Featured in – Tips to stop derailing yourself
5 habits that are secretly derailing your fitness goals
Written by: Tara Meakins, Body+Soul
Elixr Health Club has been featured in a Body+Soul article, offering valuable advice on how to avoid common habits that may derail your fitness goals. From breaking free of the all-or-nothing mindset to the importance of proper breathing, fueling your body, and balancing rest with training, our experts share their tips to help you stay on track and find joy in your fitness journey.
Read the full article below and discover how small changes can make a big impact.
Don’t let bad behaviour undo your progress.
Whether it’s telling ourselves that we’ve had a big boozy week and we’ll get back to the gym on Monday, or pushing ourselves through workouts that just don’t spark joy.
Sometimes when it comes to our fitness goals, we’re the ones standing in the way.
So here’s everything you might be doing wrong, and how sometimes all we need is to reframe our mind.
#1. You’re stuck in the perfectionism trap
“A common habit that derails fitness goals is the ‘all-or-nothing’ mindset,” Imran Malik, Exercise & Fitness Program Director at Elixr Health Club, tells Body+Soul. “Many people believe they need to train perfectly or follow a strict plan, but the truth is that any training is better than no training.
“It’s not about being perfect”, he explains. “It’s about showing up and doing what you can.”
Malik recommends finding classes, trainers and activities that you like. “Because when you enjoy the journey, you’re more likely to stay consistent,” he says. “Progress happens over time, and the key is to focus on moving regularly, not obsessing over perfection.”
#2. You hold your breath
Ever get halfway through a move only to hear the instruction say “and breathe out” only to realise that you’d been holding your breath the whole time? “When we’re concentrating on a new move, or if something feels particularly tough, it’s common to forget about your breath entirely,” Rachel Crompton, Elixr Health Club’s Head of Pilates, tells Body+Soul. “One common mistake among beginners is neglecting their breath – either holding it or inhaling and exhaling at the wrong time.”
Which is a big no-no, particularly in Pilates when correct breathing is so important. “Effective breathing connects the mind, body and core – it’s the key focus of pilates,” Crompton explains. “The same can apply to yoga and other forms of exercise. Controlled breathing in the gym or steady breathing techniques while running help keep oxygen flowing to your muscles and regulate your blood pressure.”
#3. You skip a warm-up or cool-down
When you’re strapped for time and just want to power through a workout, it can be all too easy to miss a warm-up or cool-down. But Victoria Rich, Elixr Health Club’s Head Of Swim Schools, warns that doing so could cost you.
“Skipping this crucial step could negatively impact your performance – or, even worse, lead to an injury that stops you from exercising altogether,” she tells Body+Soul. “Warming up prepares your body mentally and physically to meet the demands of your workout or swim. It prepares your cardiovascular system for physical activity and stimulates an increased blood flow to your muscles. This reduces the risk of injury and unnecessary strain on your heart and lungs.”
Equally, taking the time to cool down allows your breathing and heart rate to gradually return to normal. “Stretching after your workout is said to aid the process of releasing and removing lactic acid, helping to speed up your body’s recovery,” Rich explains. “So set aside a good few minutes before and after each workout or swim to do this.
#4. You don’t fuel your body properly
How can you put the work in if you’ve got no gas in the tank? “I often hear clients say they’ve training on an empty stomach or relying on sugary snacks for energy – two habits that can seriously impact performance,” Emma Claire Nutrition, a Clinical Nutritionist and Cell Squared‘s Nutrition expert, tells Body+Soul. “Because without proper fuel, you simply can’t push yourself to your potential.”
For optimal performance and recovery, she recommends grass-fed meat and organ meats for their “unbeatable nutritional benefits”. “Grass-fed beef delivers crucial protein, iron, and B vitamins, while organ meats are nature’s multivitamin,” Claire explains. “Beef liver is packed with vitamins A and B12, heart meat provides CoQ10 for cardiovascular health, and spleen offers highly absorbable heme iron.”
The nutritionist recommends having a protein-rich meal two to three hours before a workout, while she says the key is giving your body sustainable energy from nutrient-dense sources.
#5. You beat yourself up
“The one habit that can make all your good work count for nothing is beating yourself up if you do less or take a day off,” Martine Allars, Yoga Director at Elixr Health Club, tells Body+Soul. “Rest is essential for any consistent results.”
So if you need to sleep in one day, that’s ok. And if you turn up to a session and only do half of it, that’s ok too. “It’s called being human,” Allars says. “So be kind to yourself and give yourself permission to balance your training.” And don’t give up altogether if you do less some weeks. You’re still heading in the right direction.
Read the full story on the Body+Soul website.
