1. NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP
Sleep might not feel like an important part of your work out, but news flash: it is. "The time between the sheets and the mattress is where your body changes the most," notes Leo Medley, Head Coach at David Lloyd Clubs. "There are two main forms of sleep, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep (non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep). REM sleep is a lighter form of sleep which occurs as you are 'falling' asleep and prior to you waking up, and normally can account for around 1-2 hours of your sleep per night.
2. NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER
You naturally become thirstier while actively exercising, but drinking more water is a practice you should continue outside of the gym, too. "The body is made up of lots of cells. In order to function optimally these cells need water, both inside of them (intracellular) and outside of them (extracellular)," explains Leo. "When the body is lacking water, it becomes dehydrated. Most people determine dehydration by their levels of thirst, but at the point where you feel thirsty, the body is already dehydrated. Dehydration negatively affects your mood, concentration, memory, skin condition and basic motor skills and also effects your body’s ability to burn fat efficiently.
3. DOING TOO MUCH HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training has been the workout of the moment for some time, and David Lloyd Group Exercise Manager Marie Graham predicts its popularity is likely to continue. But there's also a risk that doing too much can be counterproductive, Marie warns.
4. NOT EATING ENOUGH
Your body needs fuel in the form of food to perform and repair, but when your calorie intake is too low, you might be depriving it of "vital nutrients it needs to grow lean muscle mass and burn fat efficiently," explains Marie. To achieve weight loss you do need to be in a calorie deficit (consuming fewer calories than you expend through the day and exercise), but if your calorie intake dips too low, you face the risk your body going into starvation mode, "forcing the body to conserve food and store as fat," she adds - which is probably the exact opposite of your intentions.
5. NOT STRETCHING
At the risk of sounding like your school PE teacher, stretching is super important - so you shouldn't ignore it as part of your routine. "Stretching and mobilising is super important to not only maximise the results of your workout through improved range of motion. but will also help to reduce the risk of injury and potentially improve your performance," explains exercise manager Marie.
6. TRYING TO 'OUT-EXERCISE' A BAD DIET
Sorry folks; a bad diet is a bad diet, no matter how much you try to compensate with physical activity. It's tempting to indulge in unhealthy foods, especially when your mood can be low in January, but Head Personal Trainer at David Lloyd, Alistair Crew, explains why it's counterproductive to eat badly alongside exercising. "The calories we burn with exercise are minimal compared to the calories we take in from bad food consumption," he says. "So while you might have the best workout routine ever, if you make bad food choices post workout – including lots of saturated fats and sugars - this will undermine the time and effort you spend in the gym."
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