EVER feel like you’re training so much but you’re not seeing the results that you want to see? This may have happened to a lot of us. It’s like we work so hard but only to get so little, or even for some, no results at all.
Here are some reasons why your training might not be yielding its desired results:
You do too little
There is a saying that less is more; however, the body needs a decent amount of stimulus to result in an adaptation (the desired effect). You might work out half-baked, or while training you take too much rest talking, looking at social media, or what not. Maybe you don’t train intensely enough and just “go through the motions” of working out. It is hard to get decent results with these. When you train at random too, interspersing just about anything you can think of doing without any structure, you will get random results.
You might be doing too much
There are those on the other side of the equation who do so much training for so long and not get the results they desire. The body is a brilliant organism. Doing so much gets us to the point of overtraining, and overtraining often yields undesirable results. The goal is to be able to train as frequently as possible, as intensely as possible, and as freshly as possible. When in doubt, talk to a reputable coach to see where your training is at.
You might be struggling with a hormonal issue
Hormones are substances in our body that regulate body functions like metabolism, reproduction etc. Oftentimes, as a result of poor lifestyle habits like eating too much sugar, stressing out too much or not sleeping well, our hormones go out of whack resulting in unfavorable physiological adaptations that hamper exercise performance and results. If you think you’re struggling with hormonal imbalances, it’s best to consult your endocrinologist so you can be properly assessed.
Your training in the gym is hampered by your habits outside of it
Exercise habits and your life outside the gym preferably go hand in hand. Training well and not sleeping well do not go together. The same goes with exercise and drinking too much alcohol. These just don’t get the job done. One has to be critical of both their exercise and their habits out of exercise.
Troubleshoot your exercise by using this simple guide. “Are you doing too little? Too much? Is there a medical condition making you struggle with your exercise? What’s your life like outside the gym?”
When starting exercise for the first time, it’s best to consult your doctor.