Not Seeing Results?

Photo credit @karlieraephotography

Are you working hard in the gym but still not seeing the results you’d like? Here are a few things that might be to blame.

You aren’t tracking macros.

I don’t religiously track macros anymore. Long story short, it was becoming way too mentally draining measuring and meal-prepping every single meal. And I was starting to feel pretty sluggish during my workouts. However, because I did it for so long, I have a good idea of the amount of carbs, fats, and protein that I need to eat at each meal.

If you’re just starting out, it’s possible you’re eating too much of one macro and not enough of the others. Or, you might not be eating enough in general.

To fix this, I’d suggest eating 4 balanced meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and before bed. Each meal (except perhaps bedtime) should contain lean protein, lots of vegetables, and a healthy fat source such as olive oil or avocado.

Before bed, try to eat a high-protein food to keep you full overnight. My personal favorites are a bowl of cottage cheese, a peanut butter rice cake, or a whey + casein shake.

You aren’t following a program.

You’ll see the best results when you follow a structured program that increases in weight and/or repetitions over time (progressive overload). IG “swipe” workouts are trendy and fun to watch, but they aren’t an effective substitute for an actual program.

You aren’t resting enough.

Overtraining is a huge drain on the gains. You need adequate sleep to recover and build muscle. As a mom, I know it’s hard to get quality sleep each night. Instead of mindless scrolling or Netflix binging in the evenings, try to maximize your sleep and get to bed early. Eliminating alcohol is also a great way to get better sleep.

You aren’t being patient.

Fitness is a long game. Remember that this is a lifestyle and not a quick fix.

If you’re working hard in the gym consistently, eating plenty of lean protein and vegetables, and resting, you’re well on your way to seeing results. You might just need to be a bit more patient. Remember that it can take months - even years - to see good results in the gym.

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