5 Workout Mistakes You’re Probably Making

5 Workout Mistakes You’re Probably Making

From blasting belly fat to trimming your thighs, a toned body starts in the gym. So whether that gym is a corner in your living room or the trendiest spin class, DON’T fall into the trap of making the 5 workout mistakes in today’s blog!

1. You’re spending too much time looking for the perfect place to train

Where’s the best place to train? The answer, plain and simple, is ANYWHERE you put your mind to it is the perfect location. What matters is committing to working out and enjoying it. With the help of a few well-chosen pieces of equipment (resistance bands, exercise ball, yoga mat and workout DVDs), you’ll get fantastic results — anywhere!

Start adding to your fitness spot with the resistance tubing and DVD in my NEW Total Body Toning kit!

2. You press the snooze button instead

You want to improve your body and feel better, but, maybe, you’re not fully in touch with the emotional drive to exercise on a daily basis. There are plenty of days when, despite good intentions, you press the snooze button and go back to sleep. The solution here is the same one you’d use to get a child to eat their vegetables…Stop thinking about your workout as a whole, and just concentrate on one bite at a time.

Make a deal with yourself to fake it until you feel it. On a day when you don’t feel like working out, simply get dressed in your workout clothes. Your brain will take this as a signal that the decision to exercise has been made. You’ll be surprised how well this works. By acting “as if” – in this case as if you were going to workout – your body will respond with a willingness to perform. I can’t count how many times the simple act of putting on my running shoes has been enough to get me moving and out the door.

3. You don’t warm up

The first stage of your workout should be a warm-up. You want to “oil the machine” before your workout. Although gentle stretching can be part of your warm-up, controlled, full-range movements using the muscles you’re planning to train are a better way to prep your body.

Your goal is to raise the temperature of your muscles and switch on circulation. You’re not trying to increase your flexibility or tax your muscles with a warm up. Five minutes of any light activity that involves those muscles will work. Walking or light jogging are good ways to warm up the legs; light dumbbells or rowing are good for the arms.

4. You don’t stretch

For most of us, our daily activities do not promote suppleness and freedom of motion. When we sit all day at work, our muscles tighten. In time, your body starts to feel locked and compressed. Age also makes us stiffer. You may notice it when tying your shoes, or turning to look over your shoulder in the car. And yet, wit ha few minutes of effort a day, it’s possible to actually become more flexible as we get older. This is one of the most overlooked areas of fitness, and the benefits are enormous. Stretching will help you improve your posture, move with greater ease, protect yourself from injury, and promote spinal health while preventing lower back problems.

After your next workout, take a few minutes to cool down with this stretch from my new Total Firm & Fit Kit!

5. You’re always working out alone.

One of the biggest secrets to sticking with exercise is to train with a partner. Having a training partner is a way to harness some of the group momentum found in a workout class and bring it to your workout. A workout buddy is fitness gold and offers many benefits, including:

• Decreases your likelihood of skipping a workout – you keep each other consistent and accountable
• Helps spot for safety during exercises where you could be injured if you lose control of the weights
• Provides built-in motivation – you always have a cheerleader and competitor next to you
• Workout sessions will fly by as you joke and chat with your training partner

It’s important to learn from mistakes, especially when it comes to fitness. Be mindful of these 5 workout mistakes over the next few days and see what happens when you avoid them. Correcting your mistakes might just help you reach your next fitness goal or break through a plateau!