If you've been spending hours every week and the gym and fighting to clean up your diet, it can be very discouraging not to get results from your efforts. You may have no idea why, but all you know is that the scale hasn't budged and your body fat percentage isn't dropping.
So what's going wrong? Why aren't you seeing the results you want? Here are a few reasons that could explain your lack of progress.
Not Intense Enough
If you don't walk away from your workouts exhausted, you may not be pushing your body to its limits. A low-intensity workout delivers results at a much slower pace. Amp up the intensity and you may start seeing results faster.
Too Intense
Your body can only take so much before it starts to shut down. If your muscles aren't growing or your cardiovascular system is struggling, it could be a sign you're overworking yourself.
No Variation
Doing the same workout every day will have the opposite of the desired effect. Instead of seeing results, your fitness will stagnate. Change up your workout daily, and overhaul your training methods once every 4-6 weeks. Keep your body guessing and it will keep growing.
Not Enough Rest
This is a very important part of your fitness efforts! Your body needs sleep in order to recover from your intense workouts. If you're not sleeping a solid 7 to 8 hours a night, you may not be giving your body a chance to repair the damage done and encourage the growth of new muscle fibers.
Too Much Inactivity
No matter how hard you push yourself for your one hour of workout, spending a lot of time sitting down can lead to decreased fitness. You may not be able to change your job to a more active one, so make it a point to move around more throughout the day.
Not Enough Recovery
If you don't give your muscles 48 to 72 hours to recover between workouts, you run the risk of injuries and will prevent muscle growth. The higher the intensity of the workout, the more time your muscles need to recover.
Focusing on the Wrong Workouts
Are all your efforts focused on resistance training? Maybe your cardiovascular system isn't getting the attention it needs. Or perhaps you're throwing 100 percent of your energy into your cardio conditioning. What about your muscles? A well-rounded fitness program that includes HIIT training, resistance training, and cardio will lead to better results overall.
Improper Nutrition
You need to eat according to your body's needs, not your taste buds' needs. Your goal should be to eat your largest meal of the day shortly after your workout and avoid eating in the evening. Make sure you're eating high-quality foods that actually give your body the nourishment it needs.
Wrong Form
If you are fairly new to the gym, you may not yet master all the exercises you're doing. Improper form doesn't just increase the risk of injuries, it also reduces the chance of seeing real progress.
These are just a few of the reasons you're not getting results from your fitness efforts!
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