Doing Everything Right But Not Seeing Results?
Wonder why your hard work at the gym isn’t paying off? If you feel like you’re doing EVERYTHING right, but still not seeing the results you know you should be getting, you might be making one of these common fat loss mistakes. I’ll help you avoid them!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
The 5 most common mistakes sabotaging results
S.O.P. to fix these mistakes
Why strength training trumps cardio (even weighted cardio)
You’re going to the gym 4 times a week, tracking your macros and taking 10,000 steps a day.
So why aren’t you seeing any muscle definition or fat loss?
You might be making one of these common mistakes. How common? I’d say that 3 in 4 new clients that come to me for help are making one, if not more, of these fat loss mistakes. And as soon as we fix them, the results start popping in.
🆘 Mistake #1: Undereating Protein
Protein is absolutely crucial to achieving body composition, strength and physique results. This is an easy-to-accept idea for someone who wants to build muscle and strength. But what about fat loss? Why is protein so important for fat loss?
Why protein is so important for fat loss:
Muscle preservation: because a caloric deficit is almost always required during a fat loss phase, you want to do everything you can to maintain muscle mass. The more muscle mass you can maintain, the higher your metabolism stays and the easier it is to lose fat.
Satiety: protein is filling. Think about eating a cup of chicken versus a cup of potato chips. That cup of chicken is going to fill you up and keep you feeling full faster and longer than the chips will. This is really important for keeping calories in check during a fat loss phase.
Thermic effect: protein has a high thermic effect. Your body uses 10-30% of the calories from every gram of protein simply to digest and absorb it. Eating a high protein diet increases BMR right out of the gates.
Muscle repair and growth: even during a fat loss phase, your number 1 goal in the gym should be to strength train with the intention of maintaining, even building, lean muscle. Protein provides the building blocks (amino acids) necessary for muscle repair and growth after workouts.
What’s more important: eating at a caloric deficit or eating enough protein?
Both.
In the quest to cut calories, many people skimp on this vital macronutrient. Turns out, that’s a major fat loss mistake.
Why?
Because most people are not used to choosing protein over carbs and fats. It’s not a matter of “can I hit this goal in my deficit?”. It’s a matter of “am I making the right food choices to hit this goal in my deficit?”.
Tips to hit your protein goal while in a fat loss phase deficit:
Eat 25-30 grams of protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Include at least 1/2 a serving of protein (~12-15 grams) at every eating opportunity.
Eat your protein first.
Choose “high value” protein sources like chicken, fish and bison. These foods are lean and contain the essential amino acids your body needs.
Supplement as needed. Whole foods are always recommended, especially when eating at a deficit. But using a clean protein shake or bar is not a bad option if you find you’re too full to hit a high protein goal.
Download my Protein Sources PDF to expand your knowledge of the best protein sources.
🆘 Mistake #2: Doing Weighted Cardio Instead of Strength Training
It’s not new news that strength training is essential for building muscle, improving body composition and YES, losing body fat.
If this is new news, check out the articles below:
The Truth About Cardio for Fat Loss – the idea that cardio is the best form of exercise for weight loss is widely believed and deeply ingrained because cardio can burn lots of calories. However, this is a misconception.
The Best Compound Exercises for Fat Loss – These multi-joint movements engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making them highly efficient for both strength building AND calorie burning.
Fire Up Fat Loss for Summer – There’s no need to deprive yourself or turn into the 2-a-day cardio queen to shed a couple of unwanted pounds if you give yourself time and do it right.
Now, back to why this fat loss mistake is such a crucial one:
Strength training is the only form of exercise that specifically builds lean muscle mass. read that again This is because proper strength training creates the necessary stimulus required for your body and brain to react by building muscle tissue.
But there are some parameters to what makes this all happen:
You must be working within 3 reps of failure. Within 2 reps is likely better.
You must rest between sets to fully recover for the next set.
You must use progressive overload to consistently introduce new reasons for your body to grow.
This kind of workout 👆 is not the same thing as a circuit training class, a hiit class, or boot camp style workouts. Those are what I consider “weighted cardio”. It just does not trigger the same physiological response and therefore, you will not get the results you’re expecting.
