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SALT LAKE CITY — The first week of the New Year means it's the busiest week for gyms across America as thousands flock to their exercise meccas in hopes of fulfilling their New Year's resolutions.
And while some lucky people will watch the pounds melt away, others make experience a big road block when their sweating sessions don't lead to any drop in weight. But wait… why aren't you losing weight? Doesn't sweating mean losing pounds?
Not necessarily, says Dr. James A. Peterson, PhD, the author of more than 80 books on health, nutrition, and exercise.
"Sweating just means you have a hyperactive internal system," Peterson told WebMd. "It doesn't have a single thing to do with losing weight, or with burning calories, which is how much work you do. Also, sweating is all water weight — which is all replaced once you take in liquid again. It doesn't mean anything."
Peterson, whose credentials include overseeing the exercise program at West Point for almost 20 years, said that common misconceptions happen all the time when people try to put together a workout program to lose weight. This includes confusing excessive sweating with burning more calories.
What other mistakes are novices (and even some pros) making at the gym? Here is a list of the most common mistakes you might make this month and how to easily fix them to maximize your weight loss and keep you motivated to go back for more.
Mistake #1: Lack of Intensity
Are you reading while sitting on a recumbent bike? Do you lean on the elliptical or treadmill? You probably aren't challenging yourself enough, said Scott Lucett, director of education for the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
"They think that as long as they're moving, they're going to lose weight," Lucett told WebMd. "But if the intensity is not at the level that it needs to be at, it's almost a waste of time."
The fix: Besides increasing your resistance, you can increase your time, do high-intensity interval workouts, and up the incline.
Mistake #2: Overestimating how many calories you burnYour cardio equipment doesn't know you. There are a lot of unknown factors that go into calculating how many calories you burn and that little screen on the machine is most likely overestimating. Even your form on the machine can greatly increase the numbers of calories it says you've burned.
The fix: The best way to calculate the calories you've burned is to use a heart rate monitor that tracks exactly how fast your heart is beating. The Polar heart rate monitor watch retails for $65 on Amazon. If that price is too steep for you, you can try an online calorie calculator, which is generally more accurate than the calculator on a machine.
Mistake #3: Not changing your routine
Remember when you could barely do 20 minutes on the elliptical and now you breeze through your cardio, even with intervals? Are you doing the same weight workout for months, or even years? That means it's time for a change if you want to continue to lose weight. And while the elliptical might be your favorite exercise machine, your body needs a change and a challenge, including new ways to strength train, to continue to lose weight.
The fix: If you can afford it, hire a personal trainer to help you change your routine every three weeks. If your budget is tight, try going to a class that includes lifting weights and cardio so you can learn different ways to strength train.
If you're stuck on one favorite machine, try doing 15 minutes of high-intensity intervals on the stationary bike, treadmill, and elliptical. If your gym also has a pool, swimming a mile is another great way to add more cardio.
Mistake #4: Bad form
If you want to get the most out of your workout in the least amount of time, proper form is crucial to maximize calorie burn. Exercising the wrong way can also lead to injury.
"If you get injured, you can't work out," Lucett said. "And, if you can't work out, you won't be burning calories in the gym."
But how will you know if you're doing something wrong? You need to ask an expert.
The fix: Have a certified personal trainer/gym employee show you the proper way to exercise on cardio equipment and use the many weight machines. Don't let pride or shyness hold you back from asking. Gym employees would rather have you ask than risk injuring yourself.
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Mistake #5: Doing too much too soonWhat's a surefire way to drop your New Years resolution to exercise and lose weight? Trying a program that is too hard and getting burned out quickly from being too sore, injuring yourself or just being too mentally tired to roll out of bed and make it to the gym again. There's a reason why gym activity drops off around the third week of January.
The fix: Start slow, gradually increase the intensity and find a program that is personalized to you. A lot of gyms offer one-time sessions with a trainer, so ask and be sure to take advantage of all your membership benefits.
Honorable mentions: Talking too much to friends or acquaintances, training in the 'fat-burning zone' which is usually only 60-70 percent of your heart rate, trying to lose fat with spot training, working with a personal trainer who is not certified correctly.
If working out on your own isn't your thing, find a friend, or start attending classes. You need something (or someone) that will keep you motivated to keep going when it gets tough.
Don't get discouraged when your weight loss stops. Reevaluate, readjust and find fun, new ways to challenge yourself. May your 2014 gym aspirations last longer than Jan. 21.
