We get it. You’re Training hard. You’re putting in the time in the gym. You’re sweating it out. But for some reason you’re just not getting to where you’re wanting to be.

What is it?

Is it your metabolism, your thyroid, that doughnut you had for lunch, or have you just got big bones?

The chances are realistically it’s probably not of the above.

I have been a personal trainer for 15 years now and worked with thousands of clients in differing capacities over that time.

The reality is that most of us are doing a few things wrong that with a little help can be avoided and we will see huge progress and most importantly less frustration.

In some cases of the above like a genuine thyroid condition medical intervention is needed to ensure that you can healthy first and foremost. How ever in others we are just not ticking the right boxes.

So now the all important list.

1. You’re just not doing enough

So you get to the gym once or twice a week. If you want to experience genuine change you are really going to need to up the work ethic. Making exercise only a habit one a week simply isn’t enough. Likewise twice a week if you’re really not bringing the intensity. Ensure that you are getting in a solid Focused exercise session at least three times a week for 45 mins per session to start to genuinely see you body start to adapt.

2. You’re fluffing your way through your sessions and not working hard enough

Are you more interested in scrolling your Instagram feed when you’re training than actually focusing on building the mindset and focused required to achieve results? Leave the phone in your bag or better yet, work with a trainer or in a class environment so that you are 1005 focus at the task at hand, not the latest cat meme or how you’re looking in the gym mirrors.

3. You’re inconsistent

Did you have a ripper training week last week? What about the one before that? And the one before that? If anything consistency to your training approach is one of the biggest factors along with intensity that is going to illicit change.

It is not enough to have focus for one week there and one week there. You need to have a consistent focused approach if you’re really wanting to get great results.

Think about those people that you know that have always just been fit… Do you think it’s a little bit of magic that they were born that way? Or do you think that potentially the fact that they always seem to be in that condition is a reflexion of what they are doing consistently and the habits that they have build over a lifetime that enables them to sustain such a lifestyle.

4. You’re just eating far too much

But I only had a bowl of Froot Loops for brekkie… Really? Maybe you’re not eating copious amounts of food but you’re definitely eating too many calories. Specifically the wrong ones.

As Australians we typically eat far too many simple carbohydrates for our activity levels. Higher calorie foods or more simply processed carbohydrates do have their place in our diets at specific times… Well most things at least, definitely not Froot Loops, but generally focusing on eating more wholistic real food in smaller portions sizes will help.

You may have heard the old shop on the outside aisles of the supermarket line? It does work. That doesn’t mean you should be eating nothing but toilet paper, but it does mean you should spend most of you time, energy and dollars on things like fruit, vegetables and lean protein rather than things that are packaged where you can.

5. It’s just a rest day. I needed it.

A rest day here and a missed session there is meaning you’re never actually following you own structured program.

I’m all for programmed rest and recovery, but make sure you’re sticking to your schedule. Failing to plan is planning to fail. But failing to stick to the plan can be just as bad.

If you’re body isn’t up to it one day that’s fine. Acknowledge it and regroup. But don’t let the day turn into to and go with old I’ll start again Monday.

For many people Monday never comes.

For some people there might be more than these 5 things holding them back. But for many getting these basics right will have a huge benefit.

Keep it simple. Keep it focused and you will get your body to where you want it to be.

As always. If you’d like some help reach out. It’s why we do what we do.

Want to know a little bit more about us?

Check out the video below.

– Luke

Give training with us a go!