Are you feeling like you’ve been working out hard, eating healthy and still left wondering why you’re not seeing results at your fitness studio? Does this sound like you? It can be a very frustrating feeling, especially if you’re new to fitness and exercise. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way.
We’ve identified a few common mistakes that might be keeping you from getting the results that you want, and we have some tips on how to solve those issues. This article is all about why you may not be seeing the results you want (yet) and what you can do about it.
Common mistakes that prolong your weight loss journey
Reason 1: You may not be nourishing your body properly
It doesn’t matter if you are participating in the best cardio for weight loss three times a week, if you’re also fueling your body with junk food 90% of the time. Don’t be fooled into thinking a few hours of cardio a week will offset the damage done by an unhealthy diet. You can’t outwork a poor diet, if the majority of your meals are not properly nourishing your muscles and rehydrating you after your workouts. It is equally important to nourish your body with the proper nutrients and add as many whole foods (such as fruits, nuts, vegetables, whole grains, beans/legumes, seeds,eggs and protein) to your plate as often as possible.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise stated that we must eat adequate energy/food during periods of training to maximize training. They mention that not getting enough energy may result in many issues such as menstrual dysfunction, increased fatigue, increased risk of injury and illness, loss of muscle mass, and an extended recovery process.
Nourishing your body isn’t just about the food you eat, it also includes proper healing and recovery after your strength training or cardio workouts. Making the most of your workout takes more than just going all out and breaking a sweat. You need to make sure you’re resting enough, too. Making time for proper rest can help you recover from workouts appropriately and improve your overall health and fitness progress. Some ways to incorporate recovery include stretching, taking a day of rest, staying hydrated, or even going for a massage.
Lastly, in order to properly nourish your body, you want to ensure that you are getting enough macros. Macronutrients (macros) include three types of essential nutrients that fuel your body – protein, fats, and carbohydrates. It’s important to know how much of each you should be consuming. For more information on proper nutrition, you can refer to Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Reason 2: You may be lacking consistency in your workout
It’s very important to keep consistent when it comes to a fitness regimen in order to stay on task and get the most out of your results. A lack of consistency makes it hard for your body to adapt, grow muscle and shed fat. It’s important to make a habit out of working out and keeping up with a physical activity routine.
Initially, it sounds like a great idea that you are planning on participating in a circuit workout at moderate intensity or intense exercise when you can fit it in your schedule. However, if you’re not going to be consistent with aiming for at least 3x per week, you’re likely not going to see the big results that you desire. You may be inconsistent due to reasons such as not having enough inspiration/motivation, lack of interest/fun in your workout, not having structure, not seeing improvements, or lacking accountability.
A good fix to this is to sign up for a recurring workout class at a fitness studio near you that can help you stay accountable. At Circuit Works LA, we are here to help you regardless of the reason behind the inconsistency in your workout routine. We are all about the enjoyment of working out – you will never leave a class feeling bored or unmotivated. Our fitness schedule offers flexibility for all different times so that you can keep a routine before, during or after your normal work days.
Reason 3: Your current regimen doesn’t match your goals
Does your current workout routine or regimen match your goals? If you have yet to set out your fitness goals, learn how to set SMART goals. These goals will help you stay motivated throughout your fitness sessions and ensure you focus on the type of training programming that is best for your desired results. Once you set a SMART goal, it will be much easier for you to find a routine that will match your desired results.
After you put your SMART goals into play and are pleased with your fitness routine, and workout split, it’s time to slowly incorporate heavier weights. Don’t stick to lighter weights simply because you are comfortable with them – working out is all about getting out of your comfort zone. You will want to make sure that you are regularly challenging yourself and avoiding a plateau. Book a circuit workout class and meet up with a personal trainer at our studio so that we can help you reach your fitness goals! Whether you’re looking for the best cardio for weight loss or looking to gain more muscle, we’re here to help you and challenge you to get stronger and not stay comfortable.
Now that you’ve got some advice to help you improve your workout to get results, contact us today to sign up for one of our circuit training classes at our fitness studio in Santa Monica.
