Exercise Routine |

When combined with a healthy diet, exercise can accelerate the rate at which a person loses weight, but only if executed correctly.

For example, those who spend an hour walking at a steady pace on the treadmill may not get as much out of their workout routines as individuals who do shorter spurts of interval and anaerobic training.

If you feel burned out and have come to dread your workouts, or are failing to see weight-loss results, you may be doing things during your fitness routine that are sabotaging your weight-loss efforts.

Here are four signs your exercise routine isn’t doing as much for your health and weight loss as you may think.

1. You feel tired and burned out when thinking about exercise

If you’re dreading your workouts, then it’s possible you may either need to change your routine and do exercises that are more enjoyable, or something is going on in your life that is impacting the way you feel about exercise in general. Are you lacking sleep? Did you eat a healthy meal before going to the gym? Do you hate your current exercise routine? These factors can impact your desire to exercise and cause you to get less out of your workouts. If you’re lacking sleep, try focusing on getting quality sleep, and if you’re feeling sluggish, eat more high-protein foods prior to your workout to get the energy boost you need.

2. You’re trying to maintain the same pace as others

While the gym has the ability to foster competition, which can be healthy at times, trying to keep up with everyone else can also be detrimental — especially if your body and fitness level is different from those you’re competing against. Instead of trying to keep up with everyone else, focus on what makes you feel comfortable and push yourself without comparing yourself to anyone else. As long as you’re being challenged, you don’t need to go at the same pace as others to see weight-loss results.

3. You’re giving up too soon

Many individuals will give up on going to the gym a few weeks or a few months in if they haven’t gotten the results they’ve wanted from their workouts. If you’re just starting out, it could take several weeks, months, or years before you start seeing serious results based on your personal health history. Additionally, some forget that while the scale readings may not change, they may still be losing inches as a result of converting fat into lean muscle mass. When you feel discouraged, just remember that exercise will help you lose weight and become healthier when you stick with it.

4. You’re overdoing your fitness routine

While pushing yourself during your workouts and doing a variety of activities you enjoy can be fun and make you think as if you’re making progress, sometimes doing too much can have the opposite effect. When your muscles become fatigued and don’t have a chance to fully recover, your workouts could result in injury and setbacks. Injuries can also occur as a result of doing certain exercises and moves before your body is physically ready and conditioned for them. Avoid overdoing your workout, and listen to your body. Stop when your body feels as though it needs to stop before an injury occurs.