Top Workout Mistake When Trying to Lose Weight

The holidays are a time of indulgence, but as soon as January 1 rolls around, most people are ready to get back into a routine of working out and eating healthy. If you plan on starting the new year off with the intention of shedding a few pounds, you certainly aren’t alone. The top resolutions Americans made for 2022 were to exercise more (48 percent of resolution makers), eat healthier (44 percent) and lose weight (41 percent).

When it comes to weight loss, there’s one mistake that Rachel Trotta, CPT, and Wendy Batts, NASM-CPT, CNC, a certified personal trainer and exercise science adjunct professor at PennWest, both say they see people making: focusing solely on cardio.

If your weight loss plan is to do as much cardio as possible in an attempt to burn maximum calories, you may want to rethink it. Keep reading to find out why zeroing in on cardio is a mistake and how to formulate your workout routine instead.

Related: Looking to Lose Weight? Get Started With These 40 Expert and Science-Backed Foods and Drinks

Why Focusing Only on Cardio Is a Mistake

It’s true that cardio-based workouts, like running, indoor cycling or the elliptical, are a great way to burn calories and can be a beneficial part of a weight loss exercise plan. But both trainers say that it should be combined with strength training and low-intensity movement. “People tend to overdo cardio because they’re focused on that short-term calorie burn, but strength training is important for building and preserving muscle,” Batts says.

Trotta says that the reason why strength training—such as lifting weights—is important is because it helps build lean muscle mass. She explains that when you lift weights, the body loses fat while maintaining muscle—all done while burning calories at the same time.

Related: Want to Lose Weight? Here Are 16 Actually Doable Ways to Do It Quickly and Safely 

In addition to cardio and strength training, Trotta says it’s also important to incorporate low-intensity movement into your routine, such as walking or restorative yoga. If you skip out on low-intensity movement and only focus on super intense workouts (including cardio, like running), she says that this can put too much stress on the body, raising cortisol levels. “When cortisol levels are elevated, it leads to fat retention and it’s harder to lose weight,” she says. This is why, she says, it’s important to have a balance of cardio, strength training and low-intensity movement.

In addition to causing the body to retain fat, Trotto says that intensely working out consistently can also cause more hunger cravings, which could potentially lead to overeating. “These hunger cravings happen because the body is trying to offset the number of calories you’re burning,” she says.

You may wonder what it looks like to put all of this into practice. How can you balance cardio, strength training and low-intensity movement? Both trainers say this is very individual, based on someone’s health goals and lifestyle. In general, Trotta recommends two days of strength training a week, not done back-to-back. Cardio can be the focus two to three times a week. This leaves two or three days for low-intensity movement or rest.

Related: 7 Signs Your Cortisol Levels Are Too High—and What to Do About It 

Other Common Mistakes People Make When Trying to Lose Weight

Batts says that there’s another common mistake she sees many people make when it comes to weight loss, which is doing too much too quickly. This, she says, can happen with both cardio and strength training. For example, if someone is not used to weight lifting and then goes straight for the heavy weights, they can end up injuring their body.

What’s much more effective, Batts says, is to gradually step up your workouts, both in terms of cardio and weight lifting. This highlights another mistake she sees people making on the opposite side of the spectrum: never making their workouts more challenging. If you’ve been doing the same exact weightlifting routine with the same five-pound dumbbells for years, it’s likely time to either increase your reps or weight. “You want to push yourself outside of your comfort zone just enough that it remains slightly challenging,” she says. The same goes for cardio. If your cardio workout is no longer challenging to you, it’s time to either increase your speed or distance.

As you know by now, putting too much stress on the body raises cortisol levels, which can make it harder to lose weight. If you’re setting your alarm clock super early every day to squeeze in a workout, Trotta says this is something else that can raise cortisol levels. “Getting consistently good sleep is one of the best things you can do for weight loss,” she says. If you hate morning workouts, Trotta says it can better serve your body (and mental health) to find another time in the day when you can work out, if your schedule allows.

Finally, both trainers say it’s also important to eat nutrient-rich foods. Instead of trying to stick to a restrictive diet, focus on getting enough protein, fiber and healthy fats. Not only is this more sustainable, but it’s also a lot more enjoyable.

With these tips in mind, you’re primed to meet your health goals. And, hey, if you want to start off the new year by sleeping in, rest assured that both personal trainers would approve! 

Next up, find out what the best workouts are for weight loss, according to 12 different trainers.

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