Why You’re Not Seeing Results
There’s nothing more frustrating than months of hard work followed by zero results. You’ve tried different workout routines and you’ve given it your all during each session. It feels like by now you should’ve seen some sort of change. So, what gives?
Full disclosure, the answer to this question is quite involved. There are many factors that can lead to a lack of results. Addressing each component in detail would take far too long for anyone’s attention span, so let’s look at a few common errors and see if we can help set you on the right track.
You’re not exercising correctly
Although technique is very important, that’s not what I’m referring to. I’m more concerned with your program and whether or not it’s in line with your goals. Maxing out squats and deadlifts isn’t the best way to burn fat, and spending hours on the elliptical isn’t the most efficient method for getting ‘toned.’ Different modes of exercise are designed to help reach different goals.
Goal #1: Fat Burning
If you’re looking to lose weight, the main thing you need to focus on is burning calories. This doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in the gym each day. Plan your exercises in a way that maximizes caloric expenditure (calories burned) in your allotted time frame. Depending on your preferences and experience level, this could be a run on the treadmill, intervals on the spin bike, or a circuit workout with weights.
Don’t forget, being active outside of your workout will also benefit you: take the stairs instead of the elevator, park a bit further away from your office, or walk a loop around your neighborhood. Remember, if you’re looking to lose weight, you’ve got to burn burn burn those calories!
Goal #2: Everyday Stamina
Maybe you’re happy with the way you look, but you feel like everyday tasks should be a bit easier. If carrying the groceries is challenging, or walking up a flight of stairs gets you winded, there are exercises for you! Focus your efforts on ‘real-life’ exercises. Farmer carries (walking with weights held at your sides) can help with those groceries, and the stair-stepper machine can help you practice for the real thing. Or maybe you’re a runner who is trying to better your times. This is best done by replicating the real deal: run different routes or perform plyometric exercises that mimic running form. If you’re trying to increase the ease of activities you already do, train with higher exercise repetitions (15-20) and shorter rest periods (15-30 seconds.)
Goal #3: Targeting Muscle
Whether you’re going for definition, size, or strength, you should consider resistance training. Depending on your experience and comfort level, this can be done at home with bodyweight exercises, or in a gym with heavy weights. If you’re looking to build strength, increase your resistance and perform a lower number of repetitions (2-6) with longer rests (2-5 minutes.) If you’re targeting size or definition, repetitions of 8-12 with rests of 30-90 seconds are your best bet.
Any program you choose will need to have variation in order to avoid plateauing. Changing your focus, using different exercises, or altering your rest periods are all ways to take advantage of variation. Remember that systematic variations with planned outcomes are going to be more beneficial than just ‘winging’ it. This is where a personal trainer can come into play.
You’re not resting
Proper sleep is crucial for whatever goal you are trying to achieve. However, rest is about more than just sleep. We’ve discussed what rests should look like during a workout, but how much are you resting between your workouts? If you had an absolutely killer workout, are you back at it first thing the next morning? Or do you wait until your muscles are feeling ‘back to normal’ before your next bout of exercise? Hopefully you fall somewhere between these two extremes.
Despite not wanting to sound like a broken record, your experience level and goals should be taken into consideration. If you’re new to exercise, you may start with four rest days per week. If you’re used to more strenuous workouts, be sure to rest every three or four days. By ‘resting’ I mean taking it easy for the day. You can still be active, but not in your typical ‘workout’ sense. Your body needs rest in order to properly recover and have continued success.
Your diet is undermining your work
It doesn’t matter how many hours you put into achieving your goal if you sabotage them with the foods you eat. The United States’ cuisine is high in red meat and starches. We tend to overeat salt and sugar and undereat fruits and vegetables. If this sounds like you, you’re far from alone. Knowing what’s ‘good’ or ‘bad’ is can be difficult in our fad diet culture. And just as a personal trainer helps you with your exercise goals, a nutrition coach will help keep your diet on track. The truth is, exercise and nutrition go hand in hand. When these two things are both in check, no goal is impossible.
You haven’t given yourself enough time
We’ve heard them all: ‘good things come to those who wait,’ ‘all great things take time,’ ‘have patience with all things.’ As cliché as these may be, there is truth in all of them. You know change won’t happen overnight, so don’t act surprised when it doesn’t. Results can take weeks to feel and months to see. Even though the process may be slow at times, keep reminding yourself that quitting won’t speed it up. The longer you stick with your plan, the easier it will become, and the quicker you will see results. If you want to make a change, show up everyday.
Take Away
Knowing where to start or how to change a routine can be a difficult and complicated process. Having this knowledge is wonderful, but being able to apply it is crucial. Personal trainers can help you manage all of these components in a way that fits your schedule and addresses your goals. Before you quit on yourself, find someone who can help you make sense of it all. Proper nutrition and exercise regimens don’t have to be perfect, but they do have to be consistent. Find what’s right for you and start bettering yourself today.
Citations
“Nutrition in the Personal Training Setting.” NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, by Jared W. Coburn and Moh H. Malek, Human Kinetics, 2012, Chapter 15.