bound goals can help you stay on track on your fitness journey.
7. Neglecting Nutrition
Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand, so it’s important to eat a balanced diet to ensure you’re getting the most out of your workout. Food is fuel for the body, if you’re skipping the right nutrients, your performance and recovery will suffer.
8. Ignoring Rest Days
Rest days are just as important as workout days. It gives your muscles a chance to recover and grow from intense workouts. Though you may feel like pushing through, ignoring rest days can lead to burnout and injuries. Be sure to leave yourself at least one or two rest days into your weekly routine to allow your body to heal and recharge.
9. Repeating the Same Routine
Doing the same workout for months on end can cause a weight loss phenomenon called a ‘plateau’, where you no longer see progress. To keep your body challenged and your mind active, try to vary your exercises with different workouts, and adjust your routine every few weeks.
10. Not Hydrating and Rehydrating
Staying hydrated is essential for a better workout. Dehydration makes you less energetic, causes muscle cramps, and reduces your endurance. Make sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workouts to stay hydrated.
11. Not Tracking Progress
Tracking your progress is one of the best ways to know if your workout is actually effective. Whether it’s a physical journal or a dedicated fitness app, tracking your progress helps you stay motivated and see how far you’ve come.
12. Ignoring Flexibility and Mobility
Flexibility and mobility exercises might seem boring but they’re actually crucial for overall fitness. Your exercises might not be as effective if you’re skipping flexibility and mobility training.
13. Lack of Enjoyment
Exercising triggers the body to release happy hormones (endorphins) which boost our mood, outlook, and ultimately our health. Beyond its many health benefits working out can also be a fun and social activity but if it feels like a chore or a punish chances are you’ll fall off the wagon sooner than later. Mix things up or choose workouts and fitness activities you enjoy to improve your chance of success. If you’re not a gym junkie, go for long walks, light jobs, try a team sport or holistic practices like yoga and pilates. The main thing is you get that body moving and that blood pumping.
14. Not Sleeping Enough
A lack of sleep can wreak havoc on our health, mental wellbeing and even the effectiveness of our fitness regime. Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial for recovery and muscle growth. Without enough rest, your body doesn’t have the chance to repair and build muscle effectively which could lead to muscle strain or injury.
15. Neglecting Mental Fitness
Your mental state can significantly impact every aspect of your life, including your physical performance. Stress, anxiety, and lack of motivation can all stand in the way of achieving your exercise goals. Try to incorporate mindfulness practices like meditation or yoga to help manage stress and keep your mind in a positive place.