When I first started my fitness journey, I made a lot of mistakes, tried shortcuts, and got frustrated by the lack of immediate results. Looking back, there are a few things I wish I had known that would have saved me time, effort, and setbacks. Here’s my list of the top five things I wish I knew when I started working out, and hopefully, they’ll help you avoid the same pitfalls.
1. Avoid Stimulant-Heavy Pre-Workouts
When I began working out, I thought pre-workout supplements were the secret sauce to getting that extra boost in the gym. I loved the head rush and skin tingling feeling I got from them and took them regularly for a long time. However, over the years, I have realized that caffeine-heavy pre-workouts were doing me more harm than good. They gave me a temporary energy spike, but the downsides far outweighed the benefits.
Stimulant pre-workouts overstimulate you, kill your appetite, and severely affect your sleep quality. Poor sleep and lack of appetite slow down your recovery and muscle growth, which defeats the whole purpose of working out in the first place. For context on how much caffeine pre-workouts contain, some of them contain as much caffeine as 5 cups of coffee, so if you must take them, you definitely want to be taking them first thing in the morning if you want to have a good night’s sleep.
Nowadays, I focus on getting your energy levels consistently high throughout the day by eating a well-balanced diet, sleeping well, and staying hydrated. I still drink one or two cups of coffee to start the day but not as a workout aid as I usually work out much later in the day.
2. Play the Long Game
It’s easy to get caught up in wanting quick results when you first start working out, but building muscle and strength doesn’t happen overnight. I wish I understood that fitness is a marathon, not a sprint.
You can only gain so much muscle in a short period of time, no matter how hard you train. However, when you commit to working out consistently over a longer period—6 months to a year—you’ll be amazed by how much progress you’ve made. It’s the small, consistent efforts that compound into impressive results.
Set realistic goals and celebrate small wins along the way. Take progress photos, track your lifts, and measure your progress every few months. This will help you stay motivated and see just how far you’ve come over time.
3. Basic Compound Exercises Are the Most Effective
When I started working out, I tried every fancy exercise and routine I saw my favorite fitness influences doing on YouTube or Instagram. I thought more variety meant better results and their great physiques were sculpted by some secret exercises. In reality, over the years, it’s the basic compound exercises that have given me the most gains.
Compound exercises like the bench press, squat, and deadlift (or their variations) work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making them the most efficient way to build strength and muscle. These movements should form the foundation of any effective workout program, allowing you to make the most of your time in the gym.
Focus on mastering the basics. Include compound lifts in your routine and gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. These exercises will help you build a solid foundation and improve your overall performance.
4. The Only Bad Workout Is the One You Didn’t Do
There will be days when you feel tired, unmotivated, or just not in the mood to work out. I used to skip workouts if I wasn’t feeling 100% thinking it wasn’t worth it if couldn’t give my all, but I soon learned that the only truly bad workout is the one you don’t do.
Not every workout will be amazing, and that’s okay. The key is to show up and push through anyway. Often, once you start, you’ll find that 30 minutes in, you get an adrenaline rush, and suddenly, you’re in the zone. Those are the moments that build discipline and set you apart from the rest.
Commit to showing up, even on the tough days. Start with a warm-up, and if you still feel sluggish, do a shorter or less intense session. You’ll still be miles ahead of where you’d be if you skipped it altogether.
5. Reduce Alcohol Consumption
I didn’t realize how much alcohol was affecting my fitness progress until I started taking my training more seriously. Regular drinking was slowing down my gains in ways I didn’t initially notice.
Alcohol interferes with workout recovery, disrupts your sleep, and affects digestion, making it harder for your body to absorb the nutrients needed for muscle growth. It also dehydrates you, which can lead to poor performance in the gym and slower progress.
You don’t have to cut out alcohol entirely, but if you’re serious about your fitness goals, you have to reduce how much alcohol you consume. Most certainly don’t drink on the days you train. Obviously you shouldn’t drink before a workout to perform at your best but you most certainly shouldn’t be drinking after a workout too, that period is important as you body is in recovery mode. You don’t want to ruin that with tasking your body with detoxifying alcohol instead of recovering.
Final Thoughts
Fitness is a journey, and there will always be things to learn along the way. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll set yourself up for success and make the most out of your workouts. Remember, consistency, patience, and focusing on the basics will take you further than any quick fix ever will. Keep pushing, and enjoy the process!
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