Earlier this week I discussed a few common mistakes I see people making almost every day in the gym. Today I wanted to expand beyond the gym and talk about a few mistakes we are all making that keep us from our goals.
1. Ignoring Nutrition
This is the one thing that I would say causes the most problems in all of our journeys to a new life. A great workout is only part of the equation. Focusing on the nutrition and what you are eating is just as important, if not more, than getting in the gym and lifting large amounts of weight or burning out Tabata sets. Take a day every week and sit down and plan the week. Act like it is just another workout. I like to have my clients use an easier day like Sunday and take time to sit down, write out some meals for the week and what you need for those meals. Next, go to the grocery and get the food needed, and then come home and prepare all the meals and snacks for that week. Preparing meals ahead of time will allow you to know exactly what you are eating and when you are eating, plus if you have a late night at work then you have no excuse. You don't have to cook, it is all already made. Focus on nutrition first and then you can get more intricate with your workouts.
2. Sleep
Ok, so you have the nutrition part taken care of and your workouts are top notch. What else are you missing? The answer to that question is sleep. The body has to recover at some point and not giving it the sleep it needs is wasting all of the work that you have been putting in. The mind makes its connections at night so the things you learn and the movements you make throughout the day are put in place during those solid hours of sleep. Not to mention, hormone levels are prime when we are in a deep state of sleep. So if you are busting ass all day in the gym, then staying up late and waking up early, you are missing out on a huge opportunity for growth and improvement. Go to bed earlier and get a solid 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Try to make your bedtime the same time every night and wake up around the same time every morning.
3. Mentality
This is a huge aspect most people don't even think about. You can't go into the gym every day and just go through the motions. Starting a workout program means getting your mind into the right state. Set out your goals and picture the place you want to be in 3 months, 6 months, 1 year. Go into the gym every day with a purpose and a goal. Focus on the exercise you are doing, the way you are feeling, and the change you want to make. Don't get distracted by the people around you or the idiots doing bicep curls in the squat rack. Put on your headphones with your music and step into your own world. With focus and intensity, your workout will take a step up.
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