Top 4 Gym Mistakes That Ruin Your Progress

Contributed by Dawn Stafford Wilson, writer for PrimeWomen

Most people who are committed to a fitness lifestyle have a goal, and that goal typically isn’t to remain the same or to stagnate. Even when we are comitted to daily exercise and a healthy diet, we can often find ourselves stuck. We contine with routines (exercise, diets, etc) that we do mechanically without thinking. Many of the things we do every day are habits; whether good or bad, we just do them. In many cases, those habits aren’t advancing us toward a goal, so it’s good to stop and consider why we’re doing what we’re doing, rather than just doing it. When you find that you’re frustrated with your lack of progress, it’s time to make some changes.

In order to experience growth and transformation, we need to continuously set new goals.

Modify Your Mindset

We often do the same unproductive things because the idea of making big changes is overwhelming. However, big changes can happen over time when we’re willing to start with one small thing. When it comes to your fitness journey, an example of a small thing might be shifting from walking on a treadmill daily to increasing your speed and moving to a slow jog that eventually becomes running. There’s no need to overhaul your entire routine or get overwhelmed by making changes that your body isn’t ready to accommodate. Start by making mindset adjustments to take small steps that move you toward a new goal.

Top 4 Gym Mistakes That Ruin Your Progress

1. Leaning on the Treadmill

It’s one SIMPLE thing that can make a HUGE difference in your results. Think about it: you’re already there. You’ve dedicated the time. You’re committed and consistent. Now, stand up. It’s that simple. Whether it’s the treadmill, Stairmaster, or elliptical, don’t lean.

If you have the treadmill set to an incline and use the handrails to lean backward while walking, your calorie burn is reduced by almost 32%. Holding, leaning on, or using the handrails to assist your walk can cut your calorie burn by as much as 40%. The bottom line is this is a horrible habit and completely counterproductive to your calorie-burning process. Let go of the rails and increase your calorie burn in the same amount of time. Standing tall while walking or running is also much better for your posture and long-term health.

2. Resistance Training with Light Weights

If you’re just beginning your fitness journey, light weights are a great place to start, but that’s just it. It’s a great place to start, but shouldn’t be the destination. Practice getting out of your own head, you know, that voice that tells you that you’re incapable of lifting heavier weights or increasing the resistance on the cable machine. Even if you’re only increasing resistance one pound at a time, do it. Muscle is built by progressively increasing resistance. Chances are, if you’re at the gym every day doing the same thing with the same amount of light weight, you’re not experiencing anywhere near the maximum benefits of weight training.

3. Not Lifting Weights

There’s nothing in the gym like that row of treadmills, ellipticals, and stair masters when they’re all awhirl. There’s one person after another groaning and sweating or in endless, boring perpetual motion. They are a necessary piece of fitness, but they are not the whole story. It is a disservice to your fitness journey if you never make it out of cardio row. After all, there’s so much more to be discovered. Keeping cardio in your fitness routine is essential, but make sure you’re challenging yourself with weight and resistance training as well. The more muscle you develop, the more calories you will burn in any exercise you perform.

4. Taking The Same Old Class

Dedication is good, but if you’re showing up to the gym once a week to do the same old fitness class and there are no visible changes to your physique or the scale hasn’t budged, it’s time for a change! The fear of change is real!. Some people take only instructor-led cardio classes, while others lift weights and never practice quickness, agility, and balance. It’s essential to your overall progress that you’re aware of the hesitation to try new things and pick one area to change or adjust. You’ll be amazed at the difference this makes in your progress toward your health and weight-loss goals.

The Takeaway: Be Aware and Be Willing to Adapt

Most of the time, we’re stuck in a rut because we’re unaware of how it’s impeding our progress. It’s simpler to be the person standing next to you and think, “Why do they just keep doing the same old thing?” and less likely that we’ll notice that about ourselves. If you aren't reaching your fitness and weight loss goals, it’s time to do something different. There’s always a higher measure of where we can be and the results we can see when we have the mind to set goals and move toward them instead of being stuck in the same old place.