4 Quick Fixes To A Workout That Isn’t Working

Have you ever seen those women in the gym that workout day after day for months, maybe even years… but there body never changes?

Maybe you’ve had that experience yourself. It can be really frustrating to do all that hard work and still have the numbers on the scale creep up!

Here are 4 reasons your workout isn’t working – And how to fix them!

Workout Wipeout: For a while, you feel really good when you do hard core workouts day and night. You’re a superstar – right?

But… at some point, you’re going to burn out. If you’re suffering from a lot of negative side effects like not having any energy, being mentally fogged, overly sore… then your workouts aren’t working.

While your workouts should be challenging, pushing your body too hard, too often can have a negative effect on your body. Over-training can cause everything from food cravings, mood-swings, a compromised immune system, and insomnia. These side effects can all lead to weight gain.

The fix: Get on a workout plan that is appropriate for your fitness level and in line with your goals. Commit to a workout program that challenges your body without draining it. If your not sure what is best for you, talk with a professional fitness trainer who can help you find a plan that is right for you.

Food frenzy: Do you get into the mindset “I worked out hard today. I can eat whatever I want,” after a particularly grueling workout? It’s common for people to eat more calories when they start an exercise program, much more than they need. Most of the time, it’s not not about feeling hungry, but more about feeling a need to reward themselves for hard work.

The fix: Make your workouts worth it by sticking to a supportive nutrition plan that gives your body the nutrients it needs to build lean, tone muscle and the energy it needs to burn off fat. Find out the calorie range you need to stay in so that you can reach your goals and then track your diet with a food diary so you can see how well you are doing. If you don’t know how much you should eat, consult with a nutrition specialist who can help you figure out the right amount for you.

Overestimating calories burned: It’s pretty motivating to see the treadmill tell you that you just burned 800 calories – but before you go celebrate with a bowl of ice cream, you should know that those machines can be highly inaccurate, often as much as 30% off. Personal heart rate monitors can be more useful but they are not completely accurate either.

The fix: Go hard during your workout to maximize the effectiveness of your workout but stay on the safe side and underestimate how many calories you burned.

Boring breakdown: It’s a great thing when you find a workout that you love! Take Zumba for example, I love Zumba! However, if that’s all I ever did, it would get really old and boring. Besides your body needs a balance of cardio and strength training. When you do a strength training workout, it’s important to mix those workouts up too. Don’t do the same exercise, for the same number of reps with the same amount of resistance every time.

The fix: Your body responds better to new stimulus. If you did an hour of Zumba today, then take a bike ride for your next cardio workout. If you did 3 sets of 15 reps of standard push ups today, then do 4 sets of 10 reps of triceps push ups for your next strength workout. Keep changing up your routine so that it’s impossible for you or your body to get bored.

For every problem, there is a solution. Use these 4 quick fix solutions to make your workout work for you!