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Last Updated on July 23, 2025 by Grace Oluchi
There are some common mistakes in fitness that many people make, including in their dieting. And these mistakes can slow down your progress or keep you from getting the results you want.
However, it’s not too late to make corrections. If you discover that you’re making one or more of these mistakes, you can still fix them. Or, if you’re thinking of starting your fitness journey, this article will help you avoid making these mistakes.
📋 Table of Contents
Common Mistakes in Fitness
1 . “I’m going to lose 10 kgs in a month.”
It’s good to challenge yourself, but not like this. This is you setting unrealistic goals or expectations for yourself, and it’s one common mistake people make in fitness. Aiming to lose 10 kg in a month can set you up for disappointment; such an amount is not even healthy to lose in a month.
How to fix them: You’re completely free to choose to lose 10 kgs, just not in a month. It’s much better, and more attainable, to lose 3-4 kgs a month, with the right diet plan and exercise routine.
2 . “I’ll work out 7 days a week.”
It’s not that you can’t work out all week, but it can lead to overtraining, which is not good. Exercising too much without rest can lead to burnout and even injury. It’s even worse if they are high-intensity exercises and are long sessions.
The world isn’t coming to an end; there’s enough time to exercise and recover.
How to fix: Start slow. You can aim to work out 2 to 4 days a week. Then you’ll gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts as time goes on. Even if you want to stay active all week, you don’t necessarily have to “exercise.” You can stay active in other ways, like taking evening strolls, using the elevator instead of the stairs, offering to do the dishes or laundry, even if it’s not your turn, and so on.
3. “ I’m not in the mood to work out.”
Fitness isn’t all about vibes and feels. Sometimes, you might feel fired up, but you shouldn’t depend on that.
“I’m not feeling it today to work out.”
If you think you need to show up with the same vibrant energy all the time, you’re wrong. It’s okay if you’re not as hyped as you were 2 days ago when you were lifting those weights. Or felt good about going to the gym. What matters is that you do what you need to do and stay consistent with your routine.
4 . “My workout routine is in my head”.
“I’ll just go with the flow”
Going with the flow won’t cut it; this style of thing won’t help you in your fitness journey. It’s important to be organized and have things set in order, so you know what to look forward to.
How to fix: You need a routine that you need to follow. The goal starts in your head, but you need to plan it out. This way, you’ll know what to focus on and have a good system to follow.
Schedule your workouts; know the days of the week you’re going to work out, and days of resting. It even helps you plan what part of your body you’re going to work on. Such as leg days, upper body days, core days, and so on.
Common Mistakes In Dieting
1 . Poor diet
A poor diet can waste your efforts at the gym. This is one of the common mistakes in fitness and nutrition: not eating right. Training hard and long is great, but if you don’t have the right diet, it can affect your results.
How to fix: Buy the right foods when you go to the store. It all starts with YOU.
Make a list of the food you want to buy and head out.
“Figuring it out” along the way may cause you to fall into temptation. But if you are stern about your grocery list, it’ll be easier to stick to it.
Let your list be filled with highly nutritious foods, like lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains, vegetables, carbs, and even healthy snacks.
2 . Not planning your meals
You could have the best intentions, but still go the wrong way.
“Okay, I’m going to eat healthy from today.”
But you don’t have a plan; no meals prepared in advance. It can disrupt your plan. However, when you plan your meals, it’ll be easier to eat healthily.
How to fix: Plan out your meals. You can use your phone, a book, or even paste them onto your kitchen wall. Cook at home. Make sure they’re not high in calories, but filled with nutrients.
3 . Not drinking enough water:
Staying hydrated is important for everyone. We all need to drink water. But when you’re on a fitness journey, you need to be more intentional. Dehydration can hugely affect you; it can cause fatigue, headaches, and poor performance at the gym or whenever you exercise.
How to fix: Some studies recommend that people should aim for 6-8 glasses of water, but everyone is different.
You might need more depending on the weather, how active you are, or your body in general. You might drink less and be okay, and someone else might need more.
The important thing is that you regularly drink enough water. It’s also helpful when you study how many times you pee a day, and the color of your pee. The color of your pee can help you know if you’re staying hydrated.
We’re not trying to discourage; rather, we’re simply trying to help you make safe choices when it comes to your fitness and diet goals. And your health in general.
Other Common Mistakes
1 . No consistency
Consistency is key.
So, try to be consistent in your fitness and diet routine. One and off won’t give you the results that you want; you need to show up regularly.
2 . Comparing yourself to other people
When has comparison ever helped?
Focus on yourself. Every person is different, so keep doing you.
3 . Not listening to your body
Rest when you need to. If you’re not feeling well physically, it’s okay to take some rest. Self-care should still be a priority.
When you avoid making these mistakes and make some simple changes, you’ll be able cto ome out strong.
- Be kind to yourself
- Believe you can achieve your goals
- Be open to corrections
- Focus on YOU and not them
