Heyyyy...I hope you all are having a wonderful week!
Back to work after the Thanksgiving 'break' is not always the smoothest
transition, especially for those who took some time off of exercise to spend
time with loved ones. The easiest way to get back into your routine? JUST DO
IT! Simple as that. Its so easy to put it off and think "tomorrow I'll get
back" but why the wait? Just do it, guys!
Ok, so I know I talk all of the time on here
about ways to increase strength, and work that hard earned muscle. What I want
to focus on today are some sneaky ways that you could actually be
hindering your hard work in the gym causing you to lose muscle.
For those that are frustrated that you aren't seeing those results...well pay
attention to some of these tips, chances are you are falling victim to one of
these common mistakes!
Not Eating
Enough
This is a tricky one because many people are
'scared to eat' thinking they will put on weight. The truth is that it is
IMPOSSIBLE for your muscles to grow and change if you aren't taking in enough
calories. A restricted diet is great for losing muscle tissue, sure! But what
happens is your body will go into starvation mode, holding onto fat and letting
go of muscle. The body basically is going into shock mode, and keeps the fat on
your body as close to the organs as possible for protection You need to be
eating an adequate amount of PROTEIN.
The the less protein you eat, the less
of a chance you give your muscles to recover after a workout. A
sufficient daily protein intake is the single most important dietary requirement for
maintaining muscle.
Not eating
properly around your workouts
I talked all about post workout nutrition in a
previous post found here with some awesome ideas for you to
take home!
There are two main types of carbohydrates:
Simple:
(think white bread, honey, maple syrup, dried fruit, white rice, white potato,
quick oats, rice cakes) These are quickly converted into energy for use in the
body and are great post workout
Complex: (Think
sweet potato, whole grain bagel, toast, english muffin, brown rice, quinoa,
rolled oats) These take longer to digest but will provide you with long lasting
energy. Complex carbs are your primary fuel source pre workout
After any higher intensity workout the body is
entered into a catabolic state.
It is here that your muscle glycogen is depleted and the increase in cortisol
levels start to break down the muscle tissue. To get out of that catabolic
state, it is important to consume an easily digestible post workout meal packed
with mainly protein and carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen in addition
to aid in muscle repair.
The amino acids from the protein and the
carbohydrates from the post workout meal provide an insulin spike from the
pancreas, which shuttles nutrients into the muscle cells.
Now, in regards to
fat. Healthy fats such as olive oils, all natural nut butters, coconut oil,
sesame oil (the list goes on) are excellent to have in your diet! The benefits
of healthy fats are endless and they are a nutrient needed by the body for
energy, healthy skin, vitamin absoption and everyday bodily functions.
While most of your other daily meals
should contain a source of healthy fats, the fat content after a hard workout
should be kept very minimal because fat slows the absorption of the carbs and
protein into your body.
Now, this doesn't mean that you can never have
fats post workout. You should have what works for you. These 'guidelines' apply
generally to those who have a very intense workout. If you enjoy having peanut
butter in a slice of whole wheat toast after your workout, by all means keep
eating that! I am not here to tell you what to eat and what not to eat. I am
simply stating some information that is out there and because I recieved an
email asking about fats post workout, specifically. ALWAYS remember, what works for YOU may not work for the person next to you; we are all unique and react differently.
You Do TOO MUCH CARDIO!
Ah the word cardio brings to mind
so many different thoughts, doesnt it? To most it is a confusing word. How
much, how often, steady state or HIIT? Although cardio bring about a different
connotation to different individuals, the bottom line is that too much cardio
will hinder muscle growth. For me cardio is a tool. I use it when I feel
like it, if I feel like I want a good sweat session, but honestly? I am not at
all a cardio queen and really have seen greater changes in my physique and
strength when I cut back on it.
I LOVE HIIT training when it comes
to getting my heart pumping. I keep my sessions super intense and super
efficient.
Performing cardio too often, too
long or even on an empty stomach can be a HUGE factor in why you are not
gaining muscle, and in some cases even gaining weight. Generally, daily
cardio sessions simply burn too many calories to allow you teh surplus you need
for muscle mass, and same can be said for sessions that are greater than 45
minutes.
Obviously if your goals are for
performance or endurance events, this is a whole other story, but if you are
looking to see real physique changes in your body, too much cardio will get in
the way of this.
Again, personal preferance does
come into play here and this is just what I think and what I do. Generally…
I rarely recommend JUST cardio or do much of it myself. My cardio of
choice is always HIIT on the treadmill performing interval sprints or incline
walking as well as the revolving stair machine. I try to perform HIIT 2x a week
and 1 day of some incline walking. That is a total of 3 days of cardio no
longer than 30 minutes. Ever.
You have been doing the same routine...forever.
