OUR New Year’s resolutions may be long dead but our feeds are still full of exercise tips, fitness inspiration and meal prep images. For those of you less “fitspo” and more inclined towards a curry on the sofa, sometimes even just making it to the gym is hard enough.

    So once you’re finally at the gym, make sure you’re not wasting your precious time with the 10 common traits that waste both time and energy when we could be really working out.

    1. Over-training

    We’ve all been there — the moment when you realize you need to get in shape and you end up pretty much living at the gym hoping that your body will see results in a week if you hit it nonstop.

    “It’s a marathon, not a race,” says trainer Robyn Zawadzki. “Over-training will result in fatigue and you will be more likely to give up. There’s no need to be in the gym seven days a week for two hours.”

    2. Talking

    While your gym buddy can motivate you to get to the gym, they can be distracting you during the crucial points of your workout. Zawadzki admits it’s great to train with a partner but suggests that we should spend the time going hard in our reps/work and chat in the rest points instead. This is great for when you’re doing high intensity or interval training.

    3. Avoiding weights

    The weights room is sometimes the most intimidating part of the gym and many of us avoid it, thinking that lifting weights will make us big and bulky. Zawadzki says that to make the most of your time, we should be cross-training. Lifting won’t make you bulky, it will actually make you lean and defined.

    4. Focusing on one area

    Your tummy may be the problem area but spending 45 minutes only doing sit-ups isn’t going to get you the results you need. To get a flatter stomach, you need a mix of cardio alongside the core ab work to really make a difference.

    5. Selfie-ing

    It’s tempting to take a picture, just to prove to your social media friends that you’ve worked out but let’s be honest, you’ll take about 20 pictures to get that perfect shot, when that’s 20 squats you could have been doing. Put the phone away and leave it in the locker.

    6. Not planning

    Let’s be honest, we’ve all done it — wandering aimlessly from machine to machine and not really sure what you’re doing. Zawadzki suggests setting a workout plan before you walk through the doors to really make the most of your time. A planned workout is an effective workout.

    7. Grooming

    Slicking on a bit makeup before the gym? “There’s no need for the pre-workout groom” says Zawadzki, “if you’re doing it right you ain’t gonna look pretty at the end. So why bother?”

    8. Resting

    You’re allowed to rest but sitting down and chatting lowers your heart rate and cools the body too quickly. To recover between sets, try walking or a low impact cycle. Don’t forget to rehydrate during your rest periods.

    9. Being scared to try new things

    If you stick to the same routine all the time, your body will reach a plateau. Zawadzki says it’s best to try a bit of everything. “If you can’t do it the first time, don’t worry. Just try again.”

    Try mixing an interesting class like boxing or rebounding, with varied machine work and mixed impact exercises in order to keep your body working hard every time you go to the gym.

    (SD-Agencies)