4 Reasons Why You’re Not Achieving Your Fitness Goals
Whilst you may have already heard that stress, sleep & nutrition affect your mind & body, there are a few other factors which also might interfere with your progress which you may or may not have taken into account.
1. You’re fixating on numbers too much.
Is your goal to reach a certain number on the scale or to fit into a certain outfit? As much as this can be motivating it can also be equally de-motivating.
Fixating on numbers can be draining, whether that’s counting calories or weighing yourself daily. One day you might weigh half a kilo less and the next day you might weigh half a kilo more. Unless you’ve over eaten by 3500 calories throughout the day the likelihood is that you haven’t gained half a kilo of fat, you may have retained half a kilo of water. After all, our bodies are 70% water. With that said, It is also important to consider the other factors mentioned that can also fluctuate your weight such as hormone levels, stress, sleep, hydration & nutrition.
Counting calories can be a great method to track what and how much you are consuming and It can be useful when you want to reach a specific goal but if it doesn’t work for you, don’t force yourself to do it. Being content mentally is far more important.
In a nutshell: The number you see on the scale is not the most reliable source of progress. By fixating on a number you’re subconsciously neglecting the way that you feel internally because you’re convincing yourself you’ll be happy if you reach your ‘goal weight’. I’ve done it over and over again and so have many others. It’s a vicious cycle.
You can track your progress using a better, healthier method. For example, use a measuring tape, measure your hips, waist, arms, butt, legs, record those numbers and then measure again in 3 months or take before and after photos. Often when we look at our selves in the mirror everyday we won’t notice the small changes in our bodies so taking photos to track your progress can be so useful. You can do so every 1–3 months and remember to have patience with yourself, results take time. Enjoy the journey and make it a lifestyle change rather than something temporary.
2. Your heart’s not in it for long enough
Any change in your routine will be uncomfortable at first and it won’t be easy. When your hearts not in it for long enough the likelihood of you achieving that goal is slim because you haven’t developed the habit for it yet. It’s the same as losing motivation and giving up.
More often than not we are driven by emotion and we give ourselves excuses because we’re simply not up for it. If we depend on whether we feel like it, we’re rarely going to get it done. Reality is you won’t always have enthusiasm for the task but if you are consistent you will eventually find yourself wanting or needing to get it done because it will become an automatic part of your routine like brushing your teeth. Even once it becomes a habit, you will still have days when you don’t feel like going to that fitness class but if you go on the days you don’t want to the struggle gets easier.
So the question is.. how can you develop a consistent habit? There are no short cuts or tricks but there are 3 steps that you can take. I like to call this method: P.V.A
Plan: planning helps you to stay organised & maintain structure to your routine so you can fit your activity of choice into your schedule. Your life may get crazy busy at some point & planning your time efficiently will be key especially when you want to implement a new habit.
Visualise: visualise the process of integrating that habit into your routine. Ask yourself, what am I gaining from this new habit and how will it impact my life? This will not only spark motivation, it will also mentally prepare you for what’s to come.
Action: act upon what you have planned and have visualised, propel yourself into it like a canon ball & don’t think twice about it. When your alarm goes off, get up instead of hitting snooze.
3. Short term goals before long term goals
As much as long terms goals are important it’s vital to notice your small achievements because it’s the accumulation of those small achievements that ultimately get you to one of your long term goals. It’s easy to get frustrated along the way and not notice those small steps that you’ve taken but they are there to reassure you that you’re well on your way to achieving what you have planned for yourself.
We often overlook or don’t notice the small goals and then we’re hard on ourselves when we don’t achieve the long term goals.
An example of one small goal can be as simple as remembering to drink a glass of water in the morning as soon as you wake up. Write it down and tick it off once you’ve done it, I assure you, that you will feel some sense of achievement.
4. Nutrition
Nutrition is an important part of everyone’s life regardless of whether you are working towards a fitness goal or not. Food provides us with energy and nutrition to replenish and refuel our bodies.
When it comes to your fitness goals, the ratio between food and exercise depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to lose weight, it’s common to eat in a caloric deficit: eating less than what you’re burning. If you want to gain weight then it’s common to eat in a caloric surplus: eating more than what you’re burning. Both are as hard as each other.
However, it’s vital to remember nutrition is not the only factor that’s important. For example, a lot of people question why they’re not gaining muscle even though their training super hard and It could be partly to do with their nutrition or it could be down to not having enough rest/sleep or too much stress in their daily lives. You have to factor in everything. We need food for nourishment & energy, rest for growth and recovery & a relaxed state of mind so our bodies can run smoothly.
Everyone will have a different opinion on what you should eat and what you shouldn’t, it can get a bit confusing. Personally, I like to take these 4 things into consideration:
- Eating whole foods over processed foods.
- Eating colorfully- include an array of fruits & vegetables in your diet.
- Don’t restrict yourself from any food groups. Make sure to eat a balance of carbohydrates, fats & protein.
- Portion control- it’s important to eat a healthy amount of each food group without overeating.
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