Any workout routine requires ample amount of dedication and sacrifice to see positive results. Many people fuss that in spite of their four months of effort, they have seen absolutely no change and wonder where they went wrong.
Each individual is unique. While some can lose weight quite quickly, others won’t see the same results with a similar routine and diet plan. Even if you can lift over 250 pounds or run miles upon miles effortlessly, you will not necessarily get shredded.
Every ineffective workout can be a result of multiple reasons. Keeping a good check on those factors can get you back on track and allow you to see the results you’ve been desiring.
Below are six reasons why your workout might not be working out.
Irregular Workouts
When trying to lose weight or build muscle, a regular and consistent plan is essential. With every break you take, you get held back from reaching your goal. Besides working out irregularly, not working out hard enough or cheating yourself at the gym are certain reasons to delay your results.
Solution: It’s important to keep your plan tight and consistent. For muscles to grow and your body to adapt to a more intensive routine, you need to make your routine more challenging. Increase frequency and push yourself beyond what you previously could do. When you challenge yourself, get ready to see change.
Exertion
Too much of anything isn’t good; but, when it comes to exercise, there are exceptions. Sometimes, it can be tolerable for your body to work out more, provided you give yourself enough rest and breaks to compensate for the more intensive workout. Straining your body with no rest will only make you feel drained, sick and hesitant to get back into training again.
Solution: If you are opting for an intensive workout plan, be sure to take a day’s rest after every workout at the gym. If you intend to take things at an average pace, you still need breaks (at least twice a week). And, whenever your body gets extremely sore, don’t hesitate to take a few days off from the gym until you completely recover.
Cardio isn’t Everything
Most people have the wrong impression that weights adversely affect what they are aiming to achieve. However, that mindset is entirely wrong! While cardio has its part in your weight loss program, lifting weights can increase your strength and also burn more calories than what cardio burns in the same time frame. Exclusively performing cardio may make you leaner, but lifting weights will help you keep your shape and muscle toned. Weights alone will not get you “puffed up.” It takes a lot of work and other factors to make that happen.
Solution: Include weights in your training regimen to shape up and tone your body as you lose that unwanted fat and calories. Cardio is certainly a very important part, so don’t cut it off. Instead, add variety and intensity to your training.
Balance Your Calorie Intake
In a 30-minute strength training session, a 155-pound person burns approximately 112 calories. But, if he or she chooses to have a robust meal as a reward, it’s easy enough to add back upwards of 300 calories. A strict awareness of what you’re eating will save your workout from being in vain.
Solution: Avoid consuming more calories than you burn and make sure you track your caloric intake.
No Diet?
The most important thing to see change in your body is maintaining a strict diet. While everyone's appetite varies (along with how their body responds to it), you need to plan on what you should avoid. Maintaining a diet oftentimes needs more effort and dedication than what you need to maintain a workout regimen.
Solution: Based on your weight, find the right caloric intake to maintain a proper diet and also be sure to provide your body with all the proteins and nutrients it needs if lacking.
Lack of Rest
It’s a misconception that if you over-train, you’ll see results sooner. In reality, the only results you will see are sore muscles and a weaker you. Slow down; it takes time to see results. With intensive training, your body can become exhausted and show no sign of improvement if you don’t give it the rest it deserves.
Solution: Getting enough rest and letting your body recover is as important as your workouts. It can feel counter-intuitive to take a break from the gym when you want to see quick results, but lack of rest can further delay improvements.
Irregular Workouts
When trying to lose weight or build muscle, a regular and consistent plan is essential. With every break you take, you get held back from reaching your goal. Besides working out irregularly, not working out hard enough or cheating yourself at the gym are certain reasons to delay your results.
Solution: It’s important to keep your plan tight and consistent. For muscles to grow and your body to adapt to a more intensive routine, you need to make your routine more challenging. Increase frequency and push yourself beyond what you previously could do. When you challenge yourself, get ready to see change.
Exertion
Too much of anything isn’t good; but, when it comes to exercise, there are exceptions. Sometimes, it can be tolerable for your body to work out more, provided you give yourself enough rest and breaks to compensate for the more intensive workout. Straining your body with no rest will only make you feel drained, sick and hesitant to get back into training again.
Solution: If you are opting for an intensive workout plan, be sure to take a day’s rest after every workout at the gym. If you intend to take things at an average pace, you still need breaks (at least twice a week). And, whenever your body gets extremely sore, don’t hesitate to take a few days off from the gym until you completely recover.
Cardio isn’t Everything
Most people have the wrong impression that weights adversely affect what they are aiming to achieve. However, that mindset is entirely wrong! While cardio has its part in your weight loss program, lifting weights can increase your strength and also burn more calories than what cardio burns in the same time frame. Exclusively performing cardio may make you leaner, but lifting weights will help you keep your shape and muscle toned. Weights alone will not get you “puffed up.” It takes a lot of work and other factors to make that happen.
Solution: Include weights in your training regimen to shape up and tone your body as you lose that unwanted fat and calories. Cardio is certainly a very important part, so don’t cut it off. Instead, add variety and intensity to your training.
Balance Your Calorie Intake
In a 30-minute strength training session, a 155-pound person burns approximately 112 calories. But, if he or she chooses to have a robust meal as a reward, it’s easy enough to add back upwards of 300 calories. A strict awareness of what you’re eating will save your workout from being in vain.
Solution: Avoid consuming more calories than you burn and make sure you track your caloric intake.
No Diet?
The most important thing to see change in your body is maintaining a strict diet. While everyone's appetite varies (along with how their body responds to it), you need to plan on what you should avoid. Maintaining a diet oftentimes needs more effort and dedication than what you need to maintain a workout regimen.
Solution: Based on your weight, find the right caloric intake to maintain a proper diet and also be sure to provide your body with all the proteins and nutrients it needs if lacking.
Lack of Rest
It’s a misconception that if you over-train, you’ll see results sooner. In reality, the only results you will see are sore muscles and a weaker you. Slow down; it takes time to see results. With intensive training, your body can become exhausted and show no sign of improvement if you don’t give it the rest it deserves.
Solution: Getting enough rest and letting your body recover is as important as your workouts. It can feel counter-intuitive to take a break from the gym when you want to see quick results, but lack of rest can further delay improvements.