Did you ever wonder why you tried so hard yet results are minimal? In this article, I will highlight some hard facts from my own experience, and how you can start making progress yourself.
Not Sticking to the Original Diet Plan
A lot of people have come up to me and presented to me their big plans. My question to them is always the same – are you ready to sustain and hold on to this plan through all sorts of adversity? I usually receive a blank stare. I don’t mean to be discouraging by asking this question, but I know exactly how it feels to make blank promises as I have been down this path before. Dieting is the most difficult part in any fitness regime because I always believe in the old saying- you are what you eat. If you stray a little, eventually, you will stray completely.
Sleeping Late
A lot of people think they can make up for sleep debt but little do they know they are actually adding more damage to the body.
Certain hormones are being released at certain times of the night to bring your body to its optimum condition. If you always sleep late, your body will produce less of these hormones to rejuvenate your body. Thus resulting in body fatigue.
Cheating On Diet
Just like any of you, at times I tell myself, ‘It is ok, just one time. I will diet harder tomorrow’. After years of lying to myself, I found that this doesn’t work anymore. I have to be honest with myself. Also, never believe in the so-called one-time tasting of food. You will eventually finish up all food. If you are a food lover, you will ask yourself why you are putting yourself on such a strict diet when you can enjoy food to the fullest? If you succumb to the latter, everything else will fall. Be it discipline, motivation, etc. Remember- If you want results, you have got to make sacrifices.
Low Amount Of Training Intensity
Back in the younger days, I would stop my set whenever I felt tired or felt a burning sensation in my muscles. I would feel like I was reaching a fatigue zone, thinking I have tried and pushed my hardest. Again, I was lying to myself. I would think that the more ‘pumped’ and more sweat I produced, I would have a better workout. Same goes for you! Do you really think you have tried your best? I must tell you that no, you didn’t. Too many people do not understand the meaning of pushing really hard. Try training for 2 hours straight and then at night again. Training once a day is not enough for results.
Wrong Exercise Form
I wasted one year lifting the wrong way and fortunately, I did not sustain any serious injuries throughout my 12 years of lifting. I would advise you to seek professional help if you need guidance on proper lifting techniques etc. A very simple guide I would recommend would be learning the major muscle groups and activating them during your workout. Eg. Pushup- main muscles activated: Chest. You should be feeling in your chest and then tricep muscles towards the end of exhaustion. In any case, you are feeling other muscle groups or your joints, you should stop and re-analyze.
Not Focused During Training
Too many times I have seen people using the phone more than concentrating on their exercises in the gym. The worst scenario was using the phone while exercising! Texting while squatting! Again, we are all human beings. I would do that on my low energy days, but I would advise staying focused for that one hour and to put all external matters aside, physically and mentally. For maximum results, you need concentration.
Lack Of Consistency
Inconsistency applies to both training and dieting. We cannot choose our training days if we are looking for results. Even on low-energy days, we have to psych ourselves up and do it anyways. Set yourself a date where you get to see results. If the date has approached and you still have not achieved it, evaluate yourself and question the ‘why’. From there, set another date and work towards it. In 2012, I actually dieted and trained hard for 4 months for a photo shoot before signing up for my 2nd bodybuilding contest.
Too Many Excuses
I am sure you are familiar with this! Well, I do have excuses too. We are all humans but we need to realize that making excuses is always the one factor which hinders us from being successful. Excuses create a chain of reactions – When you start having excuses, you will doubt yourself. When you doubt yourself, you will procrastinate. When you procrastinate, you will stop almost everything. Hence, never succumb to excuses. A good example would be: postponing a training session due to torrential rain. I actually go against the weather many times in my journey of fitness. I have run under the rain many times. I do not allow anything to stop me from progressing.
Peer Pressure To Eat Out
This is absolutely inevitable if you are a person with a big circle of friends or likes to stay out and socialize. While you are enduring a strict fitness plan, you need to reduce the number of times you eat out in order to see results. Yes, it is going to be lonely but this is the only way.
Loss Of Motivation
At some point of your journey, you will be at a crossroad and start asking yourself if this is all worth it. This is common. Back then when I was competing, I found myself crying during the difficult times where I need to push through. Motivation will be lost along the way. What keeps you going is your mindset. You got to have a strong will. With it, all can be conquered.
If you are reading each paragraph and find yourself giggling because you think I am absurd, I totally get it. Why? This information is not from what I read online but from my own experience. I was once like you. I failed in every aspect of life.
Finally, you really got to ask yourself if this is the lifestyle you want in your life; is this temporary or a life-long goal? With that, I wish all the best in your journey.
Your Coach,
Amirrudin Ong
