We are not perfect and nothing is perfect either – at least that is what the writers told all of us. So, the world won’t turn inside out if you make some fitness mistakes especially when you are a beginner.
You might be losing sleep over this even if the world cares less and this is why we are here. No one wants a motivational speaker who says ‘keep pushing’ without dropping some money in our accounts. We will be pointing out the fitness mistakes you have been making and will give you possible solutions to them.
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10 Common Fitness Mistakes Beginners Make and How You Can Avoid Them
We will confess before we even jump into anything — there are more than 10 mistakes beginners make. We won’t be ending anytime soon if we decide to go through all of them, so we just picked the essentials. Some of these fitness mistakes are related, so we will just talk about them as a whole rather than in parts.
We will begin from the known and then move to the one that we might have been ignoring. It is a known fact that missing your workout is not a good gym practice, especially as a beginner. This is because it is an easy route to lose your motivation and once that is gone, the journey comes to an end.
Therefore, as a solution, we ask that you try to go through with your gym calendar at least for the first three weeks. This is because according to experts, it will take at least 21 days for you to develop a new hobby.
Another one of the common fitness mistakes people make is the fact that they want to do it all at once. Your first day at the gym and you want to try them all – most times you end up failing and then going home frustrated.
You should take it one step at a time and see how it goes in the long run. So, now that we have gone through the known, what are the other fitness mistakes people make in the beginning?
1. There is no Clear Pathway
Problem – there are so many fitness mistakes out there as we have mentioned already but the worst starts at the beginning. Some of us just wake up and decide that going to the gym is the best thing to do.
“Why?” is a question we do not have an answer to but we just want to do it as it is the new trend. We don’t have a why and as if that is not enough, we just start without even knowing what we would like to achieve at the end of the day. No goals or schedule, just taking every day as it comes.
Solution – the solution here is pretty easy if you ask us – don’t just start a fitness journey. First of all, you should have a why – a reason why you are starting in the first place. This is important as it is what keeps you going when the going gets tough.
That being said, a why is not the only thing you need at the start. You should have well-defined long-term and short-term goals you would like to smash. Access your body and find out what you need when setting these goals. Then once that is done, plan a schedule that falls in line with your lifestyle and gives you time to work out.
If you are having issues staying committed to your fitness goals then check out our 7 ways to stay committed to your fitness goals.
2. Fitness Mistakes – Lack of Accountability
Problem – rules are meant to be broken is one of the most popular quotes. The full quote is ‘Rules are meant to be broken and this is why we have punishments.
One of the most common gym mistakes for beginners is the lack of accountability. When you are not answerable to anybody, you tend to listen to yourself and whatever it is that you want. We are not saying this is a bad thing but it can be from time to time depending on how you see it.
When you decide not to complete your workout routine or miss a whole gym day, what happens? No one knows this since you are not answerable to anybody and there is no punishment for that. This leads to a reduction of motivation because you always use the card ‘What will happen if I don’t go today?
Solution – it might not be your first option especially if you are an introvert but get a gym buddy. A gym buddy here doesn’t mean someone you go to the gym with but someone who knows everything. Why you are going to the gym, your gym schedule, and what your long-term and short-term goals are.
We suggest that you document things, so you can also track your progress. You can download the Fastic app on iOS and Android to include dieting and intermittent fasting in your plan. You can also join their Facebook community so you meet other people with similar goals as you.
3. Poor Routine/Plan
Problem – sometimes, the plan is there but it is just not right as long as you are looking for the best result. For example, some of us believe in the concept of training just one part of the body and seeing results.
Now, even if this works – it takes longer to achieve your long-term goal with this. We have a gym plan and routine that never involves leg or arm days simply because you want abs only. Unorganized lifting and lifting unbalanced weights are also some of the fitness mistakes we make when beginning.
Solution You should – first and foremost – do everything; maybe not at once but make sure you do everything. You should cover all aspects of your body regardless of your goals in your workout routine. This way you do not go from looking bad to looking worse.
Also, only standard equipment should be considered for use – don’t make weights if you cannot accurately get them equal. We know you love cardio but weight lifting and push-ups have to be added to your workout routine. It is the fastest way to get a lasting result.
4. Relying On Supplements
Problem – We understand that sometimes you might need that extra help and that is why supplements were made. However, people, these days feel like just using supplements and steroids is the easiest way to get to their fitness goals.
We do not blame them, because the commercials suggest that these products have this effect. However, it is important to know that they do not work that way. Even if you decide to use the supplements, you will not get the result you desire and even if you do – it might not be lasting.
