5 Mistakes People Make When Starting a New Fitness Program

It’s that time of year. It’s summer. This is the time when new fitness goals and attempts are in plenty. This is also a great time to try out new work out. However, when starting a new program, you need to be careful. It is straightforward to make mistakes and become discouraged. Here are some errors that are commonly encountered when starting a new program.

1. Being impatient.

Before you even start, you need to have one thing clear in your mind: results take time. You aren’t going to drop twenty pounds and two dress sizes in one night, or even in a single week. You need to have patience and work efficiently to achieve results. It may be several weeks before you notice a significant change in your body. You will, however, see an increased energy level early on, which should feel good.

2. Doing exercises incorrectly.

Read: 4 Ways to Motivate Your Fitness Regime

This is a big mistake that a lot of people make when starting a new fitness regiment. It is so easy to dive in and try it out, even when not fully understanding the exercises or how to do them most effectively. While it may be exciting to start something new, it is not the most effective way. For starters, if you work an incorrect habit early on, it will be tough to fix later. You could also run the risk of injury. You want to be careful to follow instructions carefully.

3. Not hydrating enough

It’s a natural reaction by your body to sweat. When you get warm, this will trigger your internal cooling system, causing sweat. This is great because it keeps the body from overheating. However, if you don’t have the fluid to replace it, it could lead to dehydration. Since you will be getting used to a new fitness regiment, you will be sweating more as your body adjusts. You should plan to hydrate more in those early weeks. Here is an easy rule of thumb. You want to drink half of your body weight each day. If you weigh 130 pounds, you want to drink 65 ounces of fluid a day.

4. Getting bored

It happens to the best of us when working out. We get bored. Repeating the same activity over and over gets boring. To avoid that, do only what you genuinely enjoy. If you enjoy swimming, do that. Enjoy walking in the woods? Make that a daily routine? You don’t have to add a brand new fitness regimen; structure what you love doing. You’ll get the same benefits but will avoid the boredom downside.

5. Poor Eating Habits

So, you’ve found a new program? Congrats! Just finished your first work out? Now, you’re heading to a drive-through fast-food restaurant? What’s wrong with this scenario? The fast-food part. Even if you are putting your body through a great work out, going out afterward, and eating greasy, fried food is not going to help keep you pursue your fitness goals. If you need a quick snack after your work out, have a granola bar or piece of fruit in your bag to eat while heading home. Now, keep in mind that you do not need to give up all of your favorite foods completely. If you love a double cheeseburger, don’t deprive yourself forever! You will want to keep it in moderation.

Above all, have fun! Exercise is about having fun; don’t deprive yourself of that.