5 Reasons You’re Not Seeing Strength Training Results

So you’ve been strength training for weeks but those muscles are adamantly refusing to pump up and show for it. Your waistline, on the other hand, just wouldn’t reduce. The chest isn’t shaping up and that dream body is slipping away every day.

Well, you feel like blaming your genetics for it but probably your parents (one or both) gained weight post-parenthood. Not wise, is it? You are looking around for reasons other than yourself to vent out that frustration, but when all has been said and done, your fingers point back towards yourself.

If you’re reading this and are agreeing to every word here, we know you’re in a fix. It isn’t easy to spot the precise reason why your training routine isn’t giving you results.

Here is a list of top 5 reasons why this might happen and what you can do to overcome it.

1.    Your Nutrition is Off the Hook

First and foremost, you are what you eat. Particularly when you’re spending hours at the gym daily, you need to make sure the food you consume is adequately delivering all the nutrients that you need. A well-balanced diet is labeled so for a reason!

Depending on your training regime and your goal, your nutritional requirements will vary. Check in with your nutritionist to fully understand what your body needs and in what quantity to be able to function properly while also delivering the results you want to see.

No matter what you do, do not eliminate any nutrient altogether. Some folks recommend cutting out fats or carbs completely from your diet while you binge on proteins. In most cases, this doesn’t work. In fact, it’ll put you down the road to more health problems. Moderate the quantities of nutrients and foods as recommended by your nutritionist. You eat too much or too little and you won’t see a difference in your body no matter how hard you try.

And on this note, don’t forget to factor in your beverages. Your early morning coffee impacts your body as much as the alcohol you consume at the late night parties. These calories are also adding up to your daily body requirement. It is not just about your meals; even the snacks you eat to manage hunger during late afternoon or before dinner is affecting your body. Make sure everything you place in your mouth is accounted for.

2.    You are Overtraining/Undertraining

You don’t need to be a fitness freak to understand that your body deserves rest days. If you’re working out six days a week, it is safe to assume you are overtraining your body. Likewise, if you can only force your lazy self out of the couch and into the gym about two days a week, you are undertraining. Both these cases won’t deliver the results you need.

When you train, your body goes through extensive wear and tear. Your muscles are pulled apart and your joints are jolted. There’s nothing to worry about – it is how your body builds strength and stamina. But what’s more important in this equation is getting enough rest/sleep. This is the time your body rebuilds itself. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your training routine will begin to work against your goals.

Consistency is the key. Make a routine that you can stick to and let it shape up your body. If you’re following your mood swings to decide whether to go to the gym or not, you’re giving in to the worldly temptations that’ll keep you from the fruits of paradise. Don’t just pick your days, pick your hours as well. Be patient and consistent; success will surely be yours.

3.    Training without Professional Guidance

Unless you’re a fitness freak or you’re fully aware of your body needs and training routines, we recommend you to hire a professional trainer to train with. There are quite a few reasons why you should do this.

For one thing, professional guidance means you’re holding the right posture for every exercise so that the right muscles are being used to support your body. Incorrect postures can lead to zero results if you’re lucky and to horrific joint injuries even dislocations if you’re not. Particularly when you’re starting out and your only source of information is the internet, trust a professional trainer’s instinct. They’re there to give you results.

Another important reason why professional trainers are indispensable is this: you need to mix up your exercise routines for an overall effect. A trainer will guide you better in this regard. They’ll help you chart up the exercises you’ll do every day and how you’ll alternate between them. If you try doing it yourself, you might end up doing too much or too little, affecting your results.

Maybe your trainer puts you on cardio a little more frequently than you’d like for yourself because your body is asking for it. Or maybe HIIT isn’t the thing for you because of certain conditions. Strength training doesn’t mean you’ll only be training with weights; you need to add a bit of everything. The right person to ask for a recommendation is your trainer.

4.    You are Stressing Too Much

Getting into shape with weight training won’t happen overnight. Don’t panic, don’t stress, and don’t be impatient. You’ll only end up delaying your outcome.

Too much stress is unhealthy and doesn’t allow you to focus on your strength training exercises. Try adding meditation or yoga into your routine. Relax those nerves and let your body do its thing. Maybe you have a tight deadline for your strength training goals – you’re possibly preparing to take part in sports or games sometime soon. Relax! The more you stress over it, the more difficult it will become. Let your routine run its natural course and give you results over time.

5.    No Supplements

If you’ve tried and tested everything and you’re still not seeing results, you might want to add a few supplements to your daily routine. These concoctions work like magic at times. However, don’t overdo it. You should know how much your body can take which is why you should work with a qualified nutritionist.

Your nutritionist and your personal trainer will further tell you what the safe recommended dosage is. What’s better is that most professional dieticians and fitness trainers have incorporated telemedicine into their practice so you can contact them using your smartphone and laptop. Do not overdo supplements unless you want to become a sad news story.

Change doesn’t happen overnight. Give it time and effort and you’ll see it for sure. Wish you all the best!