SPONSOR STORY — Could you be unintentionally sabotaging your fitness goals?
According to a certified trainer from Planet Fitness, there are three bad workout habits that could be preventing you from getting the results you want in the gym:
1: You’re faithful to your routine.
Consistency is fantastic - especially when it comes to exercise. So go you! However, when you only stick to the same workouts every time you exercise, your body gets used to it and doesn’t respond the same way it would when challenged.
Try switching it up in simple ways like doing fewer repetitions with heavier weights when strength training or incorporating sprints into your treadmill time. It’s that simple!
For you cardio fans, sometimes cardio-only workouts knock you into a no-result plateau. The solution? Be a mix master. Blend cardio in with some strength training. You can either do both in one workout session or do cardio and strength in separate sessions.
If you’d like some extra insight, feel free to ask a Certified Fitness Trainer for some guidance next time you’re at the gym. With seven locations in Knoxville, Planet Fitness is a great option since training with their certified instructors is always free. They’ll even write up a custom program for you based on your fitness goals and needs.
2: You’re exercising on an empty stomach.
Yes, some professional athletes do what they call “fasted workouts.” But they’ve come to that point after tons of tinkering with meal timing, protein ratios, and other complicated dietary specifics.
Unless you’re gunning for the Olympics (in which case, we believe in you!), it’s more likely that you’ll benefit from eating a small meal or snack before you hit the gym. That way your blood sugar won’t dip while you’re working out, which can cause dizziness or fatigue.
About an hour to 45 minutes before a workout, grab a protein bar, some yogurt, or fruit to keep your energy up.
3: You’re hitting all the machines...every time.
This is super tempting to do. And yes, there are benefits to a full-body workout. However, if you’re going to the gym regularly, it’s helpful to focus on one area of your body per visit. This will bring your muscles to a point of fatigue, which is actually a very good thing!
From there, they will need to recover (on those much needed rest days) and when they do they get stronger. Want to keep it simple? Just alternate “upper body” days (arms, back, abs) and “lower body” days (legs and glutes).