It’s a problem that most of us are going to have the unhappy occasion of meeting at some point or another. If you’re trying to get serious about exercise and eating right, then at some point, you’re going to hit that brick wall. You’ll find you’re simply not seeing the results that you were hoping to. But it’s likely not an inherent problem with you, but rather a few habits that you need to look a bit closer at.
Failure to change
This is by far the most common reason that you start seeing results that don’t fit your expectations. The reason you’re seeing fewer returns on the same exercises you’ve been doing this whole time is because you’re doing the same exercises again and again. Much like our brains develop a muscle memory after practice, our bodies do the same thing. The same strains and the same movements don’t require as much energy and effort. Diversifying isn’t only important to make sure you’re working out all the different parts of your body. Periodization is just as important for making sure that you’re not constantly getting stuck at plateaus, but you keep seeing improving results.
Believing the hype
One mistake that a lot of people that are new, or just particularly eager, will make is that they believe those fads that point out the latest and greatest secret. This is particularly true when it comes to diets. There’s no better time than now to learn that there’s no such thing as a superfood. Sure, goji berries, kale, and smoothies might all be particularly nutritious, but they have their limits. More often than not, the benefits of supposed superfoods and supplements are exaggerated to a great degree. These benefits sometimes go into the dangerous territory of prescribing certain things for real illnesses. False claims about Turmeric, for instance, would have you believe in its great medicinal qualities that simply don’t manifest in scientific trials.
Overdoing it
Getting zealous about your health is all well and good. However, it’s entirely possible to overdo it. There are two ways that people tend to push themselves a little too hard. You might work too hard on your fitness regime to the point you’re not only missing the proper rest your body needs, but you could also injure yourself to the point that your rest periods are so long that you undo all the good work you’ve achieved so far. On the other hand, with your diet, many will cut down their caloric intake to the point they don’t meet their metabolic rate. Anyone will tell you that eating under that metabolic rate not only makes it harder to lose weight but combine that exercise and you will find yourself reaching dangerous levels of fatigue.
It’s important to know that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions when it comes to maintaining a healthier lifestyle. As well as figuring out your own needs, you need to understand that they are going to evolve over time. The examples above are only examples. You should never stop educating yourself on your own health and making those little changes that unlock bigger long-term change.
