The 3 biggest fitness mistakes that are sabotaging your results

Have you ever said to yourself, "I'll manage my health and fitness in the New Year" or "I'll start working out in the New Year" or "I'll pay better attention to my health in the New Year"? If any of this sounds familiar, you're definitely in the right place.

We've all put off our health at some point. These are challenges that many of us have encountered as we move through our health journey, and you are definitely not alone. I've made these mistakes myself, and I've made many more.

Today I want to walk you through three of the biggest fitness mistakes I see people make, and more importantly, how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: You don't have a plan

This is one of the biggest ways you can sabotage your consistent fitness routine. I know it can feel daunting to try and figure out where to start, what to do, and how to make it all work. But here's the reality: You need a structured plan to make it work.

The Solution: Develop clear goals and a structured plan to help you develop a consistent workout routine. Having a plan will make sure that you're able to not just work out, but work out consistently.

There are lots of things you need to consider when developing your health goals and structured plan. Not just what you'll do, but:

• Will you go to the studio or workout at home
• What days will you exercise
• What time will you work out
• How long will you work out
• How will you stay accountable

These might seem simple, but it's really important to write down your goals and your structured plan. I recommend grabbing a pencil and paper - yes, actually writing it out by hand. This is really helpful in terms of human behavior and making sure that the goals and plan stick.

You need something to follow, something to look back on. It's important to have those goals so you know when you've reached them. It's essential for tracking and being able to meet the metrics you've set for yourself.

Mistake #2: You don't have an instructor

Random classes aren't going to work. I've seen many people who one day are on YouTube, another day they're on Pinterest, and another day they're doing their saved Instagram and Facebook workouts.

But here's the thing - you don't need to do everything to get the results you want. You just need to do the right things right.

The Solution:Try a proven method rather than a series of random workout videos that you may or may not get results from. You need a structured plan and one-on-one support.

You don't have to do it all alone. There are others who have already gone down this journey, and they can share their plans for success with you. Bonus: this person can help you stay accountable and work out consistently.

It's really important to have an instructor, a coach, a trainer - someone that you can work with one-on-one or closely in a small group. This way you can work out your health goals, your structured plan, and certainly chat about any difficulties that you might have. They'll help you stay accountable to your health goals and your structured plan, which is really important.

Mistake #3: You don't take your rest days seriously

This is one that we've all struggled with at some point. Rest is an essential part of your practice and certainly your life, so you need to take your rest days seriously. They're just as important as your workout days because they assist in healing and preventing injury.

Now, how much rest you need depends on the workout you're doing, and it's definitely important to listen to your body. There are workouts that maybe you can do every day, and there are some workouts where you should definitely listen to your body and take a rest.

If you're doing something more strenuous like training for a marathon or lifting heavy weights, then it's definitely important to give your body time to recover. But if you're doing a light yoga workout, then maybe it's okay for you to do that every day - as long as you're giving yourself time to rest during the rest of the day.

The Solution: Follow the plan you've developed with your instructor and listen to your body. Your body will give you indicators of when you need to rest, and rest days are different for everyone.

You might have complete rest days where you're doing nothing, or your rest day may be a day when you choose to do yoga or Pilates, depending on what your plan and goals are. Rest days are also great days to focus on meditation or reading more about fitness and wellness.

The bottom line

So there you have it - the three biggest mistakes I see:

1. Not having a plan
2. Not having an instructor
3. Not taking rest days seriously

The good news is that all of these are completely fixable. You just need to be intentional about addressing them.

Remember, developing a consistent fitness routine isn't about being perfect. It's about being consistent and having the right support system in place. You don't have to figure this all out on your own.

If you're a busy professional woman who's ready to work out consistently and reclaim your health, know that it's absolutely possible. It just takes the right plan, the right guidance, and giving yourself permission to rest when you need it.

Have questions about any of this? I'd love to help you work through whatever fitness challenges you're facing.

Reply to this message and let’s get started.

P.S. Remember that you're not alone in this journey. We've all made these mistakes, and that's perfectly normal. The key is learning from them and moving forward with a better approach.

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