You likely have some bad habits: biting your fingernails, leaving your makeup on at bedtime, or bailing on breakfast. Whatever your downfall is, know that it means you’re just like everyone else in existence. Each and every person could improve upon who she is and the things that she does. And never is that more true than when it comes to working out.
In a perfect world, you’d have all the time and equipment you needed to exercise when it was completely convenient for you. Exercise would be fun, and in the end you’d feel refreshed and invigorated. But the world isn’t perfect. Instead, you probably have a small window of time to fit in fitness, which leaves you sweaty and frazzled, instead of glistening and blissful.
Regardless of your routine, being rushed or preoccupied can slow progress toward fat loss and body sculpting, or worse, can lead to injuries or illness. See if any of the five bad habits listed are a monkey on your back. If so, try the tips to free yourself toward healthy and improved fitness.
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- Skipping Warm Ups: Warming up is all about getting your body ready to adapt to whatever workout you throw it’s way. Activities such as running, strength training, and even yoga require you to get the blood pumping and your muscles warmed. Heated muscles absorb shock better than cold, which reduces risk of injury.
Fix: Try our Fun Ways to Warm Up.
- Skipping Warm Ups: Warming up is all about getting your body ready to adapt to whatever workout you throw it’s way. Activities such as running, strength training, and even yoga require you to get the blood pumping and your muscles warmed. Heated muscles absorb shock better than cold, which reduces risk of injury.
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- Drinking Too Little Water: The average body is made of up 50-70 percent water. When you exercise, your body heats up. To cool down, your body sweats–decreasing it’s water make up. While it might not seem like a big deal, dehydration can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and headaches, to name a few. If dehydration is regularly occurring, it can affect how well you’re able to operate each day and possibly lead to more concerning conditions with the kidneys, heart, and other parts of your body.
Fix: Drink up. Here are 11 tips to take in more H2O.
- Drinking Too Little Water: The average body is made of up 50-70 percent water. When you exercise, your body heats up. To cool down, your body sweats–decreasing it’s water make up. While it might not seem like a big deal, dehydration can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and headaches, to name a few. If dehydration is regularly occurring, it can affect how well you’re able to operate each day and possibly lead to more concerning conditions with the kidneys, heart, and other parts of your body.
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- Not Stretching: Tight muscles can lead to torn muscles. Keep your body safe by becoming as flexible as you can be. Work in stretches at the end of your workout when your body is warmed up and loose.
Fix: Give yourself a goal of doing the splits. Let us show you how!
- Not Stretching: Tight muscles can lead to torn muscles. Keep your body safe by becoming as flexible as you can be. Work in stretches at the end of your workout when your body is warmed up and loose.
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- Avoiding Strength Training: Strength training is probably one of the best and most efficient ways to tone and shape your body. Unlike cardio, working with weights can have fat blasting effects even after your workout has ended. Strength training is also a good way to keep your body strong and in good health as you age.
Fix: Do some squats. Tone your arms. Tighten your abs.
- Avoiding Strength Training: Strength training is probably one of the best and most efficient ways to tone and shape your body. Unlike cardio, working with weights can have fat blasting effects even after your workout has ended. Strength training is also a good way to keep your body strong and in good health as you age.
- Getting Stuck in a Rut: Doing the same exercise routine every day is a good way to get bored and an even better way to stop seeing results. Your body will become accustom to something if done enough–it’s called “workout plateau.” Instead you need to switch things up so that your body never knows what’s coming next, and thus will develop on a broader scale.
Fix: Try something new. Take a hybrid class to get the benefits of two or more different fitness styles. Or just try a class that you’ve never done before. Also, be ready to work in workouts at different times of day, such as at lunch. All you need is prepacked gym bag.
Exercise is supposed to help you get healthier and strong. Working on breaking bad habits so that your workouts don’t have a negative effect instead.
What is your worst habit (fitness or not)? Share with us in the comments!
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Carrie Anton is a freelance writer focusing on health, fitness, and sports. She's been published in Self, Women's Health, Oxygen, and Maximum Fitness.
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