January is the BUSIEST month of the year in each and every gym and fitness studio! It comes as no surprise as everyone is eager to get exercising to fulfill those New Years Resolutions and get back on track following the excess and over indulgence that goes hand in hand with the Holidays!

Whether you are brand new to the fitness world or returning after an injury or break from your routine, STOP and Read this post before you go any further!

We’ve partnered with two amazing Fitness Trainers here in Edmonton: Erin Pryce- Boese and Marcus Henry of Body By Me Training to help prevent you from making the 5 Most Common Mistakes people make when heading back to the gym in the New Year!

 Erin and I after one of her killer KO Boxing classes at Champs Fitness! 

Five Most Common Mistakes to AVOID:

1. Take on too much, too fast. Starting a new fitness routine means you are trying to establish a new habit or create a new lifestyle. It takes time. Be patient and ease your way into your routine. Make small changes. This is so important, especially if you have had no type of fitness routine prior to making this decision. Maybe start with incorporating exercise 1-2 times per week to begin with and then after a couple weeks add another day or two.
2. Be patient with your progress. Progress takes time! You may not see changes in your body right away. Do not let this discourage you or cause you to quit. Push through a be patient, because trust us, you’ll see it!
3. Mimic someone else’s fitness routine. Your body is not the same as the next person, and that is incredible! However, our differences mean that one fitness routine may not be as effective on your body as it is on someone else’s. That is OK! Play around and find something that works best for you. Again, this will take time and patience. And, if you need help, call in an expert, Like Erin or Marcus! An educated and experienced trainer can help you design and modify a program tailored to you!!
4. Quit after one bad day. Bad days happen to everyone. What makes the difference is how you choose to deal with that bad day. So you fell off the “wagon”, ate something you considered to be “junk food” and missed a workout, now what?  Do you continue the pattern and miss more workouts because you “missed one already”? Or do you let that one day go and jump back into your new, life changing routine? The choice is yours!
5. Do not take the time to warm up or cool down properly. You are putting your body through intensive stress with every new workout. Every new movement is a shock to your body. It is crucial to take the time to properly warm up and stretch it out after. This will help limit the severity of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) which can often deter people from returning to their fitness routine. Give yourself 5-10 minutes at the beginning AND at the end of your workout to give your body the treatment it deserves.

Have fitness questions? We are by no means experts- but Erin and Marcus ARE! Feel Free to reach out to them by email at bodybymetraining@gmail.com or via their website here!