TL;DR
- Before starting a workout plan, develop a motivation that is sustainable, resilient, and meaningful
- Start small. Try working out 10-15 minutes a day or 30 minutes a few times a week.
- Figure out what excites you rather than copying what someone else is doing
- If exercise doesn’t excite you, brainstorm ways of making it more fun. You could call a friend on a walk, join a class, or do a workout routine while watching your favorite show.
- Incorporate strength training into your fitness routine for the best results.
- To avoid injury, make sure you’re warming up and cooling down before and after every workout routine.
Workout Mistakes and the Media
Regularly moving our bodies is an important part of adulting. However, we are all exposed to a lot of misinformation when it comes to working out. Consequently, many of us fall prey to common workout mistakes. I certainly experienced that with my own workout journey.
Much of my exposure to physical activity was through the media. Women’s magazines especially tend to highlight that the goal of working out is weight loss, not necessarily feeling good. They also rarely discuss how to find an exercise routine I enjoy or that are right for my fitness level. Some of the biggest workout mistakes people regularly make, including myself, come from this early media exposure.
In this post, I go over 5 biggest workout mistakes that people make. I then discuss the best things you can do to combat those mistakes. Keep in mind that I am not a certified personal trainer or medical professional. Before starting a new workout routine, speak with a professional.
Workout Mistakes: Not Developing a Meaningful Motivation
The first common fitness mistake that people make is not developing fitness goals that are sustainable, resilient, or meaningful. Instead, people frequently focus on goals that are rooted in self-criticism.
Focusing on the Negative Sets Us Up For Failure
Indeed, our personal goals often start from a place of negativity. We might say something like, “I hate that pooch in my stomach and want to fix it.” However, we are far less likely to succeed at our endeavors if we start from a place of negativity.
Think about if you went into work every day thinking—wow, I’m shitty at this. Or if you went into every social situation with the thought of how awkward you are. It would probably make social situations more awkward. Actually, it definitely would. I know from experience.
If we start from a place of negativity, we are almost inevitably setting ourselves up for failure. Of course we’ll do more poorly at work and in social situations if we think we’re bad at the thing we’re about to do. This is why it’s a good idea to dump the negativity when you develop your fitness goals.
The Workout Motivation You Should Focus On
Instead, one of the best things you can do when you start a workout routine (or really anything!) is develop a motivation that is sustainable, resilient, and meaningful. Sustainable means that it will last a long time and hopefully endure beyond any milestones like muscle mass gained, pounds lost, or races run.
A resilient motivation endures challenges. It doesn’t get undermined if I inevitably gain a few pounds during the holiday season or take some time off from working out due to injury, travel, or, you know, just life.
And a meaningful motivation speaks to my deepest values and gets me excited about whatever practice I’m trying to start.
The goal of working out to be healthy and have the energy to be present and engaged with loved ones is sustainable, resilient, and meaningful. The goal of working out to cultivate a passion and have time entirely for yourself is sustainable, resilient, and meaningful.
Losing Weight Shouldn’t Be Your Primary Motivation
The goal of losing weight does not meet any of those criteria (also, see my post on sizeism and self-esteem). Why is that the case? First, losing weight is not a sustainable goal. Once you meet the goal of losing a certain amount of weight that goal is either gone or the new goal becomes losing more weight. Losing weight for the sake of losing weight is a dangerous game. It can lead to eating disorders and obsessive exercising. It can also cause us to give up exercising if we don’t like our progress.
Losing weight is also not a resilient goal. Losing weight takes a long time. This is especially the case because our body starts sending signals to our brain that we are starving when we start to lose weight. If you are working out just to lose weight, will you stick with it if it takes months to see changes on the scale? For many people the answer is no.
And last, it’s rarely meaningful! Many of us have been pressured by society into trying to look a certain way. Consequently, fitting in is often the motivation for losing weight, rather than something more meaningful like having energy or feeling our best. For all these reasons I believe it is so important to let the numbers go and focus on a meaningful motivation when starting a workout routine.
Common Workout Mistakes: Starting Too Big
People also frequently fall prey to workout mistakes like starting too big. Fitness experts recommend starting small so that a new routine doesn’t feel overly burdensome and can be practiced reliably. The good news is that you can get a good workout in as little as 10 minutes. Starting with short workouts is a great way to build habits without getting overwhelmed. Plus, little amounts done frequently add up to a lot.
For example, 10 minutes of exercise 3x a week becomes 1,560 minutes in a year. In contrast, if you set a goal of working out 60 minutes every day but find that after a week you’re just too burned out to keep it up, then you’ve worked out a total of 420 minutes, 1,140 minutes less.
The numbers will be different for each person. They might be 10 minutes 3x a week, 10 minutes every day, or 30 minutes 3x a week. The point is, you want to set achievable goals that you can hit regularly and that do not provoke physical or mental stress. As you adapt to that amount you might find that you start adding more time or days.
