Don’t Make These Gym Mistakes
The mistakes you need to avoid while working out
Exercise can do you more harm than good if not done properly. To stay healthy and fit, everyone has to stay active and exercise regularly. While exercising, there are some simple and not-so-simple things that we need to keep in mind. Be with me as I share these things with you.
There’s a process to follow to do something. In the same way, regardless of our fitness goals, exercising consists of a process that we all need to follow to see good results. The process is there for a reason. Exercise is not just lifting weights or moving your body; it’s much more than that.
I think, at some point, we all must have made the mistakes that I’m about to share. But it’s alright, as mistakes teach us a lesson, and we learn from them. I am guiding you so that others don't repeat the same mistakes. I have seen many people in the gym make these mistakes.
Without further ado, the gym mistakes are as follows:
Not taking pre-workout meals on time
Your body needs energy to work out. One of the most common mistakes that people make is that they come to the gym having bananas. There’s nothing wrong with a banana; the mistake lies in their time of having it. The purpose of a pre-workout meal is to provide you with energy.
You need to have a pre-workout meal at least 1 or 2 hours before the workout. For a light meal like a banana or an apple, the best time to have them is one hour before the workout. For heavy meals, have it at least two hours before, so it gets digested properly.
Best pre-workout meals: Consume foods that are rich in carbohydrates, as they provide energy for exercise. Have a banana, an apple, a medium-sized rice bowl, protein bars, oats, etc. You can have them 45 to 1 hour before the workout. A single banana provides enough energy for a one-hour workout.
Not warming up
In sports, you must have seen players warming up before any game. They mainly do this to relax muscles and prevent injuries. Most gymgoers need to pay more attention to this crucial step. Warming up helps the body get ready for any physical activity. A warm-up of 5 minutes can do wonders.
Warmup helps for so many reasons:
• It reduces the risk of injury and reduces muscle soreness
• It increases your flexibility, making it easier for you to move
• It increases blood flow and oxygen
• It increases the range of motion, making it easier to move your joints fully
• It relaxes muscles, helps in lowering stiffness, and helps you move freely
What you can do: The warm-up depends on which body part you want to train. Begin by doing a low-intensity warmup so that your heart rate increases slowly. You can do stretching, jumping jacks, forward leg swings, side leg swings, marching in place, arm rotation, etc.
Overtraining
In your initial days, your body is not used to all the stretching and tearing of muscles. As a beginner, one needs to do low-intensity workouts with lower weights. Start from the bottom. Keep the repetitions to just eight and do two or three sets. Remember, small steps lead to big results.
By doing higher-intensity workouts and lifting heavy weights, your muscles will be so sore that moving your body will be painful. Trust me, I was there. For at least two weeks, do lower-intensity workouts. After 2 or 3 weeks, increase weights and intensity, but give your body enough rest to recover.
Overtraining harms your body and destroys the gains. Overdoing anything is harmful. Hit the gym for no more than one hour five days a week, and rest for two days. So that your body gets enough time to recover. In this break, your body will repair and build the muscles.
Not focusing on your diet
It happens often that gymgoers, in their initial days, pay no attention to nutrition. After working out, they will eat anything they get their hands on. Doing this makes your workout less effective. One needs to know what is healthy and what is unhealthy when it comes to food.
Nutrition is more important than you think. Whether you are gaining muscles or losing fat, no matter your fitness goals, nutrition comes first. Body is made 70% in the kitchen and 30% in the gym. Your bad nutritional habits will keep you from attaining your dream figure.
Working out and nutrition go hand in hand. In nutrition, protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber are important to consume. These nutrients play a major role in our bodies.
- Carbohydrates: provide glucose which is converted into energy for physical activities. Best sources: sweet potato, oats, rice, quinoa, bananas, grains, etc.
- Protein: it builds and repairs muscles and bones. This nutrient is responsible for growth and development in all stages of our lives. You need at least 1 to 2 grams of protein per kg of body weight. Best sources: chicken breast, whey protein, fish, eggs, etc.
- Fat: This nutrient mostly plays a negative part. They come in healthy and bad fats. Best sources: whole eggs, avocados, nuts, etc.
These are the mistakes that you need to stay away from. Avoiding them will help you achieve goals in your fitness journey. I have experienced the benefits of not repeating the mentioned four mistakes, and I want you to experience the same. There is nothing like seeing good results, right?
Thank you for taking the time to read. You can share the wrong things that you have seen people do in the gym. I would like to read them.