I have talked about before how
important it is to have a routine if you want to see true changes and stay
motivated. I also have mentioned (in the 15 things I have learned post) before that as
a trainer, we NEED to have set plans for my clients so I can see them progress
and get stronger. A trainer should not be creating a brand new workout for you
every single session. This is not only pointless but it also shows that your
trainer doesn't really care to see you progress. How can you
get better, stronger, leaner,
reach your goals if there is no real goal at hand? With that
said, doing the exact same workout week after week,
month after month, may not only hinder your goals at hand of achieving a leaner
physique but may possibly lead to burn out. I have a whole post here about ways to change it up in the gym- and most are
simpler than you think. Our bodies adapt quickly to the demands we place on
them and failing to bring about new challenges to your muscles
(increasing weight, changing reps/sets/workout schemes) will only cause your
body to stay at that plateau.
-Do your research and seek out new
workouts/exercises and different elements to change up your workout.
You Don't Let
your Body Recovery Properly
"Naomi, I workout 7 days a week, is that
bad" In one word...yes. And moreover, you must really not have a life to
want to work out 7 days a week! Ah overtraining, I have experienced it before
and let me tell you it is no fun. Not only is it mentally draining causing
extreme fatigue and tiredness but I LOST strength. Physique
changes actually happen outside of the gym, believe it or
not. Overtraining is SO common with those who just love to workout
and scared of getting fat if they don't. It is however extremely dangerous and
could be detrimental to the immune and adrenal systems. SEVERE decrease in
strength will occur because you are just not letting your muscles recovery
properly! Signs and symptoms right here!
Taking rest days are an
INTEGRAL part of any exercise program. It is during this rest period that your
muscles actually grow, change and recover so you can have killer
workouts going forward. The day I started
performing less volume but focusing on quality, compound workouts and
proper program set up, is the day that I was able to perform 2 full, unassisted
chin ups (I mean not that day, but you catch my drift)
There are a couple of ways you may
not be getting adequate rest for your body.
- First, you could be training too many days without taking any days off. Even if you don't 'feel' that you need a break, your body does need one COMPLETE day of rest to recover; and its not just to help with muscle growth but also to give a break to your tendons, joints, and organs.
- Second, you are not letting muscle groups properly rest between training sessions. If one muscle group is sore from a workout you did the day before, its simple...don't train. You won't look like a tough guy when you realize your strength gains severely decrease-trust me.
You Don't Train Your
Whole Body
Focus on compound movements, rather than isolation.
Check out some of my favorite new exercises that are big, compound
moves. I am talking squats, dead lifts, chin ups, bench,
and of course some plyos thrown in the mix. I cannot tell you how much stronger
I feel throughout my entire body. When I do a set of push ups now, I feel my
back being activated more than ever before and I can also notice a huge
difference in my back; it is more defined and this is simply from toning down
the volume of my training and completing more compound, 'back to basics'
movements in the gym. train your body in the way it was supposed to move.
Splitting up your body parts "chest/back" "shoulders"
"legs/abs" will prevent your muscles from learning how to
properly move and work together bu in bigger movements that require real
strength and coordination such as dead lifts, squats, bench, pull
ups.
You Neglect
Your Warm up/Corrective Work
Foam roll. If you don't do it. Do it. You’ll squat stronger, lift heavier and all around move better, if you use a foam roller before
your workout. They break up scar tissue and and adhesions which are
the knots inside of your muscles. Foam rolling will not only allow for more
efficient muscle contractions and instant strength but it will also improve the
tissue quality of your muscles which
will help to increase flexibility when preforming big lifts. I rarely
go a day without foam rolling and I have seen dramatic strength changes (not
just due to foam rolling, but I know it is a big factor)
Corrective work is
also something that is neglected by most but really is the utmost important
factor if you are looking to gain strength and improve muscle definition. Like
I mentioned before, You wouldn't build a house without a solid
foundation so why force the body to perform something that is shouldn't?
Corrective work helps you to MOVE better which is what you need to
perform bigger movements more efficiently and correctly. If you do not
know how to properly fire your glutes, then you have no business performing
a squat; its just a waste of time.
You Aren't
Getting Enough Sleep
While you sleep, this is the time that HGH (Human
Growth Hormone) is released. Your body needs adequate rest so that your damanged
muscle cells can repair and thus get stronger. You should aim for at least 7-8 hours of sleep at night.
- Don't drink caffeine within 2 hours of bedtime
- Try not to exercise and get riled up 2 hours before bedtime
- Have a set 'routine' before bed to get you in the habit of a great night's sleep
- Try to wake up and go to sleep the same time each day and night
- If you are having trouble, try reading in bed or listening to soothing music
- Eat quality foods, preferably 6 small meals throughout the day.
- If you have hit a plateau, try changing up your routine!
- Sleep 7-8 hours each night
- simple carbs and protein post workout
- Carbs, protein, fat 1 hour pre-workout
- Warm up properly using the foam roller and corrective work OR exercises that mimic the movements you will be performing (doing heavy squats? Perform bodyweight squats to warm up)
- Train using BIG COMPOUND lifts rather than isolation
- Stay motivated!
- Make sure you are not overtraining. Take at LEAST 1 COMPLETE rest day a week
- Quit the steady state cardio and try HIIT which aids in fat loss, is fun and efficient
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