Sometimes it can be tempting to reward yourself with a doughnut or another treat after a workout – after all, you deserve it, right? Well, not if you want to keep pushing your progress forward, says Chris Kelly, a CrossFit level-1 trainer and certified personal trainer in New York City. Although it may feel like just making it to the gym is half the battle, the real challenge comes during the time that you’re not sweating it out. So don’t take all of your hard work and pour it down the drain by committing one of these fitness crimes.
1. You Don’t Fuel Properly Before Working Out
Unfortunately, cramming an entire pizza in your mouth isn’t the nutrition your body needs. But don’t even think about working out on an empty stomach! Your muscles can’t perform at optimized levels if you’re not giving them anything to work with. “It’s like going on a cross country road trip on a quarter tank of gas,” Chris said. Since your body uses carbohydrates for energy, it would be smart to choose healthy carbs paired with protein (like oatmeal with Greek yogurt or whole wheat toast with peanut butter) about 90 minutes before throwing on your Nikes.
2. You Don’t Warm Up Your Muscles
The goal of a warmup is to increase blood flow to the muscle groups that you’re going to use during your workout. This will give you have a better range of motion, so if you jump into it cold, you risk pulling a muscle or not getting as many benefits from your workout as you could be. “Think five to 10 minutes of dynamic movements or dynamic stretching,” Chris said, suggesting arm circles and straight leg kicks. Don’t forget to cool down for five minutes as well. Holding a stretch or position for 45 seconds to one minute at a time will decrease lactic acid buildup – which can cause muscle fatigue and failure.
3. You Don’t Map Out a Plan
“In terms of effectiveness, having a plan and finding a reliable source is going to make it easier to know you’re doing the exercises most beneficial to you,” Chris said. Smart gym-goers know what it’s like to get pumped for a workout only to find that someone is using the cardio machine or weights that you were banking on. Not only does a plan keep you on track, but it also keeps you accountable so you don’t skip out on those last 15 minutes.
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