The 5 most common missteps in a new Fitness Journey
1. Not Warming Up: This is one of the most important keys in preventing injuries and it helps us to perform even better through our workout. When you want to get to the 'meat' of your workout a warm-up can feel like a giant buzzkill. Consider plyometrics to prime your Central Nervous System quickly especially if your workout will be consisting of moves that require speed and power. A focus on mobility should also be included to ensure that the joints are loosened up, lubricated and functioning more efficiently.
2. Alignment and Posture: The muscles and joints of the body work best when in certain alignment while moving. These ideal positions help the muscles and joints to produce and reduce force in the best manner. Not only will you be preventing injury, you will also be executing movement in a more efficient and effective way.
3. Unreasonable Lofty Goals: Setting small achievable goals has been proven to increase self-efficacy in sustaining a commitment to fitness. Choose goals that are easily and quickly mastered and build upon them rather than setting a goal with a distant future, too many variables or just completely unrealistic. Make healthy choices regarding goals like weight-loss as well. Shoot for 1-2 pounds of weight-loss per week as the weight is more likely to stay off AND you avoid side-effects of 'too-quick' weight-loss like loose skin.
4. Lack of Proficient Fuel Pre- and Post- workout: If you show up to crush goals with nothing in the tank you won't find near the endurance you will when you've put thought into how to feed your body for optimal movement. After workout, forget your meal or grab something convenient but lacking in proper nutrients, and you might as well have not shown up. It's been said that nutrition is 80% and fitness 20% in achieving the body you desire.
5. Schedule your workout into your week: Thinking you will just grab a workout at a point in your day that frees itself up without inserting the workout into your schedule means your less likely to show up. Figure out what time of day you most enjoy working out and find a way to make it work. Be realistic about how much time you have to give to your workout Sometimes, that means life is so busy you've only got 20 minutes to devote on a hectic Monday to a HIIT workout. Sometimes, it means you think you have no time but you've actually wasted an hour on social media taking in mindless material. Bottom line: get honest, let go of excuses, find the time, plug your workouts into your schedule just like any other appointment. After all, showing up is the hardest part.
