One of the easiest ways to commit to a healthy lifestyle is by signing up for a gym membership. Whether it’s your goal to bulk up, lose weight, build cardio, or develop strength for your sport, signing up in a gym is always a smart move.
Science has proven that healthy habits can rub off on other people. It’s easy to find yourself doing healthy activities if you’re constantly with a group of health-conscious individuals. This is why a lot of people feel motivated to work out when they have a gym membership.
But of course, it’s not enough that you have a gym membership. You also need to know some of the most common mistakes people make when they sign up in a gym.
Not tracking your progress
Whether you’re looking to build your cardio for the next marathon, or you are simply trying to get stronger, it’s always a good idea to track your progress. A lot of people lose their focus and their determination because they don’t see how far they’ve gone over the last months.
Not only can you keep things interesting and challenging, you can also maximize your time at the gym. You won’t just stick to the same workouts that your body already adapted to.
Doing the same thing every time
Routine plays an important role in fitness. However, it’s also not a good idea to keep on doing the same thing every time. One of the reasons why people stop seeing results is because they keep on doing the same activity for a prolonged period. Be sure to keep your body guessing if you want to challenge the body.
Slow down each rep, add more weights, or pick up the pace when you are doing cardio. These are some of the ways you can do to prevent going on a plateau.
Overeating after workouts
Burning calories doesn’t justify binge eating. You need to make sure that you are eating foods that can help you recover from your workouts. Ideally, you should focus on eating high-protein meals, especially after a workout.
Expecting instant results
Some individuals get frustrated because they don’t get to see the results they wanted after a few weeks of going to the gym. You have to be realistic with the results that you have in mind.
For instance, losing weight may seem fast in the first few weeks, simply because you are losing water weight. But after two to three weeks, you’ll notice your weight plateau.
If this is the case, aim to lose body fats rather than just water weight. To lose a pound of body fat, you’ll need to be at a deficit of 3500 calories. That’s equivalent to being on a 500 calorie deficit every day for seven days.
The same can be said about gaining muscle mass. Gaining muscle mass could take months to see some real progress. It will also depend not only on the exercise that you do but also on your genes, age, diet, and amount of rest that you are taking.
Forgetting to rest
Rest is an underrated aspect of any program. What you have to understand is that even elite athletes consider rest and recovery an important part of their preparation to stay in shape. Sleep is a basic, yet often overlooked activity that people miss out on. The average American only gets an average of 6.8 hours of sleep every night. For someone who lives an active lifestyle, 6-ish hours of sleep will never be enough.
Working out creates microscopic tears on muscle tissues. While at rest, cells called fibroblasts repair the muscles. This results in bigger or stronger muscles.
As a rule of thumb, give yourself at least one day of rest. Also, monitor how much sleep you are getting every night. Some fitness trackers will even monitor your REM that is generally believed to help in your recovery. Also, don’t feel guilty if you feel the need to get more than one day of rest. Always listen to your body.
Ignoring the basics
Modern gyms often have new and fancy equipment. On most occasions, modern equipment will help you perform workouts especially when you’re dealing with certain injuries. For instance, instead of doing full squats, you can just go for leg extensions or perhaps stick with a leg press.
On the other hand, some of these machines also don’t give you the optimum results that you should be having during your workouts. If you are focused on building strength, squats, pull-ups, deadlifts, and bench press should be on your agenda. Though we are not stopping you from using the newest equipment in the gym, be sure that you only use the fancy machines to compliment your basics.
Not stretching after a workout
Make it a habit to never consider your workout to be over if you haven’t stretched. Stretching is not only a great way to stay limber and mobile, but it can also help reduce soreness and injuries.
Final Thoughts
Between working out at home and having access to a gym, it’s easier to see improvements when you have a gym membership. But of course, it is also important that you don’t make silly mistakes that can slow down your progress. Avoid these things and you’ll find yourself hitting your fitness goals in no time.