Exercise mistakes

Not happy with the results you are getting (or not getting)? Feel like all the hard work in the gym isn't paying off? Then perhaps you are making some classic exercise mistakes. Below we have identified what we feel to be the 5 key exercise mistakes made by women, even fit women.

1. You don't exercise with weights
Weight training is THE single best way to tone up, increase lean muscle tissue and control your weight. Resistance training helps to increase your metabolism, which in turn means that even on a day off from the gym you'll burn more calories!

Exercising with weights also reduces the risk of developing brittle bone disease, also known as osteoporosis. Weight training places stresses on your bones which means that they have to adapt and become thicker and stronger, ideal conditions to reduce the onset of brittle bone disease.

2. You're scared of developing big muscles
Weight lifting can build big muscles. However, the amount of weight lifted must be exceptional. Although you should be constantly aiming to progessively lift heavier and heavier weights (progessing as soon as a particular weight feels easier to lift) women have rarely got the genetic structure and / or hormonal capabilities to build large muscles.

If you lift weights your muscles will develop tone, shape and a sexy sleekness. You should aim to lift between 8 - 12 repetitions with any given weight. If it feels like you could do more the weight is too light.

3. Your cardio workouts are too easy
Many magazines suggest that working at low exercise levels (approximately 60-70 percentage of your maximum level) is ideal for fat loss. This common mistake originated because at these low-moderate levels fat is the primary fuel used during exercise.

However, weight loss and weight management is about burning calories not necessarily fat per se. At higher exercise levels (70-85 % max.) you will burn more calories (during the same exercise time) and you will have a better chance of reducing your waist line.

4. You think sit ups will reduce your waist line.
Sit ups and crunches help tone up the tummy and abdominal muscles. They do not, however, burn fat or for that matter even that many calories.

The only way to reduce the amount of fat held around the stomach is to exercise aerobically at least 2-3 times a week, for at least 20 minutes and no more than 60 minutes AND watch your diet and calorie intake.

5. You eat too much food
If you think that going to the gym gives you an excuse to pig out you will never lose the weight you wish to. Exercising burns lots of calories, but many nice foods (chocolate, sweets, cakes, fast food etc) carry a bucket full of calories.

In order to burn that extra chocolate bar you may have to do a hour's extra running! Think on.

Additional information
Five great exercise tips
Why diets don't work
Why the fat burning zone is a myth
Weight loss myths exposed