Even at the gym, we’re bound to make mistakes. Becoming aware of this, however, is the first and most crucial step. For this month’s column, I chose what I believe to be the ten most common mistakes people in fitness make. Take a look: Have you made a mistake?

Mistake #1: Not Drinking Enough Water
Did you know that exercisers need twice the amount of water as individuals who don’t exercise? Not drinking enough water causes you to become dehydrated quicker and fatigued faster. Water is the most essential nutrient we consume. Water flushes out toxic wastes in our bodies, gives us energy, hydrates us…the benefits are truly endless. As exercisers, we need to consume more than the minimum amount because we lose water from sweat. The best time to drink water is before, during and most importantly, after your exercise session.

Mistake #2: Focusing on cardio and not doing enough strength training
It’s a common misconception that the only way to lose weight is to spend endless hours hunched over the elliptical trainer. Sure, it can shed pounds. But cardio has a twin: strength training. The two absolutely go hand in hand - you should never just focus on one. Besides, it is strength training that builds muscle. And muscle is what burns calories during the cardio session. In other words, the more muscle you build, the more fat you’ll burn during cardio! See what I mean – hand in hand.

Mistake #3: Not eating enough
Most people think that when they start exercising, they should reduce their calorie intake. Well, this is partly true. You should be cutting out calories from junk food and processed foods. But you should start increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You should also aim to eat five to six small meals a day. So in effect, you are eating more, just less crap. Eating more frequently through out the day will also keep your metabolism up and keep you feeling energized.

Mistake #4: Loading up on supposed ‘gym energy snacks’ You’ve just finished a great workout. Time to get out the Gatorade! But that bottle of Gatorade will pack on close to 300 calories. Sports drinks are loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates. They are best consumed during the workout because they will be burned as your consume them (Remember, you should really be drinking water anyway!) Same goes for protein bars. Ignore the flashy packaging and seductive letterings - most of these bars contain the same calories and sugar as a regular chocolate bar. Chose a bar that is 200 calories or less.  

Mistake #5: Poor Technique
You’ve just curled 50 pound weights! Great! But before you get too delighted with yourself, consider your technique. Were you swinging as you moved the weight up or rocking back and forth? Your technique on all exercises should be strong, solid, and controlled - both on the way up and on the way down. If you are swinging the weight excessively, it is too heavy. Some movement is okay, but you should mainly be solid and controlled.

 Mistake #6: Not changing the intensity and resistance
Have you been on level 5 on the elliptical trainer forever? Running at 5.6 for the past two months? Remember: the body adapts to any stress imposed upon it. By four weeks, your body will have adapted to that level or speed. In order to stimulate new growth -both muscular and cardiovascular - you have to increase the intensity or resistance of your exercise.
Try a 12 pound dumbbell if you have been using 10 for a while. Even if you only get 4 or 5 repetitions, you will be getting a much harder workout because you increased the resistance. Same applies to cardio. If you have been running on a flat surface for months, try running up hill at the same speed for five minutes.

Mistake #7: Not stretching enough
There are a lot of reasons people don’t stretch after they exercise: embarrassment (nobody likes to stretch in the middle of the gym floor!); lack of knowledge; and simply because it doesn’t even cross their mind to do so. Stretching, however, is absolutely crucial. Stretching minimizes soreness, elongates the muscle, and leaves your body feeling lighter and more mobile. Hide in the corner if you must, but get those stretches done! You’ll thank me the next day when your quads aren’t as heavy from your evening run. If you are nervous about “how to”, casually study the stretching chart on your way to the change room. This way you will be prepared.

Mistake #8: Training the Abs
The Abdominal muscles are probably the most misunderstood and improperly trained muscle in the human body. The first thing to learn is that ab training follows the same training principles as any other muscle: Movements must be performed in a slow and concentrated manner; you need to vary the intensity and movements; and you should train them longer than 5 minutes. So get out the mat, place your hands on the side of the head, contract them before you even move, and don’t rock or move to fast. Give me your best ten! And that’s a warm-up!

Mistake #9: Not challenging yourself enough
If you can lift a certain weight - with good form - for 10-12 repetitions, you can probably lift heavier. Don’t trick yourself into thinking you should stick with the same weight. If you can lift heavier – do it! Exercise is all about challenging yourself. Remember that you must gradually progress past your current level of fitness.

Mistake #10: Giving up!
Too many people grow frustrated with exercise, become bored, or simply stop. Some people find that certain seasons and months are harder to exercise during. Well, that might be true. But ask yourself: Is it really that difficult, or is it just an excuse? If you made the time the month before, you can probably find the time this month. Stop looking at exercise as a causal habit you start up and then simply give up when things get busy. Exercise should be an ingrained part of your lifestyle, of your day, of your week. When you think about it this way, finding the time and motivation will become a lot easier.

We all make these mistakes at some point. The most important thing is that we don’t give up and that we keep striving to improve our health and fitness level. Once you make the commitment to doing this, the rest comes naturally! 

By: Jennifer Kelly