Factors that affect the effectiveness of any workout

When it comes to working out, there’s a lot more to it than running on a treadmill for 30 minutes.

We all know the benefits of exercise however there’s still plenty of outdated “rules” and information that people tend to follow even though it’s not as effective. This misinformation could not only mess with the success of your workout but cause injury and stall your progress too.

Are you making any of these workout mistakes?

Not Warming Up Or Cooling Down

It doesn’t matter if you’re short on time, if you’re skipping your warm-up or cool-down you’re not only setting yourself up for a poor workout but also for potential injury.

A good warm-up before a workout helps make sure your muscles are well supplied with oxygen and raises the temperature of your muscles for increased flexibility during your workout.

Cooling down and stretching after your workout helps bring the temperature of your muscles down and reduce the build-up of lactic acid which can lead to muscles cramping and stiffness, so your body can recover for your next workout.

If you’re still worried about time, your warm-up and cool-down doesn’t have to be long, five to 10 minutes is usually long enough and it’s definitely worth taking the time.

 

Only Doing Cardio

If you’re looking to lose weight or slim down you might make the mistake of focussing all your workouts around cardio-based exercises but you could be affecting the effectiveness of your training session.

Cardio is great for your heart health, but every good workout routine combines both cardio and strength training to help you lose fat and build muscle.  

Strength training will help tone your body and also help you naturally burn more calories. So, if you’re not already incorporating strength and resistance exercises, find a routine you can add into your weekly routine and start to notice a visible difference in your bodies muscle tone.

 

Sticking To The Same Routine

If you’re not challenging your body and your muscles your workout isn’t going to be effective. Challenging your body is part of the muscle growth process and without increased intensity or resistance overtime you could be heading for a plateau in your results.

You might be stuck in the same routine because you’re following a specific exercise plan and although it’s great to follow a routine, make sure you’re tailoring it to your fitness level as it changes over the course of your fitness journey. You can do this by increasing or changing the reps, adding weight, or modifying exercises to make them more difficult such as by adding resistance bands.

 

You Have The Same Diet.

Exercise is a vital part of health and weight loss but if you’re not eating right you’re just not going to see the results. Proper nutrition is also incredibly important to fuel your body for your workouts, so you can perform effectively.   

Don’t worry, we know transitioning to a healthy diet can be difficult which is why at Rapid Loss we’re supporting people throughout their journey to a healthier them with meal replacement shakes that can assist in kickstarting a healthy diet as well as maintaining weight loss long-term.

When combined with skim milk, one serving of a Rapid Loss shake provide you with 25% of your recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamins and minerals. Which combined with a variety of whole foods from a variety of different food groups, ensures you maximise your intake of nutrients for a healthy, balanced diet.

Shop Rapid Loss here.