Last Updated on January 10, 2017 by Jeff
We all have goals that we want to achieve. Why is it that some people seem to effortlessly achieve all that they want, while others struggle to meet even the simplest of aims?
Here are five reasons people fail at their fitness goals. If you’re guilty of one or more of these things, it might be what is holding you back from achieving the body that you desire.
- Your actions are not aligned with your goals
You’d be surprised how many people have set goals, but are doing things which clearly don’t move them closer to reaching their goals. As an example – and I’m sure this will not be news to you – you cannot out train a bad diet if you are trying to lose weight. Trying to go to the gym and burn calories while continuing to eat donuts for breakfast is simply going to frustrate you. You do not have to be completely robotic and never eat the foods that you like again, but you need to recognize how your actions are going to impact your results and align what you’re doing with what you want.
- You’re not tracking your progress
If you don’t know where you started, or where you are now, how on earth do you know if what you are doing is working?You must measure your progress and keep tabs on how you are progressing. Failing to do so often leads to giving up because we think that we’re not making progress. When you are measuring, you are empowered. The data will tell you if you are doing the right thing or not. If you’re not seeing the results that you want, it doesn’t mean you have failed. It means you need to make some changes.
- You’re lying to yourself
How many times have you planned to train this week? How many calories have you planned to eat? What have you actually done? Lots of people are simply not following the plan, but do not admit it to themselves. They think they’re doing the right things because they’re very strict on their diet Monday – Friday. However, when a little digging shows that at the weekend it becomes a free-for-all and you consume 7,000 calories, it’s little wonder you haven’t seen the outcome you hoped for.Being blind to your ‘mistakes’ does not help you. You have to be honest with yourself and accurately assess what you’re doing. Failing to be honest with yourself will lead to failing to see the results that you hope for. It’s ok if you are not prepared to do the work. Just re-adjust either your goals or your motivation to save the endless frustration.
- You’re ignoring the basics
If you’re following advanced training principles and doing all kinds of funky workouts, but failing to eat enough calories, you are not going to build much muscle. If you’re only eating organic, farm raised Mongolian mountain food, but you’re eating 5,000 calories, you are not going to lose weight. It’s great to get advanced plans and really focus on the specifics, but they have to come in second to the basics.So many people are training hard and trying to eat well, but fail to drink enough water or get enough sleep at night. You have to get your priorities in order and do the things that are going to have the biggest impact first.Advanced routines are for advanced people. If you’re in your first 3 years of consistent training, you just need to do the basics and remain consistent. Consistency will always be the key to success.
- You have no intensity
A lot of people in the gym are simply not working hard. Turning up consistently is important, but you also need to put in the work while you’re there. Leave your phone in the locker and focus on working hard. Keep the rest periods short, push your body and always try to do a little bit more than you comfortably want to. It will pay dividends over time. Find a training partner or coach who can push you. You will always work harder with someone else watching over you. The final 10% is the most important 10%. Every rep outside your comfort zone is worth 10 reps that are inside your comfort zone.
Get a handle on these 5 things and I promise you will start to see better results in your training. Then it is simply a case of remaining consistent. Keep doing it, day after day, week after week, year after year.
You can get an incredible transformation in a short period of time, but all great physiques were built in years – not weeks.
