Fitness Habits You Need to Change
By Sara Butler
Every once in while you have to stop and reevaluate what you’re doing in your workout. If you are losing your motivation or you’re not getting the results you want, then you may have fallen into some bad habits when it comes to fitness. Here are some of the worst fitness habits you might be doing that need to change.
Failing to Plan
There are times when you need to mix things up, but if you’re doing the same thing when you workout then you’re not doing yourself any favors. Too much of just one type of exercise is a recipe for stagnation. It can be anything – running, weight training, boxing or yoga. If you’re not creating a plan for your fitness then you will stop making progress.
Over time your body will adapt to what you’re doing and if you start to notice you have stopped making any progress, you may be tempted to throw in the towel. If you can dedicate just a few minutes each day to write out a workout plan and include some variety in your workouts, it will make a big difference.
The Wrong Shoe
If you’re not wearing the right type of shoe for your workout you might be opening yourself up to injury. The right footwear will keep you safe and make your workout more effective too – it’s not just a one size fits all workout footwear world.
When you do get a new pair of shoes for your activity, don’t just hit the ground running, either. You might get injured if you don’t ease into the new shoes and just go gung-ho.
Too Much or Not Enough
Workout intensity is a funny thing. If you don’t go hard enough you won’t get a result, and if you go too hard you can overtrain and not get the results you’re after either. You have to find the right place in between too much and not enough for your workouts.
You should not be comfortable during a majority of your workouts. It’s important to push yourself to the point of discomfort at least two to three times per week. On the exertion scale, aim for a solid eight or nine a few days a week and a five or six the other days.
Exercise is one of the cornerstones of good health, but it can be easy to get into a rut and create bad habits for yourself. If you feel like you need some more direction, consult with a personal trainer or your chiropractor for some advice and help in determining if you are falling into bad fitness habits.