Why Do Workouts Fail?
So why are we still fat and out of shape? Hundreds of people struggle with this question every day. New Year’s Eve rolls around and we all have the same resolution, to lose weight and get into shape. Then by March the resolutions are forgotten, it has been weeks since we have worked out and you are still making monthly payments on the new gym membership. So what are we doing wrong?
If there is one mistake I see over and over, it’s starting a workout program without a plan. However, these same very successful people would never approach a project at work or school without doing some research and coming up with an outline of what needed to be done and when. However hundreds hit the gym or jump on the treadmill with no clear idea of what they are trying to accomplish. Without a plan of the right mix of cardio, weight training and rest, little progress is seen and people lose interest.
Another common problem is quantity over quality. A person can exercise for hours and not see any results. It takes on average 100 calories to walk one mile (assumes level ground). If that is all you are doing day in and day out it is easy to see why the weight isn’t coming off. It is not a question of how long your workout but how your workout will redefine your body. High intensity workouts with the right mix of cardio, resistance training and recovery periods are the key to success.
Creating a calorie deficit is the single most important factor in any weight loss plan. The body needs 1800-2000 calories a day to survive. On average a person consumes 4200 calories per day according to a study by the USDA in 2008-2009. These extra calories will be stored as fat unless they are burned off with exercise or you build a higher metabolism through muscle building resistance training. Unfortunately many people use food and eating as a way to cope with stress and depression. This leads to weight gain which can cause more stress and increased depression. This is a vicious cycle many people are trapped in every day.
The human body is an amazingly adaptable machine. When we exercise the body responds by growing muscle, increasing endurance and shedding fat however the body is inherently lazy and will only do as much as it has to. Once it has adapted to the exercise it will stop growing and continued progress will stop. The key to overcoming this adaptation is by constantly varying your workout routines. This process is known as muscle confusion. The fitness programs that a very few companies have developed are rooted in the concept of muscle confusion. By changing the routines every 3-4 weeks and providing built in rest and recovery periods a good fitness program will break through plateaus and provide dramatic results.
One of the key factors in a successful exercise program or diet is setting realistic goals. Too many times people set the bar too high and quickly get discouraged. Goals need to be both short term and long term. A realistic short term goal would be to work out for a week without missing a day and then build on that success. A realistic long term goal would be to lose 20 pounds in three months. This gives person small victories that they can attain day to day and over time build on those victories to achieve long term success.
If you are exercising with P90X, get on the P90X diet! One important part of my P90X diet is Shakeology. This healthy drink provides my body the nutrients it needs.
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