🆘 Mistake #3: Not Truly Committed to the Long Game
Reality: whether you’ve truly taken it to heart or not, fitness is a lonnggggggg game. It is a lifetime journey. There is no better journey to be on than the one that keeps you healthier, happier and alive for longer.
As soon as you recognize that and really accept that to your core, fat loss mistakes dry up and disappear and everything changes.
Results don’t happen overnight. And they are not 100% predictable. You could do everything “right”: eat 130 grams of protein, drink a gallon of water, hit 10,000 steps, get 8 hours of sleep, PR in your workout…and unless you cut off a limb before bed there’s no guarantee that the scale is going to go down by tomorrow. That’s not how bodies work.
Ignore the fad diet trends. Commit to consistently consuming clean, whole foods, plenty of protein and staying hydrated.
Don’t sign up for a hardcore 30-day cardio challenge. Invest in a realistic but challenging strength training plan that has cardio and mobility play supporting roles.
Leave the fat burner supplements on the shelf at GNC. Get in the habit of taking a high-quality multivitamin and creatine every day. Better yet, get some bloodwork done and really figure out what YOU need to keep your body thriving.
Do all of that, practice patience and I promise you your body and life will be healthier and fitter for longer.
🆘 Mistake #4: Not Following a Plan That is Built for You
Physical transformation comes from having a strategic, progressive plan that is designed individually for your body and your lifestyle. Is it possible to get in shape with a generic plan? Sure. But it won’t be as fast, as effective or as personalized to your needs.
Benefits of having a built-for-you plan:
exercises programmed for your body type, posture, body mechanics and capabilities
personalized cues and recommendations based on how you move, what your specific goals are and what equipment you have to work with
a long-term map with short-term stepping stone goals scheduled in to keep you on track and motivated – skipping the plateaus!
specific exercise selection, intensity, volume and frequency to meet your needs and goals
correctional exercise to fix imbalances
After that, it’s consistency and commitment that creates the results you’re searching for.
Curious what the process is for getting a plan that is built to fit you? Let’s connect >> Fit for You.
🆘 Mistake #5: All-or-Nothing Mindset
“At its root, perfectionism isn’t really about a deep love of being meticulous. It’s about fear. Fear of making a mistake. Fear of disappointing others. Fear of failure. Fear of success.” — Michael Law
It isn’t realistic to aim for 100% adherence. And yet when it comes to getting results, the idea of perfection can be one of the biggest fat loss mistakes mentally and physically.
What’s better than perfection (whatever that is)? Consistency.
When you aim for consistency instead of perfection, you can improve your adherence and get better results for your efforts.
Ways an all-or-nothing mindset shows up on a fitness journey:
committing to an incredibly low-calorie diet Monday-Thursday only to hit an energy and will power wall on Friday and spend the weekend using up all those banked calories, plus some.
letting one day off track turn into 2 turn into 20.
skipping a workout because you don’t have time instead of fitting in what you can.
letting stress drain you to the point of having no energy for your workout, but forgetting that exercise is actually an amazing stress reliever.
trying to “make up for” a missed workout or big meal.
Don’t get so hung up on trying to do it perfectly that you end up not doing it at all.
Create a Plan B
One strategy that I’ve found to be highly effective in shifting from a perfectionist mindset to a consistency goal is developing a contingency plan: a Plan B for when life doesn’t follow the schedule you set out for it.
For example:
If I can’t finish my workout during lunch, then I’ll do what I can and take a walk after dinner.
If I don’t have time to shop for groceries today, then I’ll order from the local spot with amazing salads.
If things don’t go perfectly…I can still make good choices.
Adopting a balanced approach allows for sustainable progress and greater results.
In summary, these are the common fat loss mistakes holding people back from getting the results they are working so hard for:
Missing your protein target in favor of restricting calories. Make a point of hitting your protein goal. If you need to cut out a fat or carb here or there, do it. If it pushes you just over your calorie goal, do it.
Doing weighted cardio instead of strength training to build muscle. Skip the hiit class in favor of some sets under the barbell. Push yourself close to failure. Take your rest periods.
Scrambling for immediate satisfaction instead of trusting the long game.
Following (or program hopping) a plan that was built for someone else’s goals, body and schedule. The best plan for you and your goals is one designed for you.
Placing perfection on a pedestal. Let consistency be the goal and you will be far happier and far more successful on this journey.