Solution – Of all the fitness mistakes to avoid, this has to be number one on the list. It is important to understand that supplements will not on their own get you to your fitness goals. So, if this is your route then we suggest a change of mind. You would have to put in some work at the gym to go with the supplements if you want to get a good result.
5. Common Fitness Mistake – Poor Dieting
Problem – Eating is one of the strong points as regards fitness and weight loss. What you eat is one of the factors that will determine how fast or slow your result comes. Now some foods are good for weight loss and exercising and then some are not going to help at all.
If you are looking at going from where you are now to your fitness goals, then you shouldn’t take the wrong route with dieting.
Solution – First of all, if you are a beginner our suggestion is to get a meal plan that is personalized for you. We at Attenvo, have put together a program that does this for you. All you need to do is provide us with your fitness goals and the food you eat regularly – click here if you would be interested in that.
6. Ignoring Your Body
Problem – It is important that you get to your health goals but not to the detriment of your health. One of the benefits of starting a fitness journey is the fact that it gives you better health all around. However, this will not be the case if you keep ignoring your body and its needs.
Breaking down is the body’s usual way to communicate tiredness and a need to rest. For some of us, our schedule involves working out every day and that has never been a good thing as rest is also an important part of fitness. Whether you are looking at home workout mistakes or gym workout mistakes – this is usually top on the list.
Solution – Water is one of the most essentials when it comes to working out and your fitness journey. Whenever your body says it needs water, it does and that shouldn’t be ignored for any reason.
Sleep is another important factor that the beginner’s guide to the gym doesn’t talk about. Overworking out is more of a bad thing than a good thing and adequate time should be set aside for rest.
7. Gear and Posture
Problem – Failing to plan would mean you are automatically planning to fail – half the time this is the case. This also applies to your fitness journey and your fitness goals. You have set up the perfect plan and you may even be backed with the best of motivation.
But once the equipment is not there, achieving your goals is hard. Also, some of us mistake postures when we work out and this reduces the effect of the workout.
Solution – Getting the right apparatus is all we can say concerning this topic. From what you wear to the apparatus used during the exercise. You should try to understand the assignment before attempting it. You must know what the exercise entails before you go for it – so posture and all other things are gotten correctly.
8. Distractions While at it
Problem – One of the reasons you are not achieving your fitness goals is because half the time set for the gym is used for something else. It might sound weird but something as small as bringing your phone to the gym is one of the fitness mistakes that prevent weight loss.
When you are texting half the time, there isn’t time to put in the work needed to achieve your goals. Also, some of us socialize a lot and this also reduces the level of our workout.
Solution – Keep those devices at home – you can reply to the text messages when you get home. You must understand that no one is competing with you at the gym, focus on your routine and goals. Some of us get distracted easily when we see what others are doing and we lose sight of our own goals.
If you are looking for some extra motivation, go and Instagram and follow @aspiringfitfam. Socialization is important at the gym but make sure it is not eating into the time you have set for working out.
9. Change at the Gym – Common Fitness Mistakes
Problem – Change is one of the only constants in life and this comes with all aspects of life. However, it becomes one of the fitness mistakes when it is too slow or too fast. Some of us pick a routine and after a while, the body does what it is known for – it gets used to it. We suggest that reps are increased gradually in your workout routine. When the body gets used to your routine, the effect reduces and it slows your journey towards your goals.
Sometimes, you might just be changing routines and plans thinking you are working every part of yourself out. However, this will not be the case as you would just be confusing your muscles.
Solution – make sure you change out or add to your workout routine but do it as slow as your body lets you. this way your body gets used to it and immediately you are challenging it to go further than it did because it can.
10. You Already Know Too Much
Problem – Some of us are unteachable at the gym because we already know everything from our research on the internet. You believe everything you see on the internet and you turn deaf ears to the corrections from those around.
Some do too much research on workout goals and get overwhelmed by all the information the internet has to offer to them.
Solution – Understand that there are people who have gone through this stage that you are in real life. You should forget what you know when you get to the gym because you might be getting something wrong. It could be that your warm-up was wrong for the exercise you are going for. It could also be that you are getting the posture wrong. You must listen to what the experienced ones have to say.
Conclusion on Common Fitness Mistakes Beginners Make
Going on a fitness journey is one of the most beautiful things you can experience. However, it gets foggy when you begin to make these fitness mistakes. Luckily for you, we have listed possible solutions to all of them.
You can avoid these mistakes and enjoy your fitness journey more as you get to your goals. As usual, you can get an alert for more articles like this when you sign up for our mailing list – all you have to do is provide your email here.
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