Health and Fitness | Personal Growth | Healthy Body

4 Workout Mistakes People Make When Starting To Workout Again

The older we get, the more we must do to get our bodies in working order. BUT, we need to avoid mistakes as well!

Let’s face it, some of us are starting to take medication, some of us don’t have the time to take care of our bodies the right way, some of us just don’t feel like getting back in shape. Whether that’s you or not, realize that time affects you the same as it does everyone else. BUT, you can take back control and, even though you can’t stop time, use it to benefit you, your body and your life.

Is it easy? Nope. No one ever said it was. But not making mistakes will make the whole process easier. So, here are 4 of the most common mistakes people make when they start working out.

1. Do What They Did In High School.

For a lot of people, the only reference of being in shape they can personally think of is when they played sports in high school. So, it goes without saying they assume that’s the way they should always workout. The issue now is, and sometimes it’s a tough pill to swallow, it’s been a LONG time since High School! A lot has changed; where they live, what they drive, they may have kids or grandkids now. But they seem to forget one thing that has changed drastically….their body! They probably aren’t as skinny; They probably don’t run as fast; They probably have a couple of more creaks when they get out of bed in the morning. (do I need to go on?)

So, doing what they did all those years ago just doesn’t make sense. A new plan has to be put in place. Don’t skimp on this one, it’s too important. The best thing to do is find someone who you feel comfortable with, talk to them about training and workouts, and go from there. See, simple!

2. Think Cardio Is Best Thing To Do.

Even though it has been written about extensively all over the place, middle age and older folks think the best thing they can do to get in shape is some sort of cardio: ie, Treadmill, Elliptical Machine, Bike, etc. BUT, in reality, if they do workout, cardio should be the LEAST of their focus at the gym.

Here’s the logic; most people feel they are over weight, so they think the cardio machines will be their best form of workout to get them to lose the weight. (Sound familiar?) Now, doing cardio workouts are better than doing nothing, but for weight loss, there is another way.

Think of it like this, if your body is in the shape of a pear, and all you do is cardio, you will lose weight, but you’ll look like a skinny pear. To lose weight properly, a resistance type of workout is what should be focused on.

By resistance type of training, I’m talking about weight training. It could be with weights, body weight, or something called dynamic resistance. But we’ll tackle resistance training methods in another writing.

3. Think They Know It All.

This train of thought usually applies to the guys more so than the ladies. Why? I call it the “Macho Factor”. Does this mindset sound familiar…

“Heck, working out is a piece of cake, I’m a guy, I know how to do it. I don’t need some other guy telling me how to lift a weight.”

Yup, that philosophy happens more often than not. (Ladies all over the place are nodding their head YES to this!) The best thing someone can do, at least when starting a new workout or getting back to the gym, is ask for help. Ask someone who’s been doing it or trained to do it for help. This is your health, take it seriously and leave that “Macho Factor” crap at the door!

4. Don’t Have a Plan.

Working out is a LOT more than going to a gym. There should be a plan in place. What should you lift? How much should you lift? Which order should you do the exercises? Should I do machines, free weights or body weight exercises? What should I eat or drink? This stuff should be thought about before you start working out. As stated above, most people have no idea how to do it, so it’s best to find someone that does! Get a plan and follow it for a few weeks. As you get further along, you can alter that plan to better suit your needs.

There you have it, 4 mistakes people make when they start working out and what can be done about it. Yes, this is only some basics, but there is more information for bringing you back to your youth!

As I stated, find someone who you can relate to and seek out their advice. There are people all over the internet that can help you with your fitness and health, but it’s up to YOU to find them! Go for it!

Hey, do you want to read more about Andrew? Here’s a fun article for you…