When it comes to getting fit, it’s easy to make mistakes that slow progress or lead to frustration. That’s one of the many reasons it’s a great idea to work with the team at AdMac Fitness - we make your journey to fitness a smooth and successful one!
If you don’t like in east London and can’t use AdMac Fitness, here’s some of the pitfalls on the road to fitness, and how to navigate them.
Avoid these and you will achieve better, sustainable results…
1. Doing Too Much, Too Soon
Starting a fitness journey with overly ambitious goals—like lifting heavy weights or running long distances without preparation—can lead to burnout, muscle soreness, or even injuries such as strains or stress fractures. Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint.
Instead focus on things like improving your technique, engaging in a frequent exercise regime, understanding your recovery better. Here’s a practical guide…
• Start Small: Begin with lighter weights, shorter workouts, or lower-intensity sessions tailored to your current fitness level.
• Progress Gradually: Increase your workload by about 10% per week to give your body time to adapt.
• Listen to Your Body: Feeling tired or sore is normal, but sharp pain or prolonged fatigue signals the need to back off.
2. Neglecting Nutrition
Exercise alone can’t compensate for a diet lacking in essential nutrients. Poor eating habits, such as skipping meals, overeating processed foods, or ignoring hydration, can hinder performance, recovery, and overall progress.
Along with a fitness regime, taking better care of the things you eat can transform your physical health, your mental state and your energy levels. Some simple swaps are often all it takes to drastically improve your diet. Here’s a framework for you to follow…
• Eat a Balanced Diet: Include a mix of lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• Time Your Meals: Eat a nutrient-rich meal 1-3 hours before workouts and refuel within an hour after exercising to support muscle repair.
• Monitor Intake: Use apps or food diaries to track your calories and ensure you’re eating in line with your fitness goals, whether that’s weight loss, muscle gain, or maintenance.
3. Skipping Rest Days
Exercise puts stress on muscles, joints, and the cardiovascular system. Without adequate rest, the risk of overtraining increases, leading to fatigue, plateaued progress, or even injury. If you’re training hard enough, it’s not an exaggeration to say that rest is just as important as exercise.
As much as you think training hard is a good thing (and it is), you can have too much of a good thing! Here’s a few tips to making sure you’re resting properly…
• Schedule Rest Days: Incorporate at least one or two days of complete rest or active recovery (like yoga or walking) into your weekly routine.
• Prioritise Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night, as this is when the body repairs itself.
• Watch for Signs of Overtraining: Mood swings, persistent soreness, and decreased performance are cues to take a break.
4. Training With Poor Technique
Performing exercises with improper form not only diminishes their effectiveness but also places unnecessary stress on joints and muscles. Over time, this can lead to chronic pain or serious injuries.
Taking time to learn technique from the start is important. It’s also a good idea to film yourself exercising even when you’ve been training for a while, just so you can see if you’re still training well and not getting into bad habits with your exercise. Sometimes, reducing the weights and focussing on technique is a good idea.
• Seek Professional Guidance: Book sessions with a qualified personal trainer to learn proper technique for exercises like squats, deadlifts, or bench presses.
• Use Mirrors or Record Yourself: Check your alignment and movement patterns during workouts.
• Start with Bodyweight: Perfect your form using bodyweight exercises before adding resistance.
5. Lack of Consistency
Achieving fitness goals requires regular effort over weeks, months, or even years. Sporadic workouts or inconsistent routines often lead to frustration when results don’t appear as expected.
There’s no substitute for consistency. A regular exercise habit will trump a boom and bust approach many times over the years. Even if your workouts are short, consistency ALWAYS wins. If you were to train 30 minutes 5 times per week, over the year you’ve accumulated 130 HOURS of exercise, and that’s a lot!
Here’s how to build that consistency…
• Set a Schedule: Plan your workouts for specific days and times to make them non-negotiable parts of your routine.
• Find Accountability: Partner with a friend, join a small group training class, or hire a coach to keep you on track.
• Celebrate Small Wins: Reward yourself for milestones, such as completing a week of workouts or hitting a new personal best.
Avoiding Common Fitness Mistakes
Avoiding these common mistakes can transform your fitness journey, making it more effective, enjoyable, and sustainable. By pacing yourself, prioritising nutrition, embracing rest, focusing on technique, and staying consistent, you’ll set the stage for lasting success.
Want to improve your health and fitness? Let the AdMac Fitness Personal Trainers help…
For tailored guidance and support, AdMacFitness is here to help you achieve your fitness goals with professional coaching and a personalised approach.
We help people using tried and tested fitness approaches. Our expert team of personal trainers, based in both Bow and South Woodford can help you get a grip of your health forever. With our guidance and experience, you can relax knowing that your fitness journey is going to be guided by some of the best personal trainers in East London.
For more information on who we are, what we do and how we can help you achieve your health and fitness goals, contact us on… 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Our locations are…
AdMac Fitness: Arch 457 Robeson St, London E3 4JA
AdMac Fitness South Woodford: Unit 4 Marlborough Business Centre, 96 George Lane, South Woodford, London, E18 1AD