When you decide it's time to start taking responsibility of your health and figure, it's a decision that has to be taken seriously to succeed. No matter if you're new to exercising and dieting or if you have been there before and just took a long break, there are common mistakes that you can make that can make your transition into a new and better you a lot harder.
Here are five of the biggest mistakes to avoid on your quest to getting back in shape.
1. Not Being Completely Motivated
It's very easy to look in the mirror and decide you're done with what you are looking at and decide it's time to make a change. But if you don't realize that deciding to start an exercise/diet program is a lifestyle change, than you will not succeed.
Going to the gym for an hour is great, but if you stop off at the fast food joint on the way home then you will never reach your goals. If you diet all day long and at night kick back a 12 pack of beer of nothing but empty calories, again, you will never reach your goals. To get realistic results, you have to understand that a successful exercise/diet plan takes a successful lifestyle change.
2. Over Doing it at the Gym
A very common mistake for beginners to make is heading to the gym with a head full of steam and lifting everything in sight, and or hitting the treadmill for hours and trying to burn off all kinds of hated calories. The only problem is by the next day you are so sore you can't even think about going back to the gym again.
Unfortunately, people will go back to the gym and repeat this process until they spend more time on the coach in pain than they do at the gym, and the worst thing is they eventually give up.
The best thing to do is understand that just being at the gym is making progress and you don't have to impress anyone, not even yourself. Start out slow and light and gradually move up to accomplish your goals. If something does not feel right, it probably isn't.
Think of it like this: If you are making a lifestyle change, than you have a whole life time to look like Mr. or Miss. America -- it's a marathon not a sprint.
3. Don't Expect Results Right Away
Again, it's a marathon not a sprint. It's common to look in the mirror everyday after a workout and hope to see the body you want, but let's face it, it won't happen overnight.
Instead of paying attention to the mirror everyday and risk the feeling of despair, you should pay attention to your calorie counts, your gym schedule and making sure you are doing everything you can to make the transformation from where you are to where you want to go.
Down the line, after about a month or two, than look in the mirror and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
4. Have a Schedule
When you have been at your exercise/diet plan for a while, it will probably just become routine, a part of your life. But when you're first starting out, a schedule is almost a must. Not only is it a reminder of what you have to do, but it forces you to make adjustments ahead of time to accommodate your new lifestyle.
Example: If you go bowling every Wednesday night, and you put on your scheduled to eat a healthy meal before you go, this will leave you no excuse to indulge in those chilly cheese fries, or wings, etc. A schedule is perfect for bumping things around and plunging things in that will benefit your new lifestyle.
5. Never Starve Yourself
It seems like such a good idea, you want to lose weight, you want a set of abs, so not eating sounds so logical. But the truth is this is not a good idea nor is it effective. The first problem with the idea is you will be so miserably hungry so often, eventually you will give in and find that your new diet plan is not worth it. The other problem is that if you are looking for muscle tone or growth, you need proteins, vitamins and nutrients to accomplish those goals. And last but not least, to workout you need energy and you will not have any energy if you're not eating properly.
It's a Lifestyle Change
If you can avoid some of these mistakes and find a routine that complements your lifestyle change for the better, then you should be on the fast track to feeling better and looking better in no time.
Remember: It's a marathon not a sprint.
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