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Fitness Fails

5 reasons you’re not seeing results from your workouts…
 
By Karen Kwan
 
There’s GTL, but you’re more GGG. So how is it that you’re at the gym regularly and not seeing any results? Those abs aren’t making any appearances, your calves could be more defined and when you look at your arms, you ask yourself, “Do you even lift, bro?” Here’s what could be at the bottom of your fitness fails.
 
You’re overtraining
Yes, you can have too much of a good thing. Overtraining has become extremely prevalent in today’s workout world and there are many issues associated with doing so, says Joshua Lipsey, founder and director of Core Concepts in Toronto. “One of the major issues is the fact that you are not letting your muscles recover, and that can really throw your homeostasis off, which can lead to infections and lowered immunity,” he says. Besides that, when you exercise more often, you also need to replenish more, and you may be inadvertently refuelling with more than your body needs.
 
You’re not working out frequently enough
You may feel like you’re at the gym all the time, but when you actually look at your schedule, do you realize you’re actually just going on the weekends because your weekdays are too busy? Or maybe one week you go almost daily…followed by a week (or two) off? “If you’re in the gym once or twice a week, you’re not giving your body enough strain for your body to be making gains,” says Dominique Termansen, a fitness trainer at Distrikt Movement in Vancouver. “You can’t expect to go in once put in one leg workout and have lasting results.
 
Your social media habits are distracting you from your workout
“I’m guilty of that myself sometimes,” admits Termansen. “You go to the gym, take a photo or post something else on social media, and you get so consumed with making a video or taking a good shot that you neglect your form and other little things,” he says. You might be doing the same number of reps or sets for your workout, for example, but not realizing that the weight isn’t challenging enough for you, he says. There are so many other distractions at the gym, from the other people working out to the gym environment. To help be focused, Termansen recommends bringing headphones so you can work out to your own music and get motivated.
 
You’re loyal to your favourite workout
While you may have a side hustle and a side chick, when it comes to your fitness you stay true to your one and only beloved sport—and that could be hurting your progress. “Repetitive motion can lead to injury. Another problem that we face in today’s fitness world is there are many workouts that do not work the body in an authentic way in terms of using muscles the way they were supposed to be used,” says Lipsey. He recommends finding workouts that work for your body and will not cause injury. But what if you’re not willing to give up your running habit, for example? “Accept that it’s extremely repetitive, and make sure you are doing a complementary workout that works your hips in all three planes of motion.”
 
You’re taking it too easy in your workout
While you may be at the gym regularly and can tick off all the exercises you get done, you may have let yourself slack off without realizing it. “Our muscles contain memory of certain exercises, and it is very important to switch exercises up to prevent stagnation or lack of development. Many times we avoid challenges and do the things that we are comfortable with,” says Lipsey. “I think it is important to take ourselves out of our comfort zone, which develops more confidence and increases our fitness levels.” A sign you’re not working hard enough? Besides not seeing results, if you’re not sore whatsoever after your workout, it’s probably time to switch things up and challenge yourself.
 

 
KAREN KWAN is a freelance health, travel and lifestyle writer based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter at @healthswellness and on Instagram at @healthandswellness.

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