Are you excited to finally start working out? Do you look forward to having a fit and trimmed body that you can confidently flaunt and not embarrassingly cover up anymore? How do you think you will do with your first go at the rowing machine or once you step on the treadmill?
To get in shape, you have to really work hard. You should be ready to dedicate extra time and effort for it. You will complain, whine, cry, and want to give up several times along the way, and your desire and commitment to achieving your goals will be seriously tested. But, if you are able to stick to it and push through the end, you will see that all the pains and sacrifices are all worth it.
For an efficient fitness and workout regimen, you have to be able to identify which are facts and which are not. You cannot just apply whatever tips and tricks you first come across online. Your time and effort will all just go to waste if you make the following fitness mistakes and blunders that a lot of men make:
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Taking on too much right away
Losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time is not advisable. Neither does spending five hours a day at the gym on your first couple of weeks. According to medical experts, your body will not be able to keep up with the sudden change and may break down. If you are stubborn and still choose to do it, you are only putting yourself at risk of burning out or getting injured.
For your good health and safety, you should understand that getting fit is a long and slow process. You should avoid rushing into everything, as that will only endanger you. You have to take a step back, and tell yourself that the journey will not only take a few days or weeks. You will have to commit to it long-term to get the results that you desire.
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Getting advice from random people
If you want to see real results, you are strongly encouraged to work with an experienced fitness professional. That way, you can be properly assisted on what workout routines are best suited for your situation, and you can see gains before you know it.
You should not think that you can do things on your own, that you can just rely on what your friends and acquaintances say, or that you can trust what some self-proclaimed fitness experts you encounter on the internet preach. Every man’s body is different, so there may be tips that can produce positive results to some, but not to others.
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Neglecting diet and nutrition
Exercising does not give you permission to eat whatever you like as much and often as you want to. For best results, you have to also have a strict diet plan, along with your regular workout routine. You cannot always treat yourself to a burger and a soda after going to the gym. You cannot just drink multiple glasses of smoothies and several protein bars because you are so exhausted and sore. There should still be a limit in place to keep you under your daily caloric allowance.
You should plan your meals in advance for your diet to not be all over the place. In the morning, choose healthy and balanced meals that can provide you with carbs and protein to power you up for the day. For lunch, you can go light, and stick with vegetables and a bit of good proteins. And, for dinner, you can go heavier, and treat yourself to a larger serving of lean meat and more greens. The foods that you feed your body on a daily basis should contain the essential nutrients that aid in the proper functioning of your organs and systems.
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Targeting only one muscle group
How badly do you want six-pack abs? Do your friends often tease you about skipping leg day? Do your flabby arms bother you so much?
Working out only one particular muscle is not advisable. It is a complete waste of time that will not do your body any good. It can make you prone to injuries. It is best that you do a full body workout to not only work all of your muscle groups, but also increase your metabolism, strength, endurance, and stamina. With this kind of fitness treatment, you are providing a balance that is crucial in your overall health and wellbeing.
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Putting quantity over quality
Spending many hours at the gym does not guarantee excellent results. Sometimes, even if you workout two hours a day, seven days a week, your gains will not be as impressive as what you have in mind. If this happens, it means that you are doing something wrong, and it is not because you are not allocating more time to exercising. It is probably because you are not practicing the right form or are still eating more calories than you are burning.
Quality time at the gym is what you should be aiming for. It ensures that every single minute that you spend exercising is put to good use. Even if you do not work out as often as the others, as long as you are following your strict diet plan and applying the correct form and posture when doing exercises, you should not be left disappointed.
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Not increasing the intensity of workouts
As a beginner who is used to a sedentary lifestyle, it is understandable if you start with exercises that are considered basic and require only a short period of time. In a few weeks, you should be able to notice a bit of improvement. However, over time, if you continue to perform the same sets, you are going to enter a plateau.
It is important that you increase the intensity level of your routines to continue seeing gains. If you are running 20 minutes every other day at the park now, after a couple of weeks, you should double the time and run up and down a hill. The change will work your muscles harder and produce more positive results.
