Remaining fit and healthy involves regular exercise and a balanced diet. Some of us may head to the gym while some may perform workouts at homes. Whichever way you choose your fitness routine, it is important to perform the exercises the right way.
Some women, in particular, believe that walking into the gym and exercising without a gym instructor can help them achieve the results they are looking forward to. Unfortunately, that is not how it works.
While it is important to exercise regularly, it is equally important to do it the right way. Here’s a list of a few mistakes that women should stop making when they are at the gym.
Mistakes Women Should Stop Making At The Gym
If you are heading to the gym today, make sure you don’t make any of these mistakes.
1. Repeating The Same Exercises
While it is important to work out, it is also important to add varieties to the exercises you do. A lot of women repeat the same exercises they have been doing for months and don’t make an attempt to add variations or try new exercises.
Cardio exercises are important because they help the body burn fats. Strength training exercises are also important because they improve your metabolism. Therefore, it is important to have both cardio and strength training workouts in your fitness routine.
2. Avoiding Warm Up And Cool Down Sessions
Warming up and cooling down are important for your exercise performance. A good warm up before exercising dilates your blood vessels, ensuring that your muscles are supplied with enough oxygen. A warm up session also increases muscle temperature which will improve flexibility and efficiency.
Similarly, cooling down after a workout is just as important as warming up. Cooling down your body can help continue the blood flow throughout the body. If you want to avoid feeling light-headed after a workout, don’t forget to cool down by stretching your body.
3. Staying Away From Heavy Weights
Most women at the gym fear heavy weights because they assume they’ll end up looking bulky, making their appearance look manly. But, this is not true. In fact, lifting heavier weights can aid in fat loss. Lifting heavy weights can help you build muscle strength at the same time increase your metabolism and burn fats faster.
So, the next time you lift those cute dumbbells, remember to change them to heavier ones once you think your body is ready and can handle the extra weights.
4. Not Eating Enough Carbs And Proteins
You want to get in shape as soon as possible and what you usually do is perform intense workouts but not eat enough. What happens after that is simple – you end up eating way more than you actually should because your body is craving for energy and you don’t get the results you were hoping for.
This comes to the next mistake that most women do when they exercise. Women usually cut down on proteins and carbohydrates assuming it makes them lose weight faster. This is not true. Proteins are important to build and repair muscle tissues that you trained. Similarly, saying no to carbohydrates makes it that much harder for your body to burn fats because carbs give your body the energy to function. So, make sure you provide your body enough proteins for the muscles and enough carbs for the energy for workouts.
5. Focusing Only On Building Abs
A lot of women spend majority of their time focusing only on their ab workouts when compared with the rest of the body. This is not a good practice. It is not possible to get a slim waistline if you focus only on the abdominal area.
It is important to burn fats that are present throughout the body. By getting all the fats out of the way doing the appropriate exercises can help you get effective results when you perform exercises for the abs.
6. Setting Unrealistic Goals
Another common mistake that women do is setting unrealistic goals. Trying to lose more pounds than a human body actually can in a short duration will only lead to disappointment. When you are at the gym, it is important to set a goal that you can reach so you can give yourself some motivation. Too much pressure on your body can affect you physically and mentally.
Remember, it is important to set realistic, short-term goals because losing weight and staying fit is a gradual process and it cannot be achieved overnight. An unrealistic goal is equivalent to no goal, so set your goals accordingly and give your body the time it needs to get in shape.
7. Expecting Positive Results Too Soon
Some women believe that the first week of working out will get them to lose those extra pounds they gained over the last few years. This is a bad idea because you are only going to feel more disappointed than motivated.
Expecting positive results too quickly happens when you begin your fitness journey. Sometimes you will feel demotivated because your workouts are not making a difference. At this point, try to focus on what you can do and not on what you cannot. Struggle is a part of this journey and always focus on what you’ve accomplished, even though it is a small one.
8. Exercising In Bad Form
Some women tend to focus only on working out and not the method. Therefore, a lot of women experience discomfort and don’t get the expected results. A bad form can even lead to injuries.
So, if you are concentrating way too much on working out, it is time for you to concentrate on the method of the workout as well. A proper form is important to exercise your muscles and get in shape.
9. Paying Too Much Attention To The Numbers
Some women have the habit of stepping on the weighing machine every time they work out. By doing this, your focus is mainly on the numbers and not on how much your body has progressed.
Sometimes, exercising will help you lose the excess fat but it may not do much to the weight in numbers because you have gained muscle mass that makes you look toned. So, don’t pay too much attention to the numbers on the weighing machine.
10. Not Drinking Enough Water
While you workout, you sweat and your body temperature increases. This means that your body is losing water and can result in dehydration if you don’t drink enough of it.
Not drinking enough water can even result in poor workouts and a decrease in overall energy level. So, make sure you drink enough water when you workout and otherwise.
