How To Overcome 5 Common Weight Loss Hurdles

Calgary weight management | Maybe you started a rigorous workout routine with high hopes and boundless dedication, but somewhere along the line, you stopped seeing results. Perhaps you've struggled with weight management for years, or maybe a professionally-designed fitness and weight management program has always seemed out of reach to you. All of these roadblocks can feel incredibly discouraging. In this post, we'll go over five fitness roadblocks...and then give you the tools to break through them.

1. You Just Can’t Stay Motivated

Just as a positive mindset can boost your progress, a negative one can bring it to a halt. Skipping the gym out of boredom or apathy can sometimes lead to days or weeks without following your weight management routine. At other times, you might keep attending your workouts, but find that your focus and enthusiasm are lacking. This can lead to weight loss plateaus and inconsistent progress. 

How To Set Your Motivation Back On Track

• Use a set gym time or personal training schedule: after a few weeks, fitness will become an essential part of your daily routine.
• Introduce new elements into your workouts to stave off boredom.
• Practice mindfulness and positive thinking.

2. You’re Not Getting Results...And It's Starting To Discourage You

There are few things more frustrating than putting in all of your effort workout after workout, only to realize you aren’t hitting your desired fitness checkpoints. However, even if you're working hard, there are several reasons why you might not be getting the most out of your workouts.

Common Fitness Pitfalls

• Training too much: Overtraining, and not giving your body the right time to recuperate, can actually slow down your progress AND increase your risk of injury.
• Not training enough: Hitting the gym three times a week might be a fine way to start out, but as time goes on you may need to increase either the duration or intensity of your workouts to continue progressing. If adding extra time to your workout is too much of a squeeze to your schedule, ask your trainer about interval training and weightlifting, both of which tax your body for a short time but provide long-lasting benefits. 
• Not having a cohesive training plan: there’s a fine line between keeping things fresh with a varied workout routine, and having a regimen that’s intense, yet too disorganized to yield any results. Many people believe that their workouts should "confuse their body" and don't stick to anything long enough to gain benefits. A personal trainer can provide you with exercises that strike the right balance for your health needs. 

3. You Feel Like The Best Personal Training Options Are Out Of Reach Financially

This one can be really tough: when your or your family's financial situation is not as stable as it could be, it might feel irresponsible to pay for the training options you really want. However, there are a few ways around this hurdle.

How To Stay Frugal While Getting Fit

• Build a home gym on a budget: with some free weights and/or resistance bands, you can get a full-body workout.
• Use bodyweight exercises.
• Create modified exercise equipment: For example, a chair can take the place of a gym bench when doing tricep dips or dumbbell rows.
• Take advantage of community resources: many communities have recreational centres or even free sports activities on certain days of the week.
• Use free options for cardio: instead of going to a gym or purchasing cardio equipment, you can hit the sidewalk or use a jump rope.

If you're ready for personal training but not a gym membership, you can easily enroll in online personal training or take advantage of professional workout videos.

Online Personal Training

4. You Just Don’t Have Time For Fitness and Weight Management

Family and work obligations can sometimes make it easy to fall off the workout wagon. Things get busy and before you know it, you've traded in your morning run for a few precious moments of sleep and are grabbing a donut on the way to the work instead of prepping your usual morning smoothie.

Even if you do manage to stick to the basics of your regimen, tiredness can result in lackluster performance at the gym. Plus, sleepiness and stress create cravings for sugar and caffeine (your body is seeking a quick energy boost).

Crunched For Time? Here's Your Gameplan!

• Take a day to prepare all of your meals in advance: It may be hard to carve out the time, but for the rest of the week you won't have to spend another moment peparing food or looking for a quick, sugary fix.
• Focus on quality, not quantity in the gym: Plan your routine ahead of time, and come as prepared as possible with a stopwatch to time your reps, and a water bottle to avoid unnecessary trips to the fountain
• Remember that it's okay to take care of yourself: Even if you have other obligations, investing in your health reduces your risk of illness in the future, and boosts your happiness and vitality in the present.

5. You Think It's Too Late To Start

Maybe you've never had to work out or diet before, and are noticing some unwanted changes in your body as you age. Maybe you've always been too self-conscious to start a fitness routine. Maybe you've always struggled with being overweight. These very real hurdles can make it incredibly difficult to take those first few steps.

It can definitely be intimidating to walk into a new gym if it seems like everyone except for you knows exactly what they’re doing.

However, we guarantee you that:

• most people are far too preoccupied with their own workout to notice or judge anyone else.
• individuals can achieve fitness at any age.
• everyone's health and fitness journey is totally unique, but with the right regimen and training, what you think is impossible is absolutely within your reach.

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Still Struggling With Weight Management? Contact Us!

If you're struggling with any of these common fitness roadblocks, don't hesitate to reach out to the Dreambody Team. Paul has facilitated Calgary weight loss and fitness transformations for decades. Call us at 403-612-3538 or message us online to start a customized weight management program or fitness regimen today!