4 Key Mistakes Made When Trying To Get Fit

Ideally, we should all work on getting fit and living a healthy lifestyle that incorporates physical, mental, and spiritual components. There are so many benefits to it, but if we are not careful and don’t do things right, our fitness mistakes can lead to some unwanted consequences.

You might give up because you don’t see any results or the results aren’t happening quick enough; or worse, you might injure yourself.

To avoid this, you’ll want to be aware of some common mistakes people make when trying to get fit. Here are four that I see time and time again. 

1.   No clear goals

One of the most common mistakes people make is that they don’t set clear goals. If you want to see success, you need to get specific. You want to get fit? Excellent! But what exactly are you hoping to achieve?

What is your end goal? Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to get six pack abs? Do you want to get rid of stress? Do you want to feel good in your body?

When you can get specific with your goals, it will help keep you more focussed and accountable.

For example, if you want to lose weight, get specific. How many pounds do you want to drop and by what date? Set a realistic number and time frame.

“I want to lose 10 pounds by the end of June (goal should be to lose 1-2 pounds per week). I will plan out my meals and exercise 3 times a week.

Then do your research and decide what you will do to help you reach your goal.

2.  Doing too much at once

This is a very common mistake. When starting out, we’re full of excitement and we tend to set huge goals. We make plans to go to the gym every day and completely cut out all the junk food that we love from our diets.

But the truth is a lot of us can’t deal with such drastic lifestyle changes. To get fit, we need to incorporate certain habits into our lives; and habits take time to form.

If you want to lose 10 pounds in two months, then begin by increasing your current activity level. You can choose to add intensity to your existing workouts or increase the number of workouts you do.

If you take a spin class once a week, try going two or three times a week. Or add another type of class like Pilates or a weight-based training class.

After a couple of weeks, when your body has adjusted to your new workout routine, consider adding another workout or trying a more intense class.

Gradually increasing the frequency and intensity of your workouts is the perfect way to do it. If you do too much too often, it can lead to burn out. Plus, going to extremes can also lead to injury.

Now, let’s look at your healthy eating goals. Want to stop eating sweet treats? Rather than go cold turkey, consider cutting back on them.

For example, if you like to eat dessert after dinner every night, try limiting yourself to one or two treats a week. Have only that amount in your house and never more. Better yet, look for healthy treat recipes to satisfy that sweet tooth and still stay on track.

You are in this for the long haul. Slow and steady wins the race.

3.  Not listening to your body

Listening to your body can make a huge difference in your results. If you don’t, you can injure yourself, burn out, get discouraged, etc. And, it will affect the rest of your day!

So when exercising or dieting, pay attention to your body.

Yes, your muscles get sore after exercise, and that is okay. But if you experience sharp, persistent pain, especially after doing a new exercise or exercising for longer periods of time, it might be time to stop and slow down.

If you’re having trouble breathing during a workout or you started a new diet, and you’re feeling dizzy or having bad stomach pains, stop, see a doctor and review what you are doing.

And if you have any health issues, talk to your doctor before doing any strenuous exercise. 

4.  Getting caught up in the latest thing to come out

Here’s another common mistake you might be making. “A new diet program just came out. Got to try it” or “Let’s try this new exercise. Lots of people have raved about it.”

With the marketing that is out there, it is easy to be swayed by all of it. There’s nothing wrong with being on top of the latest trends, but if you keep switching from one program to another, you might not get the results you want.

It takes about 6 – 8 weeks of regular exercise to start seeing noticeable results. If you stop and start exercising, you may not see the results you seek. Or you might end up stressing your body out.

It also applies to healthy eating and diets. If you keep changing diets or starting and stopping a diet, you are practicing yo-yo dieting, and this can have a negative effect on your body.

Try to slowly cut out unhealthy foods and eat a balanced diet while allowing yourself a planned indulgence once in a while.

We all make mistakes 

It’s okay if you’ve made some of these mistakes. Nobody’s perfect!

PROGRESS over perfection!

Now that you know them, you can work on avoiding them. That healthy lifestyle you want is just within your reach.

Have any of these mistakes held you back from hitting your fitness goals? Or are you struggling and not sure if you’re making mistakes? Let me know in the comments, and I’ll be sure to respond.

For regular health tips, resources, challenges, etc join me over in my Aging with Vitality Group or on my Coach Anita Duwel page.

Love the life you live,

Anita Duwel
Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach
Certified Master Workplace Wellness Consultant
FB Group Aging with Vitality
Coach Anita Duwel FB Page

PS If you are 45 or over, I invite you to join my Aging with Vitality FaceBook Group. It is a place to share information and strategies on living a life of quality and vitality. Be the first to have access to freebies, challenges, etc.  Also a place to share some funnies!