Twenty-nineteen, the year that is over and done with. Whatever failures and disappointments we may have had, we leave behind as we start anew. It’s 2020 and we are determined as ever to get our health and fitness goals on track. As we take in new knowledge, we also learn from past mistakes. Here are four of them that we should avoid this New Year.
Listening to bad advice
There’s this person who is freely dispensing advice; telling you what to eat, when to eat, how you should eat in order to lose weight. Or telling you that lifting with lighter weights equal definition and heavier weights lead to bulk. Let’s not believe everything we read online or hear in the gym. Bad advice, if followed, may lead us to doing things that do not add value to our fitness goals. Learn to discern.
Not following a system
Ok, so you signed up for a gym membership and want to jump in head-first to see immediate results. With all the equipment and exercise classes available at our disposal, we are tempted to do things freestyle and do what we feel like doing. Jumping from one piece of gym equipment to the next without following a system. This is not the way to go. Have a program created by a credible fitness professional, and stick to it.
Going on crash diets
Starving yourself will surely make you lose weight but is this really the way to go? While eating a twig and a half daily will indeed, result in weight loss, this is certainly not a healthy approach. Crash diets will most likely have us gain back the weight that we lost in the short term. For active individuals, erroneously restricting food intake may deprive us of the necessary nutrients to perform our daily functions. This may cause us to get sick, feel tired, and inevitably lead us to binge eat and gain back all the weight and then some. A sensible option would be to make better, healthier food choices while ensuring we get the needed amount of calories and macronutrients to support our fitness goals.
Pushing too hard
Yes, this too can derail the achievement of our fitness goals. Our determined minds will have an idea of how to go about executing our plan. We must make sure our bodies are able to cope with the demands of our fitness program. Take adequate rest periods to allow our muscles to recover and grow. If you feel that a program is making you more fatigued, or causing you to get sick, take a step back and reassess the situation. Pushing too hard may cause you too much discomfort that you drop your plans altogether. In the worst case, this may result to an injury that will only side-track our plans. Working out is supposed to be fun. Put in just the right amount of effort that will have you enjoying what you do.
New beginnings are always a source of excitement. May we all find success in pursuing our health and fitness goals in 2020. A fit and blessed New Year to one and all!
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