Putting in the work but feeling like you are stuck and not progressing towards your goals? There are a few things that could be stopping you from achieving the results you are looking for. Here are 10 common obstacles:
- Not giving it enough time- consistency
This is the most important aspect of your journey. To truly succeed you need to embrace this new lifestyle long-term. Being 'perfect' for one week won't get you to your goals. It takes time, dedication and hard work! Visible progress takes time but take note of the changes in energy levels, fitness and strength and the rest will come if you trust and follow the process!
- Quantity over quality
If you are in the gym for an hour and just going through the motions and your mind is elsewhere you are missing out on results! You are much better off getting in and giving your workout 30 minutes of maximum effort and attention rather than 90 minutes of mindless movement. Get the most out of every session and you will leave feeling amazing and accomplished.
- Not progressing
Every time you go into the gym do you do the same routine with the same weights? If so, no wonder you aren't seeing changes! Our body is smart and adapts to the stress we place on it. If you are lifting the same weights every week your body will not be placed under stress therefore you won't continue to progress in strength, fitness and body composition.
- Not setting clear goals
If you don't have a clear end picture or goal in sight, how do you know what you are working towards? It is very hard to see progress if you don't know where you want to go and achieve. By setting small daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals you will know if you are heading the right direction.
- Setting unrealistic expectations
Instead of focusing on the 20kg you want to lose why not break it down and aim for 5kg in 9 weeks. This will make it much less overwhelming and easy to stay focused and on tracks while seeing the daily progress you are making.
- Unsustainable plan
When you first start out a new plan it is very easy to overcommit and restrict yourself short term. You must ask yourself, can I do this for the rest of my life? If you can't then it may be time to readjust and find a new sustainable approach.
- Not educating yourself around nutrition
Ultimately, 70% of your results come from the food you put into your body. You cannot out-train poor nutrition. Think about it, if you eat 5 times a day 7 days a week. That is 35 opportunities to fuel your body. How many times do you workout? If you train 3 days a week great but you are eating 35 times a week! Make sure you are taking the time to educate and plan your nutrition not just your workouts.
- Too much cardio with no weight training
Yes, cardio burns calories but are you spending hours on the cardio machines and not prioritising lifting weights? If so, it's time for change! Lifting weights helps build a lean and toned shape while also increasing your metabolism. As your muscle mass increases your metabolism follows closely meaning you burn more calories at rest!
- Poor form
The weight you are lifting is irrelevant if you are not executing the movement effectively. The most important priority is getting comfortable with the movement and activating the correct muscles otherwise you are wasting your time and also putting yourself at risk of injury.
10. Crash dieting
There is no magic solution or pill to help you lose weight. So many people cut food groups, reduce calories to extremely low levels, try fasting, detox teas, the list goes on. All of these restrictions have massive effects on not only your body and health but lead to binges which undo all of your work and impact progress massively.
Are you ready to see results? Then it's time to commit! Sit down with your trainer set some goals, put a plan in place and follow the daily and weekly steps to get you there. There is no reason you can't achieve your goals- we are more than capable. The difference between achieving it comes down to the daily choices and actions you make.
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
