1. You don’t keep it fun or interesting. The best exercise to do is the one you enjoy doing. Exercise that you don’t enjoy is a killer. If there is one sure way to be turned off regular exercise, it would be that you are not looking to make the experience enjoyable. Plug in a set of headphones the next time you jump on the treadmill and watch your favourite TV shows, or listen to your favourite music while out walking. Keep it fun so you can count on coming back for more. Can’t find regular activity you like? Be patient if you are having difficulty choosing or sticking to an activity. It may take quite a few tries before you feel like something clicks.
2. You don’t schedule daily exercise in your calendar/diary. ‘Not enough time,’ ‘too busy’ and ‘can’t afford it’ are all just forms of a sickness called Excuse-i-tis. Establish a regular schedule for physical activity. Be active while watching TV. Ride a stationary bike, walk on the treadmill, step up and down on a step/bench, use some dumbbells, or do some stretching during your favourite TV shows...just get up and get moving more often!
3. You only focus on one element of fitness. Work on a variety of exercises to work on the 3 elements of fitness. Include some endurance (anything that sustains your heart rate up for an above average period of time), strength training (lifting weights and providing resistance for your muscles to get stronger), and flexibility training (the ability to move the joints through their entire range of motion to provide length and suppleness).
4. You are lifting more weight than you can handle. You know you are lifting too much weight when your technique is sacrificed in order to lift a heavier load. Gradually increase the resistance of your workout to prevent injury. Talk to any bodybuilder and they will tell you it is not about how much weight you lift. If you have to jerk your body while lifting your weight then you are lifting too much.
5. Not exercising intensely enough - Leaning on the side bars of the stair-master will lower the intensity of the workout as well as put a strain on your wrists and lower back. If your intention is to lose body-fat then you will need to exercise intensely enough to get you huffing and puffing with a light sweat. (E.g. reading a magazine while riding a stationary bike...need I say more)
6. You don’t know how to use the equipment. Seek out the guidance of a trained professional on how to use the equipment effectively. It is worth investing in a Personal Trainer (even for 1 session) to demonstrate correct technique and the intensity at which you should be working to.
7. You focus on quantity rather than quality. You don’t need to work out for a long period of time to get the results you need. Be realistic about what you actually want to achieve for your fitness and seek out professional guidance to give you some pointers in the right direction. There is an old saying in the fitness industry “You can work hard and you can work long...but you can’t do both!”
Chris Gent- Healthy Executives Performance Coach
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