My Workout Journey
That was the case for me. My 10 minute workout routines a few times a week became 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days which became 45 minutes on the elliptical in college which became 20 miles of running a week which turned into training for marathons and running 30-40 miles a week and climbing a few times a week. Obviously, I would have given up very quickly if I had started trying to run 30-40 miles a week… or 20 miles a week… probably even 10 miles.
Starting slowly gave me the physical, mental, and motivational growth I needed to support a more time-consuming routine. And don’t worry if you never feel like turning your 10-minute routine into a 30+ minute routine, that’s not the goal! The goal is to find something that you enjoy and that works with your life and values.
Start At Your Level
It’s also easy to overdo it physically when you start a workout routine. Instead, look for classes or guides from a fitness expert that are tailored to your level. For example, if you want to start running, please don’t just lace up your shoes and try running for 30 minutes. Therein lies the path to shin splints and swearing off running.
When I injured my Achilles and had to take a few months off from running, I had to start from 0. I had been a runner for 10 years but still had to start running for only a minute at a time. I followed the guidance of my physical therapist and used a 10-week plan that, after 10 weeks, got me up to running 30 minutes at a time. You can also check out my guide on how to start running.
There are a lot of great apps, online guides, and, of course, personal trainers and physical therapists who can help you find a plan that works for your body and your own progress. Some of those resources are free and some are paid. However, they can all offer useful guidance for beginners and seasoned athletes alike.
You might also consider joining a workout class! Workout classes help introduce you to new activities, build community, and teach you proper form. Learn more about joining workout classes as a beginner from the Introverted Fitness Instructor.
Workout Mistakes: Copying What Others Are Doing
Next, don’t just try something because someone else is doing it. The only way you’ll stick with something is if you truly love it. Find something you enjoy and that works for your body. That could be running, yoga, Pilates, weight lifting, kickboxing, team sports, walking, dancing, biking (of the stationary or non-stationary variety), stand-up paddle boarding, hiking, a combination of activities, etc.
You can find a free quiz on which of 13(!) potential workouts is the perfect one for you and your preferences.
On a similar note, if physical activity doesn’t get you super excited but you love socializing with friends or family, then a class, team sport, or regular walking or jogging meetup is probably a better fit than a solo session on the elliptical. I love calling my parents on my walks home from work. It has become something of a ritual and is a good way of connecting and motivating me to walk home.
Neglecting Strength Training
The next two fitness mistakes involve more of the practicality of working out. In particular, few people incorporate enough strength training into their workout routine. Many people, especially women, view strength or resistance training as intimidating. We may have visions of ripped shirtless dudes at the gym lifting super heavy weights.
However, weight training is one of the best things we can do to aid in fat loss and tone muscles. Weight training actually revs our body’s metabolism and activates fat burning processes in our bodies. Plus, our bodies burn fat long after we are done with our exercise program.
You also don’t need to worry that your muscles will get too toned. For one thing, creating bulky muscles requires a very specific diet and lots of time lifting. Additionally, most of us will rely on lighter weights, resistance bands, or even body weight when we’re beginners to weight training. These aren’t going to create giant muscles.
Finally, weight training lowers our risk of injuries. Many injuries are caused because various body parts are too weak. As a result, we may rely on other body parts to take up the slack. For more info on this, you can see my post on Dead Butt Syndrome. Weight training helps ensure that we are building muscle evenly.
Make sure when you’re weight training that you do not have poor form. Engage your glutes and abs and avoid craning your neck or arching your back. Consult with a personal trainer if you’re unsure of proper form. Additionally, for best results, you’ll want to consistently strengthen a variety of muscle groups. Starting your resistance exercise with a warm-up and a little aerobic exercise can also yield better results by preparing your body for the hard work of weight training.
Common Home Workout Mistakes: Avoiding Flexibility Work
Another one of the most common mistakes people make is avoiding warm-ups and cooldowns. We majorly increase our risk of injury when we don’t prepare our bodies for workouts. For example, if we jump into a tough workout without getting blood flow to our muscles, we may not have full range of motion. As a result, we can end up experiencing tight muscles and even injuries because our bodies aren’t ready for the demands of our sports.
One of the best ways of improving blood flow is doing dynamic stretches before a workout. You do not hold these stretches, which is what makes them dynamic. Using a foam roller can also improve blood flow before a workout.
Persistent soreness is a common issue among athletes and it often results from not cooling down after a workout. Static stretching and foam rolling after a workout are great ways of addressing tight muscles. With static stretches, you hold a stretch for 30 seconds or more. This gives muscles enough time to relax and lengthen.
For maximum results, make sure to warm up and cool down after each workout. Additionally, it’s important to get enough sleep, take rest days each week, and get proper nutrition to support your workouts. You can get guidance on each of these things on the blog.
Final Thoughts on Common Workout Mistakes
The most important thing when starting a workout routine is to start from a place of loving and appreciating you. The what, why, and when of your workout routine should all follow from that.
Once again, keep in mind that I am not a personal trainer or doctor. Any workout routine should be cleared by a doctor before starting.
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