5 Reasons Your Workout Is Failing (And How To Fix It)

Exercise is not just about ticking a box. It’s not about getting through it as quickly as possible. It’s about getting the most out of your workouts and feeling the benefit. If your exercise regime isn’t delivering, it’s time to take action.

1. You Haven’t Set Targets

As with any regime, it is important to be clear about what you want to achieve. This could be as follows:

• To lose or maintain weight
• To build muscle
• To keep joints supple
• To maintain a healthy heart
• To boost energy levels
• To increase stamina
• To improve health
• To prevent illness and disease
• To recover from illness
• To increase fitness levels
• To achieve a specific goal, such as running a marathon.
• Etc.

(Image Credit)

Write down what you want to achieve from your exercise plan. Be specific. Rather than writing down ‘to lose weight’, write down how much you want to lose. You also need to be clear about how to measure your targets. Weight is simple to measure. Other targets may take some thought.

Once you are clear about what you want to achieve, you can create a plan to do just that.

2. You’re Not Pushing Yourself

We hear a lot about SMART goals. This stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. And while SMART goals are useful, they will only get you so far. One aspect that is missing from this acronym is pushing yourself. Yes, goals need to achievable. They also need to move you onto the next level. Find a balance between what is attainable and what will push you.

3. You Don’t Have A Routine

When you started out, you vowed to go to the gym every evening after work. After a few weeks, this dwindled to three nights. And it’s now more like as and when. Exercise requires commitment and persistence. Don’t create a routine that is not practical. Make sure that what you set out to do is possible. Otherwise, you’re just setting yourself up for failure. Once your plan is in place, make sure you stick to it.

(Image Credit)

4. Your Diet Is Letting You Down

When you’re working out, it is important that you support it with a healthy diet. Cutting corners could have a detrimental effect. Some people cut down on their calorie intake as they’re trying to lose weight. This is fine, but make sure you don’t cut down too much. To get the most out of your workouts, you need to be eating a healthy, balanced diet. You also need to ensure you’re hydrated. Water or popular energy drinks work best during workouts. They top up your fluids and isotonic drinks replenish your body with minerals and electrolytes.

5. You’re Bored

If you’re bored with your workouts, you’re unlikely to stick to the plan. Therefore, it is important that you find an exercise that you do enjoy. If going to the gym isn’t your thing, opt for something else. There are lots of activities that will give you a workout and are enjoyable. For example, running, swimming, rowing, etc.

There may be many reasons your workout is failing. Find out what is no longer working for you and take steps to fix it.