Here’s why you’re not noticing results from your workout
I’ve worked with thousands of people over the years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: what you expect from yourself matters.
Believe it or not, you can have the best intentions and strong willpower, but if you focus on the wrong things, you can derail your goals. However, if you can demand the right things from yourself, you will succeed.
The most significant disconnect when it comes to fitness results is that many people have too high expectations and demand too much from their bodies. Simply put, starvation diets and overtraining don’t work and can even cause damage to the body. Building a stronger, healthier body has a lot to do with your goals and how you go about achieving them — so strive to have realistic expectations! Need help? Here are four reasons why you’re not seeing results from working out and what to do about it:
1. Focusing too much on maintaining a calorie deficit
For anyone wanting to grow muscle and burn fat: you should focus on losing fat, not necessarily losing weight. That’s because losing weight can mean losing lean muscle mass, which is not only unhealthy but can cause your body to hold onto body fat. To lose fat while building muscle, you need to focus on following a nutrient-dense diet that supports the growth of metabolically active muscle. Avoid dieting, which can sabotage muscle development. Remember that the fewer muscles you have, the more likely your body is to store fat. Be sure to eat healthy, nutritious whole foods and track your macros regularly.
2. Engaging in poor movement selections
Not all exercises are created equal. And, when you engage in the right ones, you should load accordingly. Loading means adding the right amount of weights, sets, and reps. Many people that don’t see results usually engage in the wrong exercise selection and aren’t consistent with their loads. An example would be a crazy variation of a single-leg jump with a weight stacked on your head.
What types of exercises should you be focusing on? Simple staples like squats, lunges, deadlifts, pushups, planks, and shoulder presses. Start by sticking to a workout regimen for four weeks and then progress further. Most importantly, never put yourself in danger or “guess” about what exercises you should execute and how they need to be executed.
3. Not focusing enough on progressive overloading
If you’re getting frustrated with your progress or aren’t seeing any results after the first few months, you might not be progressively increasing your load. It’s crucial that you lift more weight or increase the repetition of an exercise over time to build more muscle. This is pure exercise science.
4. Changing your routine too much
To successfully achieve any goal in life, you need to plan. If you don’t have a plan, you’re setting yourself up for failure. While incorporating new movements into your exercise routine is fun, your body isn’t able to progress if you change your exercises weekly. Instead, focus on changing your exercise program progressively as your body changes and adapts.
Commitment is key
Ultimately, commitment to an exercise regimen and the discipline to execute that regimen well is key to success. Yes, fitness and health are very rewarding, but they require effort and patience. If you’re not satisfied with your results, you should consider reevaluating your entire exercise and nutrition program.
Dasha L. Anderson is a celebrity trainer and fitness expert in New York City, with a master’s degree in exercise science and sports nutrition and a specialty in performance enhancement and injury prevention. She is also the founder and head certifying instructor of Kettlebell Kickboxing and has contributed to Self, Shape, Fitness Rx, and Epoch Times.
