When the warmer season kicks in, you have two things on your mind – spring cleaning and the approaching summer season. Most people become less active during the winter and are eager to quickly get into shape. The good news is that, with the rising temperatures, your energy also increases. The boost in your mood will give you enough inspiration to start your workout routine. But for how long can it keep you committed and motivated? Probably not a lot.
You might feel excited and passionate about the idea now, but at some point you might lose your previous spark. The reasons vary. Maybe the lack of immediate results discouraged you or you find it difficult to keep up with the exercises. Now is the time to re-evaluate your workout routine. Spring cleaning is not only for your house. Examine the bad habits that stop you from having that perfect beach body.
4 Bad Habits That come in way of your Workout Routine:
Being a Serial Exerciser
It’s one thing to be passionate about exercising, but switching from one activity to the other shows that you are not able to fully commit. In general, there is nothing wrong in trying different things. This is a great way to stay engaged and make training more enjoyable. The problem is that your body needs time to adapt to the exercises. It usually requires a period of 10 to 16 weeks. If you change your routine too often, you simply can’t adjust. If you never stick to one thing long enough, the results might be disappointing. Find an activity or a class that you like and put some effort in staying consistent for at least eight weeks.
Failing to Plan
Staying devoted to certain sport doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t diversify your activities. Practicing only similar type of exercises can cause injuries or boredom. However, you should keep your activities organized. Lack of a clear workout plan, might be another reason that blocks your progress. Take five minutes to write down your weekly exercises. You will know what you can do every day, and will be able to manage your time more efficiently. If you already have an outline, review it. Cleaning out the activities that don’t work for you anymore and replacing them with new ones will sufficiently improve your workout routine.
Be sure you always have a plan “B”. Make an additional list with alternative options. For instance, you missed your yoga class, because of a working engagement? Go home and just play a workout DVD or some video on YouTube. Don’t let the situation get the best of you. When you don’t have a backup you will be more inclined to go with the flow and just skip exercising.
Overtraining or Undertraining
Going into extremes is an all-time classic when it comes to bad workout habit. Overtraining and undertraining are very similar in their effect on your workout routine. The first is characterized by high intensity that exceeds the body’s ability to recover. If you maintain your exercise at high pace, you might experience fatigue or even more severe health issues. On the other hand, keeping your intensity low will only get you nowhere. The key is to find a balance. Two or three times per week, try to go beyond your comfort zone. During the other days, you can keep the things normal.
Lack of Focus
Music is great for exercising. It gives rhythm and sets a jovial mood. Your multimedia can easily turn into a serious distraction. Constantly scrolling through your playlist instead of doing your workouts is inefficient. Or even worst, if you chat or talk on your phone during the entire routine. Think of exercising as your “me” time, when you can get away from your busy lifestyle. Create a playlist upfront, ignore the unimportant things and don’t lose your focus.
