4 Common Reasons You Aren’t Seeing Progress At the Gym

Are you putting in the effort at the gym but feeling frustrated by the lack of visible progress? If so, you're not alone.

Here are 4 of the most common reasons I have seen with the hundreds of people I have helped to transform their bodies:

1. Changing your workouts way too much/Not having a structured progressive plan.

I keep my clients on the same programme for 4 weeks to work on the principle of progressive overload.  The benefits of progressive overload in your workouts include increased strength, muscle growth, and ongoing improvements in your fitness levels. We want to increase our muscle mass when losing weight so that we have an increased metabolism at rest and so we get that ‘toned’ look.  Changing your workouts every week is a sure fire way to limit your progress.

2. On the flip side of this, I see a lot of people who have just done the same workouts for months and months and even sometimes years...

Not only is this potentially pretty boring and demotivating therefore making it harder to stick to your goals long term, it also isn’t optimal for getting results as it's likely you will plateau without a structured progressive programme.  Ideally your workouts are well-structured and challenging and progress every 4 weeks.

3. Inadequate Nutrition for your goals.

You might be working out a lot, but if your diet doesn't align with your fitness goals, progress can be elusive.  An imbalanced diet can hinder muscle growth and fat loss.  You need to hit a daily protein target to build muscle which will help to get you results in the gym and give you that ‘toned’ look you desire. 

It also helps to have structured phases of training, what is your specific goal right now?  Is it to build muscle or is it to burn fat?  Most people will want to achieve both at the same time but chasing both goals at the same time generally results in less than optimal results unless you are new to training or have great genetics. 

If you’ve been training for a while with little progress then pick a goal and stick to it and have your nutrition reflect that goal with either a calorie deficit to lose weight or higher calories to support building muscle.  

4. Focusing on fancy exercises you have seen influencers on the internet doing.

A lot of what people see fitness people doing online with their workouts (some weird banded one leg jump squat) is not what that fitness influencer did to get in shape.  They are showing that to get engagement on their posts aka clicks and likes.  Remember that Instagram especially is mainly just entertainment.  

In Conclusion

It's important to remember that fitness journeys are unique to each individual, and progress rarely follows a straight line.

By addressing the common issues that can hinder your progress at the gym, you're taking a positive step towards reaching your fitness goals. Keep in mind the importance of nutrition to reflect your goal, smart workout planning and embracing the principle of progressive overload.

It’s important to celebrate the small wins along the way and don't forget to enjoy the journey itself. Your body is capable of remarkable transformations, and with determination, you'll see the progress you've been working so hard for.

So, get back to the gym with renewed confidence, apply these strategies, and watch your efforts turn into results. 

Keep pushing, keep growing, and keep progressing. 

Don't give up, the path to success is paved with persistence (and a sprinkle of strategy)

Always remember that strategy is your friend.  

I hope you got some value out of todays article!

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P.S Whenever you are ready you can take the first step to us working together by booking a free no obligation call.

By us working together, I can simplify and strategically plan your weight loss journey for you without you having to give up your favourite foods or do endless cardio to get results that last. 

You can take the first step by booking in for a free 15 min call here