Misguided targets are a reason fitness routines can become derailed. Initially, a person might start exercising because he or she wants to lose weight. Unfortunately, weight loss, rather than fat loss and strength building, eventually becomes the only goal, and it becomes increasingly difficult to achieve over time. This leads to frustration and a growing lack of interest.
The problem with this approach is that you might reach your target weight through dieting and light exercise, but also retain a higher percentage of body fat compared to a person who exercises more while watching their food intake, and who loses weight more slowly.
The upshot is that while weight loss through dieting is faster, it can also slow down the metabolism. In the end, a person who loses weight mainly due to dieting (general loss of overall mass) will burn fewer calories than someone who exercises and practices moderate eating habits (which builds muscle and burns fat). In addition, the former will actually find it harder to maintain the lower weight.
People can also wind up sabotaging their fitness routine by not getting enough sleep. On the other hand, when a person does sleep an adequate length of time, sleep quality is poor. What this means is that it saps what could have been a full tank of energy each morning. Over time, this can lead to a disinclination to carry out anything but the most routine of tasks, i.e., wake up, go to work, come home, and go to bed.
Poor or truncated sleep for more than two days a week means you won’t burn as much fat or build muscle as well as you could after having a good night’s sleep. A few ways to ensure that you’re well-rested is by keeping to a regular sleep time, and ensuring that your bedroom is completely dark at bedtime. Avoid watching TV in bed or using the computer before you sleep too, as this can cause mental restlessness.
Aside from this, it’s also important to treat injuries immediately, as untreated injuries can lead the body to compensate for decreased function elsewhere. Not only that, not sticking to proper eating habits, e.g., avoiding fats altogether, binge eating on weekends, assuming all drinks have 0 calories, is another way a person hampers their own fitness progress.
