Every time you go to workout, there seems to be something that gets in the way of you getting it done.
Maybe it’s a scheduling issue, maybe it’s a lack of time, or maybe it’s just that you don’t schedule in the time.... or you're just too tired or lazy!
Whatever the case, it’s time to figure out what to do about it.
Start with these classic culprits to try to improve your workout success rate:
1. Scheduling and prioritizing
If you are going to make fitness a priority, you need to prioritize it.
Plan it into your day just like you would a meeting or your kids’ soccer practice.
Otherwise, it will continually get pushed to the bottom of the list and never happen.
When it is not on your schedule, it is easy to think of it as less important or negotiable and this means it might not happen.
Making time for it emphasizes the importance of it and prevents you from seeing it as something that you do “only if I have time.”
2. Sleep (or lack of)
Whether you have your workout first thing in the morning, or later in the day, both are going to be impacted by lack of sleep, as is the rest of your daily functioning.
During sleep is when our body does much of its recovery and repair and failure to have adequate shuteye means this doesn’t happen.
Not to mention you aren’t rested and re-energized to be able to optimize your workout.
Make sleep a priority to be sure it has a positive affect on your fitness.
3. The night before
Maybe you stayed out too late with your friends, drank too much alcohol at the work function, or didn’t eat a healthy dinner.
Whichever one might be applicable, understanding the effect of the day and night before on your workout is an important step towards long term success.
And while sometimes it just happens or other times there is a special occasion, most of the time, you don’t want it to be an issue.
If you find yourself feeling sluggish in the morning when you wake up, having digestive issues before you even eat breakfast, and just overall feeling lethargic and fatigued, it might be time to look at how you are fueling your body in the 24 hours before.
4. Other people
Whether it’s friends, co-workers, family, or your partner, if you let it, it’s easy to allow other people’s agendas, plans and opinions get in the way of your workout.
Maybe your friends make last minute dinner plans and invite you along.
Maybe your partner begs you to stay in bed a little longer.
Maybe other family members are constantly nagging you, claiming “you workout so much,” and trying to get you to skip a day.
While there are times when each of these situations are valid, it’s a rarity more than the normal.
You know your workout schedule that you’ve crafted and prioritized, now it’s your responsibility to stick to it and not let others sideline you!
5. Balance
Working out too much and not allowing adequate recovery time can lead to injuries, burn out, mental exhaustion and over-training.
Put simply, if you don’t have the right balance between the amount you are working out and the amount you are allotting to recovery, sooner or later, things are going to breakdown – literally.
To prevent this from side-lining your training, it is important to strike an accurate balance where you are training enough to see results, but recovering enough to reap the benefits of those results and continue to build upon them.
Listen to your body – it will tell you when it needs a break or needs you to ease up a little!
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