Hi friends! I have a brand new podcast episode live, and today we are talking all things skin! đ Iâm sitting down with Dr. Mamina Turegano, a triple board certified dermatologist, internist, and dermapathologist based in New Orleans. In this episode, sheâs sharing a really refreshing, integrative take on skin health, the kind you donâtâŚ
The post 204: What Your Skin Is Really Telling You | Sunscreen Safety, Botox Risks & Dermatologist-Backed Habits for Healthy Skin with Dr. Mamina Turegano appeared first on The Fitnessista.
Sharing a list of those “live and learn” kinda moments.
Hi friends! I hope youâre having a wonderful morning. I have a couple of appointments today and then itâs the mom uber shuffle later this afternoon.
Today, I wanted to chat about something that comes up all the time with clients and in DMs, especially from women who are just getting started with strength training:
âIâm working hard at the gym, but Iâm not seeing results.”
I feel this in my soul, because Iâve definitely been there.
When I first started my fitness journey, I was super motivated, consistent⌠and also making quite a few mistakes that were slowing my progress way down. The tricky part is that a lot of these mistakes are things weâve been taught to do (especially as women in the early 2000s fitness era⌠anyone else remember hours on the elliptical? I used to prop my textbook on the elliptical and *study* as a I pedaled my little heart out)
Today I wanted to chat about some of the biggest beginner strength training mistakes I personally made, so you can skip the frustration and start seeing results faster. (lil note: even though Iâm a certified personal trainer, Womenâs Fitness Specialist and Corrective Exercise Specialist, this is not personalized fitness advice. Check with your doctor before making any changes to your routine.)
Beginner strength training mistakes I made
1. Doing way too much cardio
This was probably my #1 mistake.
I thought the formula was:
Sweat as much as possible = better results
So Iâd stack:
Long cardio sessions
Group fitness classes
Maybe a little bit of strength training⌠as an afterthought.. and Iâd use teeny tiny lil weights.
The problem? Too much cardio can actually work against your goals, especially if youâre trying to build muscle, boost metabolism, and change your body composition.
When youâre constantly in a calorie-burning, high-stress state:
– Your body doesnât prioritize muscle building
– Cortisol can stay elevated
– You can feel constantly depleted (and CRASH in the afternoon)
What I wish I had done instead:
Focus on strength training as the foundation, with cardio as support.
Now, I usually recommend:
3 – 4 days of strength training
1 – 2 days of cardio (or just daily walks + lifestyle movement)
2. Not eating enough (especially protein)
This one is huge and I see it all the time.
Back then, I was:
Under-eating overall
Skipping meals or eating super âlightâ
Not prioritizing protein at all (I thought one egg was protein and that peanut butter was also protein)
Behold, a 2014 lunch:
I thought eating less would help me lean out faster, but it actually did the opposite.
If your body doesnât have enough fuel, itâs not going to:
Build muscle
Recover properly
Maintain a healthy metabolism
When protein is low, it’s even harder to see that âtonedâ look so many people are after.
What I wish I had done instead:
Eat enough to support my activity level
Prioritize protein at each meal
Stop being afraid of fueling my body
A good starting point for many women is aiming for 20 – 30g of protein per meal, and adjusting based on your body and goals.
3. Not taking recovery seriously
I used to think rest days were optional. Iâd still go to the gym on my âoffâ days and just not work quite as hard.
If I wasnât sore, I felt like I wasnât doing enough.
If I had energy, Iâd push harder instead of pulling back.
But hereâs the truth:
Your body changes during recovery, not during the workout.
Without proper recovery:
Muscles donât repair and grow
Energy levels tank
Risk of burnout (or injury) increases
This is especially important for busy moms juggling everything. Your nervous system is already dealing with a lot.
What I wish I had done instead:
Scheduled rest days like appointments
Prioritized sleep (game changer for hormones + fat loss)
Add in low-impact recovery like walking, stretching, or yoga
Recovery is magic and itâs what can enable you to be more consistent over the long haul.
4. Not tracking progress (the right way)
This one might be the most surprisin.
I used to rely only on the scale to tell me if things were âworking.â
If the number didnât move I assumed I was failing.
Strength training changes your body in ways the scale doesnât always reflect:
Building lean muscle
Losing body fat
Getting stronger
Improving endurance
You could be making amazing progress and not see it in that one number. (Read that again, k??)
What I wish I had done instead:
Track multiple forms of progress, like:
Strength increases (lifting heavier weights, more reps)
Progress photos
Measurements
Energy levels and mood
How clothes fit
Some of the best wins have nothing to do with the scale.
5. Not following a plan
Iâll add this one because it made such a difference for me.
I used to just wing it.
Iâd go into the gym and do whatever felt right that day, without any real structure or progression.
Once I started following a structured program with progressive overload, everything changed.
Workouts felt like they had purpose (which was motivating in itself)
I could clearly see progress and felt stronger over time
Results felt like they were actually happening (and felt sustainable)
A friendly reminder if youâre just getting started with strength training:
You donât have to do everything perfectly!!! ANY movement is good movement. You just want to do it in a way that makes sense for your life.
If I could go back and tell beginner me anything, it would be this:
Lift weights. Eat enough. Rest more than you think you need. Stick with it. Youâll still be working out 20+ years from now because you got started in the first place.
If youâre currently on your strength training journey, Iâd love to hear from ya: whatâs been the biggest learning curve so far?
And if you want help creating a simple, effective plan that fits into your life (especially for my fellow busy moms), I have some fun things coming your way soon.
xo
Gina
More:
My favorite at-home barre workouts
A year of workout programming – DONE
The post Beginner strength training mistakes I made (so you don’t have to) appeared first on The Fitnessista.