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Why You Haven’t Seen Results

I have a homework assignment for you: The next time you go to the gym, I want you to just take a look around and observe the people around you, asking two questions: 1.) How many people there are actually sweating? and 2.) How many people there are actually fit? It seems most folks hit the autopilot button at the gym and believe that just being there will give them the body they want. WHY IS THIS??? It comes down to one of three reasons:

1. They’re doing the WRONG WORKOUT
2. They don’t know how to work out
3. They’re sabotaging themselves in the kitchen when they get home

If you’re not experiencing results at the gym, ask yourself which category you fall into. Regardless of the category you currently find yourself in, I want to show you the way out. The next time you go to the gym, I want you to know exactly what to do for your specific goals, I want you to know exactly how to do it, and I want you to know how to complement your efforts in the kitchen. Yes, this will require some sweat equity and sacrifice, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in the process, and it certainly doesn’t mean you can’t live a normal life. In fact, you will probably find you’re spending less time in the gym and eating more than you did before.

Stemming from these three categories, these are the most common reasons why your WORKOUTS DON’T WORK:

1.) IF YOU…ARE DOING THE WRONG WORKOUT:

• Mistake #1: Inadequate research or information regarding your specific goals. Really, this is what this first category boils down to. You’ve done your research which is awesome, but where is your research coming from, and (more importantly) who is funding the research? We all know the common “high reps, low weights for fat loss” and “high weights, low reps for muscle mass” fads out there right now, but how much of that information is sound? Moreover, how much of that information is actually giving you the physique you want? If you’re following a certain program and not seeing results, the program is either poorly researched or it’s not the right one for your specific body type. If this is the case, I encourage you to utilize the resources found on the home page of this site.

2.) IF YOU…DON’T KNOW HOW TO WORKOUT:

• Mistake #1: Inappropriate form and/or technique. It seems trivial, but form does matter, A LOT! If you constantly perform an exercise with incorrect form, you are forming what’s called muscle imbalances in your body that lead to poor posture and alignment, disproportionate measurements, fatigue, and eventual injury.

• Mistake #2: Quantity, not quality. This is where most exercise programs fail. People tend to think that if they put in the time, the resultswill follow. These are typically the people at the gym reading a book, talking on the phone, or spending a lot of their time wandering or resting in between sets. These people are done when the time is up or they’ve reached a certain number of reps, rather than when their body is tired. In personal training, there is something called the overload principle which states that the system (being your body) must be pushed beyond its’ comfort levels in order for adaptations (changes) to take place.

• Mistake #3: Broken Record Syndrome. This is the person who does the same thing every time and has for years. Your body craves change and needs new challenges in order to adapt. In training, this is what we call Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. This means your body adapts to the demands placed on it (i.e. – if you start running, it will hurt at first but get easier and easier). Eventually, your body adapts to the specific exercise you’ve been doing (typically takes 4-8 weeks for this to occur). If your body adapts, and you keep doing the same exercise, you guessed it…you stop seeing results.

3.) IF YOU…SABOTAGE YOURSELF IN THE KITCHEN:

• Mistake #1: Using your workout as an excuse to eat poorly or overeat. There are actually a lot of people who would be better off not even having gone to the gym because they use that as their excuse to eat whatever they want, and as much as they want. The typical gym-goer burns between 300-500 calories in one hour. (Keep in mind, this is the typical gym-goer, not the educated gym-goer). If you’re eating three times per day, that’s only 100 extra calories at each meal, which really doesn’t allow a lot of wiggle room.

• Mistake #2: Not knowing your body type and how to eat right for it. There is so much information out there in the diet world and it’s so easy to become confused. There is not a diet out there that works for every single person because every single person is different and has different hormonal issues, different metabolisms, different body types, and different reactions to different foods. My best advice here would be to never start a diet you can’t maintain for a lifetime. Whatever you choose, make sure it is something you can maintain now, a month from now, a year from now, 10 years from now and so on. Also, make sure it is something you can fit into your life so you don’t have to stress when you go to a party or travel, etc. With that said, in my experience people have seen the greatest results from implementing these tips: 1.) Reduce your carbohydrate intake, 2.) Eat protein for breakfast, 3.) Allow a minimum of 3 hours from your last meal to bedtime, and 4.) Follow your hunger/fullness cues (eat when you’re hungry and do not eat past full).

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The information presented is intended to be used for educational purposes only. Please consult with your own physician or health care practitioner regarding any suggestions and recommendations made.