Top Workout DON’Ts
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1. Don't stick to the same exercises: It can be easy to fall into routine, and just be proud of yourself that you are hitting the gym in the first place. Unfortunately, sticking to the same exercises isn’t helping you. Doing JUST cardio, or JUST weight training will work against you in the long run. Although a necessary part of a weekly workout routine, too much cardio can take away from losing the weight you set out to. Doing long sessions of cardio, like long-distance runs or hours on the elliptical can break down lean muscle. This is bad since lean muscle mass increases the metabolism and allows your body to burn more calories. Running long miles our body becomes more focused on storing energy as fat to fuel you on the long miles. Instead, you should be alternating cardio with weight training to build lean muscle. Strength training like lifting weights, or resistance exercises like push-ups and squats help tone up your body and promote fat loss.
2. Don't Forget Your Technique: It’s easy to focus on getting the work done, especially if exercises are too easy or too hard. But poor technique can quickly lead to injuries or not targeting the right muscles. Doing things the wrong way is setting yourself up for failure. For this reason, I is a good idea to have a plan before you hit the gym. If you are unsure of an exercise, look it up or ask someone to make sure you are doing it the right way. Pay attention when you work out, adjust equipment properly, and take the time to figure out what you are doing.
3. Don't Forget to Warm Up: All it take is 5 minutes to increase your body temperature and warm up your muscles. Studies have shown that this quick heart rate and temperature increases, decreases your risk of injury. Exercising too hard and too soon, before your body is ready, increases the likelihood of injury which can have you sitting the bench, so to speak, for much longer than the warm-up would have been.
4. Don't Underestimate the Benefits of Sleep: When you aren’t sleeping you are compensating by getting a caffeinated drink, or an extra meal to keep you going. Additionally, when you are tired, you are less likely to work out, and more likely to give in to carb loaded food cravings. Lack of sleep spikes levels of the hormone cortisol, our fight or flight hormone, and tells our body we need to conserve energy. Conserving energy in our body translates to the body holding onto fat rather than burning it.
5. Don't Just Work Out on the Weekends: Many people make excuses as to why they can’t incorporate exercise into their daily regimen. The truth is, we can all find 30 minutes somewhere in our day. Although working out only on the weekends is better than nothing, it definitely pales compared to spreading it out throughout the week. Working out on the weekend can be a struggle as you aren’t building habits, and might be more inclined to skip the exercise for something more fun. Hey, it’s your weekend, right? Injuries are also more likely for weekend warriors, who tend to overdo it on the weekend to make up for the rest of the week.