The Pitfalls of Starting a New Fitness Program by SixPackNow's Herve Duchemin When beginning a new fitness program, there are many common pitfalls to avoid.  In doing so, you will reach your goals quicker while saving time and effort in the process.  First off, the journey toward a fit and healthy physique must be grounded in the proper mindset.  You must be motivated, or else you will likely drop off the wagon within a matter of weeks or even days!  To stay motivated, it is important to make a promise to yourself both in your mind and on paper that you will do everything in your power to live in such a way that will allow you to come closer to your goals.  This means taking in proper nutrients, working out regularly, and doing it with confidence, conviction, and a positive attitude!!  I can’t tell you how many people I see who mope around upset because they are dieting.  If you are upset in doing a task that will make you happier in the long run, you need to re-program your mind and re-direct your thoughts toward your goals, which will consistently keep you in the right mindset.  In order to establish this mindset, you need a REASON to get in shape.  That reason has to be clear, precise, and important enough to you to KEEP you motivated.  If your reason isn’t strong enough, your motivation will inevitably drop, and you will go on a downward spiral away from your goals. Secondly, when writing your promise down to yourself, you should also list a timeline with clearly defined goals.  These goals will take into account your aspirations, as well as the steps you are going to take to get there!  If you start the day off without knowing what you are going to eat, you will haphazardly go through your day, and will likely get cravings for junk, since you didn’t set in stone the night before (or early in the morning), exactly what you were going to eat, at what time.  When on the quest for a sixpack, this is the quickest and best way!  You should also set smaller, realistic goals that you can reach, and then progressively set more and more goals as time goes on.  This will allow you to gauge your progress on a timeline, rather than just have one big lofty goal with no steps listed to get there.  If you want to get from A to E, you need to pass B, C, and D, or else you’re skipping steps and your results will most definitely suffer! Next, you should filter out all negative opinions of others, whether they are family, friends, or co-workers.  You must look yourself in the mirror, and become your OWN best friend, your OWN personal trainer, and your OWN moral support group!  If you aren’t going to look out for yourself, and guard your mind, no one else will do it for you!  So become your OWN boss, and get to work! For people new to working out, there is a big misconception that growing happens while you are actually lifting weights.  This cannot be further from the truth.  In fact, all growth happens while you are resting and recuperating!  So if you are missing out on sleep, and going out regularly and partying all night, your results will inevitably suffer!  People will tell you that you need 8 hours of sleep, but I have found with my clients that it depends on their bodies and their lifestyle.  Personally, when my diet is on point, taking in only quality nutrients and no junk, I only need about 6 hours of sleep.  If I eat an entire days worth of junk, I might need 10 or more hours of sleep! It should also go without question that nutrition is 90% of the equation, and working out is 10%, especially when trying to lean down and lose bodyfat!  Skipping meals, and waiting more than 3 hours in between meals will be a surefire way to lower your metabolism when trying to get fat, and eat muscle tissue when trying to gain size!  You should aim to consume regular meals every 2-3 hours whether bulking OR cutting! Remember when I said lack of rest will hinder your results?  The same thing goes for overtraining.  If you’re spending well over an hour in the gym, you are probably overtraining.  Most people think more is better, but this isn’t always the case.  If one hour is good, then two hours definitely isn’t better!  Remember, lack of rest, and overtraining both go hand in hand.  If you are going for 2 hours, chances are you aren’t training hard enough anyhow.  Also, poor training would fall into this category.  If trying to lean down, don’t forget the importance of cardiovascular exercise.  When bulking, you should still do cardio as well, only less frequently. Finally, when embarking on a new fitness plan, remember to stick to basic exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses and military presses as a foundation for your program.  These exercises incorporate both multiple joints and muscles, and will give you great results as long as your diet is on par.  If you aren’t gaining results, look at what you are doing “outside” of the gym, before you go changing around these basic exercises to ones that are less effective. If you stick to these tips presented here, you will avoid a lot of the pitfalls that I and many others fell victim to during the beginning of our journeys.  Most of all, have fun with the experience!  It’s a ride that you should enjoy, and one that will change your life! Train Hard, Stay Focused and Eat Good! Herve