Are you new in the whole workout routine process, and all you hear from your “always rested, refreshed, and energetic” gym buddies is how they took their pre-workout supplements, consumed optimal amounts of protein, how they planned out every meal perfectly, eating each right on time, got a good sleep the previous night, and so on?

Even though you do your best, you do realize that your setbacks may be due to certain bad habits or workout mistakes, still you are not 100% sure which are the pitfalls that can obstruct your workout progress . . .

Here, we’ve chosen worst workout mistakes you do in the gym that may be thwarting your fitness efforts.

Related: 4 COMMON MISTAKES YOU SHOULD AVOID IN THE GYM 

Forgetting to Stretch

Stretch lightly before each workout! This way you will warm-up your body and prevent injuries, muscle soreness and improve circulation and flexibility. 

Don’t skip stretching for at least five minutes after your workout in order to avoid soreness and to be able to hit the gym the following day. Post-workout recovery stretching will encourage your muscles to form new muscle and improve blood flow.

You Shortchange Easy Day Recovery

Even if you have the feeling that you did minimum effort during your last workout, skipping your recovery is not the way to go. Taking care of your body and recover properly is the core to training it right. Trust us, your body will thank you for treating it with respect.

Staying in Your Workout Shoes

After a tiring workout the muscles in your feet also get tired, and nothing feels better than getting out of workout shoes after a tough run. Make sure you put on a supportive pair of shoes afterwards, especially if your legs or feet are feeling extremely spent.

Not Getting Out of Damp Clothes

Even if you didn’t sweat that much, change your worn or soggy workout leggings for clean, dry ones immediately after the workout, regardless if you can shower right away or not. This way you will prevent a deep chill and will keep your muscles warm, keeping the blood flowing — which is crucial for the recovery process. 

Focusing on a Single Body Area

Concentrating only to certain movements and muscle groups while excluding others can lead to imbalances and weaknesses in certain areas. Do short but high intensity exercises in order to avoid that, that’s the best way to benefit your entire body.

Forgetting to Hydrate

You can never get too much of a fresh water, especially if you sweat a lot during your workouts. Not staying hydrated during and after the training may decrease your energy and even worse — make you feel chronically dehydrated. The golden rule is to consume 30-35 ml water per kg of body weight daily, and an extra 500-1000 ml for every hour of exercise.

Eating Your “Guilty Pleasure” Calories

Put McDonald's burgers and Dunkin' Donuts on your blacklist! Avoid skipping your post-workout meals and have some healthy snacks preferably within 20 to 30 minutes of finishing instead. Do your efforts this snack to include protein, a little fat, and some complex carbohydrates for replenishing energy needs.

Doing Heavy Chores

It sounds like killing two birds with one stone: while sweaty, why not run errands or do some heavy chores before getting cleaned up? What you will actually achieve is tiring your muscles unnecessarily, especially when you are partially dehydrated and/or starving after your workout.

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