The top 5 reasons you are going to the gym but not getting in shape
Why is it you see people that have perfect attendance at the gym yet always seem to look exactly the same, yet others are getting massive results? What is the difference between these two? They are both in the gym several times a week and they both seem to be working hard, so why are their bodies going in two different directions? There’s a multitude of reasons the winner is winning and the loser is losing, but below are the top 5 reasons that some people, even though they go to the gym regularly, aren’t able to achieve their fitness goals:
#5: Eating “hidden” calories: You may be on a very specific meal plan, but eating a lot of extra calories without even knowing it. Dressings, sauces and oils etc are loaded with calories. Even if you only put a little bit on your meal, this adds up quick. Further, similar foods have entirely different nutritional content. Take flavored oatmeal versus plan oatmeal, for instance. Plain oatmeal is a great diet food, flavored oatmeal is loaded with sugar; your diet’s worst enemy. Vegetables are the same way. Spinach, broccoli and asparagus are polar opposite of things like carrots and beets, which are loaded with sugar. Be sure to be vigilant and examine the label or research the fresh foods you are eating to ensure they fit your program
#4: Not pushing yourself/lack of intensity: Have you ever heard someone say “I go to the gym two hours every single day”? Yea, well, who cares? Time spend in the gym means nothing, what you do in the gym does. In fact, the people who get the best results often keep their workouts short and concise. They focus their efforts 100% on task, and if you are working out at full intensity, you can’t do it for two hours.
#3: Lack of consistency: This isn’t just referring to consistency in going to the gym, but consistency in your intensity at the gym and, what’s more important still, is consistency in your diet. Our bodies love to stay at baseline and not change, so it’s of utmost importance to not give it a chance to reverse your hard work. Days off and occasional cheat meals are ok, but your day to day must be routine for several weeks if you expect to get anywhere.
#2: Check your mindset: it is very obvious from a person’s mindset whether they are going to have success…..be it in dieting or in life. Someone who says “I go to the gym every day and eat right but I’m not losing weight” is not doing it right. While both of those may be true, the attitude needs to be reversed to something more like “I am going to lose weight, I have tried this diet and that training and it’s not working, so I have made these changes now.”
#1: Not forcing the issue: You may be doing everything right. You may be 100% on your diet and100% on your training, but if you are not getting to where you want to be, act now, not later. If you weight 160 and want to weigh 140 and for more than a week straight you still weigh the same, something needs to be changed ASAP. This requires staying in tune with your body and being conscious of inputs and outputs. When you have a particular goal in mind, it’s imperative that progress is being made towards that goal at all times. A week is s pretty good benchmark for weight loss. If you haven’t lost weight after a week of a program, change something.
Most of all, be honest with yourself and keep your eye on the goal and your hands on the diet and training.
