I'm Putting in the Work. Why Am I Not Getting the Results??

If you have been hitting the gym consistently for weeks or even months and you're just not seeing the results that you've hoped for, then you, my friend, my be suffering from what I like to call "Acute Stagnation Syndrome." Now understand that when I say "Hitting the gym" I don't mean actually going to a gym to exercise per say. I feel as if the world is our gym so if most of your workouts are outdoors or in the comfort of your own home then that's just fine! This goes for you as well!

If you want to figure out the best way to take your workouts to the next level and BeaT Yesterday, then ask yourself these 5 questions. Hopefully thinking about these questions a little will help you to figure out why you're still longing for those results that you deserve.

1. Am I lifting Weights??

If you want to see results, there's no way around it: You have to lift weights and build muscle [in my opinion]. forget that "fat-burning" zone on the treadmill that you trainer is telling you about [well don't forget it completely, but follow me here].

According to a new study published in Obesity, strength training is actually better at helping people lose belly fat compared with cardio. While aerobic exercise burns both fat and muscle, weight lifting burns almost EXCLUSIVELY FAT.    

Do your homework or find a trainer/friend who is familiar with weight training and get them to put you on game. I want to make sure that you are getting the proper introduction, I see soooo many people in the gym who did not... bless their hearts. Here are are a few of "Zo's Better Tips" to hold you over until then.

Dos: Seek guidance. Start with a weight-based workout 2-3 days a week, with rest days between sessions. Consider working out with a trainer to customize the workout that delivers the results you're looking for.

Don'ts: Skip the practice phase (super light weight to focus on your form). Beginners have to consider a few things, including improper form and using too much weight! Leave your ego at the door folks. 

2. Am I focused Before & During My Workouts?

This one is simple. GET OFF SNAPCHAT AND WORKOUT... I credit a lack of focus to the majority of people who aren’t getting much out of their workouts. I'm all for listening to some good music or even having on me while I’m working out, however, you may need to leave it in another room if you have to check your timeline every 5 minutes. Everyone at the gym probably hates you btw... especially the person waiting on you to finish on that machine they are waiting for.

An additional tip to help you with focusing more during your workout is to plan ahead of time. Know exactly what you want your workout to look like before you even get to the gym. It took me a while to figure this out one. Spent way too much time wandering from machine to machine before I started to plan ahead. Next, BUDDY UP! [good] workout partners help with keeping you focus, accountable and on track. Try out a few partners until you find someone who is going to push you to work harder and be more efficient.

My final suggestions is to not only focus on your workout as a whole, but to also focus on each individual exercise that you are performing down to the muscle group that you are targeting. I will discuss my personal mind to muscle theory principle at a later time, but for now just focus on refining the way you focus while exercising.

3. Am I SHOCKING MY SYSTEM?

Note that when I say “Shock Your System” all that I am really saying is that you need to switch up your workouts form time to time. Your body actually gets use to a routine after a period of time. I’m not sure how long that period of time may be, I believe that it is going to vary from person to person, but JAMES CAMERON and countless other fitness superstars say that they switch up their workouts every 4 to 6 weeks. Here is another good write up out of Men’s Health on this very topic. You can read it HERE. Read below for a few of “Zo’s Better Tips” for Shocking your system... 

Incorporate HIIT Training:

If you're use to running long distances then try to switch it up in incorporate High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to your routine or vise versa. HIIT can help you blast fat by working hard for set intervals, then incorporating active rest between sets. Sound interesting?? You can find some of my favorite HIIT workouts for my clients HERE.    

I Lead, You Lead:

Remember that workout partner that I was talking about earlier? In addition to using them to help keep you focused, partners can also help when it comes to creating your routine. If you lead the workout for a few weeks and let your partner lead a few weeks then you are constantly changing up your routine. 9 times out of 10 you will not love the same exercises, but that depends on your partner I suppose.   

Get inspired. Youtube It:

I really like to surf the web, either on Youtube or Social Media to look up different fitness folks to mimic their routines. I wouldn't start with a Kali Muscle workout routine or a Prancercise routine, but somewhere in the middle should suffice. Youtube is full of videos posted by fitness enthusiasts. You can subscribe to my channel HERE or follow my Instagram @zo_hopper. I plan to upload a lot more videos soon...

    

4. Am I Taking Care of Business Outside of the Gym Workout?

Okay, let's get serious momentarily. If you're still eating double cheeseburgers and fries from McDonalds in 2016... well let's start there {Please step into my office}.  I've never been on a diet. I don't even like the term. With that being said, my list would lack robustness without mentioning how important it is to eat right. Doesn't matter how much cardio or weight training you incorporate into your workout, your eating habits will always... always... have the biggest impact on your ability to lose fat, gain muscle mass, etc. 

MEAL PREPPING is a great way to really put your best foot forward when it comes to eating healthy. Especially If you are working most of the day.

I'm not a huge fan of tracking what I eat. Like I said, I’ve never been on a diet (even when I’m preparing for a powerlifting competition). This may have more to do with the fact that I am Type B, but that neither here nor there. Give it a try if you have never tried to keep a food diary. I find it more effective if I am just more conscious about when I am going to have a “cheat meal” and I try to limit those to just two days per week. Some folks get really serious about this nutrition thing and count their macro and micros and nanos and any other o’s that I don’t really know too much about.... Not my lane as of today, but talk to a nutritionist or one of these individuals for more insight if you are interested.

5. AM I STILL IN MY COMFORT ZONE??

Well... Are you? If you haven't figured it out by now, this entire post is about stepping outside of your fitness comfort zone. Don't be afraid to try new things. Do so and trust me, you will be cured of this Fitness Stagnation Syndrome.

Let me know what you think about these key points. Share your testimony in the comments below and tell me how you went about reaching your goals. Let's do better together!

With love

- Zo