OK, it’s January 18th and about two weeks after the New Year when everyone starts to trail off on their New Year efforts. You may notice your gym thinning out already and it’s only been two weeks. I’m not a huge believer in resolutions. I do set goals each year, but I think if something is important enough, you’ll start it today! The following list is a compilation of the main reasons I see why people don’t keep their resolutions. Don’t fall into these traps.
1. You over do it. – Many people join the gym and try to do too much too soon. They don’t moderate frequency and volume. Rest is not even considered. They think more is better. I have news for you. The more is better rule doesn’t apply to anything on the planet. At some point, anything can become too much or negative. Rest is equally important as the work, itself. Moderating the variables is crucial to maximizing your success or causing you to fail. If you are unsure of how to do so, consult a professional trainer who can prescribe an appropriate plan for you. Research has shown that overtraining quickly like this can lead to lower red blood cell count, mood disturbances, and other negative things. Be on the lookout for these signs of overtraining:
* Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy
* Mild leg soreness, general aches and pains
* Pain in muscles and joints
* Sudden drop in performance
* Insomnia
* Headaches
* Decreased immunity (increased number of colds, and sore throats)
* Decrease in training capacity / intensity
* Moodiness and irritability
* Depression
* Loss of enthusiasm for the sport
* Decreased appetite
* Increased incidence of injuries.
* A compulsive need to exercise
2. You have an idea, but no action. – Many people have ideas in their head of what they’d like to look like or achieve, but few of them actually put pen to paper to write them down and even fewer have a real plan of action and accountability to carry them out. It’s important to have the ideas, dreams, and desires, but an actionable plan to go with it to make it reality.
3. You don’t keep track. – If you don’t keep track of your workouts and improvements, how will you know if you’re making progress? Things are really happening, but sometimes they are so subtle in the beginning, they may not be that visual. The first thing you should do is to keep track of your body measurements. Also, keep track of your training routines to measure weight, rep, and set increases and always make sure that you are constantly reevaluating your fitness plan every 4-6 weeks. Whether it’s fat loss, building muscle tissue, or just feeling better; keeping a log helps and motivates you to get there. When you see where you were, and where you are, you realize you’re making progress! Our Fitness & Nutrition Tracking program is easy to use and will help you reach your fitness goals!
4. You’re unrealistic. – Be Real about your Success – It would be great if you could train for a week and see magical results, but that’s not how getting in shape and improving your health works. Just like getting out of shape does not happen in one day, you will not see results immediately when you start any type of fitness training program. Be realistic, be prepared and set short, medium and long term goals. When you make your fitness goals realistic and attainable you will ensure a greater success for sticking with your fitness program for life.
5. You don’t have a sustainable plan. – Many people have it in their head that they have to be in the gym X days a week or run a marathon in order to get in the shape that they want. These are rather arbitrary ideas and when implemented can lead to not being able to stick with it. Not everyone is meant to run a marathon and training too frequently leads to many other negative things outlined above. Ultimately, your body will FORCE you to stop exercising and you likely won’t go back. If it doesn’t feel like something you can schedule, be consistent at, and enjoy the results, it won’t last!
Of course the worst thing you could do is nothing. It’s important to take action, but the correct action as well. If you’ve experienced these symptoms above as a result of trying to implement your own fitness program, take a couple of days off, re-evaluate things especially as far as how much rest you are getting, and continue to fine tune until you do have a sustainable plan. If you need help, our trainers will be glad to get you off on the right foot. I challenge you to stay focused and don’t give up on your resolutions, but don’t over do it either.
Resolutions . . . shoot for something you really want!