Making the decision to take up an exercise program is
always a very wise choice. The health benefits you get
from exercise far outweigh the excuses not to exercise.,
But, there are some things you should try to avoid that
can make your desire to stick with your exercise program
diminish. Here are some things you should keep in mind
that will help you to avoid some of the pitfalls that can
set back your progress.
SETTING UNREALISTIC GOALS
Do not let yourself get caught up in all the hype of false
claims made by advertisers; such as thinking you can lose
30 pounds in 30 days or that you can have six-pack abs by
doing eight minutes of crunches a day. You do want to set
goals, but make them ones that are achievable. Set small,
short term goals then once you reach that goal, set
another and so on.
TOO MUCH ALL AT ONCE
All too often, people just starting to exercise will try
to dive right in and go all out. But a lot of times they try
to lose weight or tone up too fast by:
- exercising too
often, or
- trying exercise programs that are too hard
for them at their current fitness level.
Those are huge
mistakes. Always start out slow and light, and make gradual
increases when you are ready to do so.
NOT EATING ENOUGH
The fact is, when you start exercising, you are burning a
lot more calories and therefore you need to eat more to
compensate for it. Also, if you are weight training, your
body needs enough calories and protein for your muscles to
repair and grow stronger. Try to eat 5-6 smaller meals per
day rather than 3 larger ones as this will give you the
calories you need and rev up your metabolism as well. Just
keep the portion sizes in check.
NOT DRINKING ENOUGH FLUIDS
Drinking enough water daily is very important. When you are
exercising, you need to take in even more water. You should
try to drink 8-16 ounces of water for every hour of
exercise you do. You should also try to consume at least
32-64 ounces of water per day on a regular bases.
NOT TAKING EXPERT ADVICE
The first thing you should do before you take on any
exercise program is to consult with your doctor. You might
want to work with a qualified trainer as well to learn
proper form, posture and technique for the exercises you
will be doing.
PAYING TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE SCALE
People say the scale never lies. But, if a professional
bodybuilder were to step on one, he/she would be considered
obese based strictly on weight alone. Pay more attention to
your body fat percentage and your measurements as well as
how you feel, not to numbers on a scale.
HANGING OUT RATHER THAN WORKING OUT
Simply going to the gym will not get you in any better
shape. Talking to the person next to you while leaning on
an exercise machine will do nothing to promote muscle
growth or fat loss. It is, of course, recommended to try to
enjoy yourself while exercising, but the key is to focus
primarily on your exercise routine.
If you keep these "tips" in mind when heading to the gym,
you will be much more likely to stay with your exercise
program. Always remember that starting out on the right
track usually means staying on the right track and that is
key to any successful fitness plan.
