Why you're not getting results in the gym

Going to the gym provides great health benefits, like weight loss, muscle building, weight gain, and more. Additionally, most people consider it as a form of strengthening their discipline in terms of practicing consistency.

However, there comes a time when people may start to notice that the effort they are putting into the gym is ungratifying.

As a gym goer, there are some milestones that you had set at the beginning of the year. In case these gym goals are not yet met, then you may need to go back to the drawing board and look at the underlying reasons that are hindering you from attaining your goals.

Citizen Digital spoke to Aggrey Omambia, a fitness instructor and personal trainer to highlight some reasons why you may be in a gym rut and also how to get out of it.

BEING IMPATIENT

Omambia says impatience plays a major role, especially for new gym goers, who he notes join the gym hoping to get results overnight.

He states that they should practice consistency to detect progress, noting that some people can lose, gain, or maintain weight when they start their fitness journey. He attributes this to the body adjusting to the workouts.

“Some people do not see results because their body is adjusting and they are impatient because maybe they recently started working out so their body may adjust by either losing or gaining weight or maintaining the weight,” he says.

The period in which the body adjusts to the workouts is fully dependent on the individual's metabolism because people have various body types that act differently. They include; mesomorph, endomorph, and ectomorph.

“It can take three to six weeks for the body to adjust depending on the individual’s body types, some may take longer, others a short period per their metabolism,” he notes.

However, Omambia states that after nine weeks the gym goer should begin considering factors that may be at play other than body adjustment. 

“If you do not see results after six weeks to nine weeks there are other reasons affecting your training apart from the adjustment of the body,” he says.

OVEREATING AND UNDEREATING

The fitness instructor says that some people turn to fasting by cutting down on their meals, with the hopes of losing weight. However, this does not bear good results as they may even gain weight or maintain it instead.  

Overeating can also reduce the chances of attaining gym goals, especially when there is snacking involved, which mainly consists of taking snacks like cookies which have a lot of sugar. 

“Some people tend to overeat or undereat when they have started their training, which affects their metabolism," Omambia explains.

For people who underfuel, their body modifies to hold onto the little food intake before they take their next meal. In the process, the body has more fat so that it can compensate for the calories that the body requires. 

“Those who overeat, their metabolism is high so they tend to eat a lot, unaware that they are eating calories that their body could do without. If you are losing weight you need to work on a calorie deficit and if you gain muscle then you need to add more calories,” he advises.

Omambia suggests that those who get into fitness should alter their lifestyle by trying out alternative foods with less sugar, wheat, and bad curbs. 

Additionally, he instructs people to have four meals a day in small portions and take more protein to fasten their metabolism, instead of undereating.

“If a person is used to taking bread for breakfast, they can try eating sweet potatoes instead. It is easier to replace a diet with another that they can take comfortably rather than one they end up detesting, which triggers them to resume bad eating habits,” Omambia recommends.

NOT RECOVERING AND LACKING ENOUGH SLEEP

Regaining energy after using most of it in the gym is very essential. Omambia notes that after training, some people consume food rich in sugar and calories instead of one that would help in recovery.

He explains that foods rich in protein are recommended for intake after a workout, as they boost quick recovery.  

“After you train, mostly in the first hour, you should take a protein. However, some people do the opposite, they finish training, then stay longer without eating, only to ingest food deprived of enough protein later,” Omambia notes.

Additionally, gym goers should prioritise having enough sleep, because that is when fat is burned in the body.

“When you are training, you spend the most energy, but when you fall asleep that is when fat is burned,” he says.

NOT READJUSTING WORKOUTS

People who diversify their workout routine get better results than those who focus on one. 

Omambia says that people who experience plateauing need to add different workouts in their training to notice an improvement. 

According to him: “Training is like an addiction, your program can be effective for the first few months, but the body tends to master your exercises, which leads people to plateau in their exercises. It is advisable to change the workout program three to six weeks if you notice a gym rut.” 

DOING WORKOUTS THAT DO NOT MATCH YOUR GOALS

Nowadays there is a lot of information on the internet on how to lose weight. However, people fail to research which exercises align with the intended goals. 

Omambia advises that people should avoid starting programs without setting their desired goals. Additionally, he recommends that people avoid doing workouts that are not structured for their body types.

“If you do not understand your body and the amount of calories your body partakes in a day then you will struggle to make progress,” Omambia states. 

He advises people who can afford a personal trainer to get one, arguing that they are more knowledgeable and can help them thrive in their fitness journey.   

“People who have never been to the gym need a trainer to form a good foundation of their training, like which meals to take and workouts that match the desired goals,”  he notes.