Share a list of these “live and learn” moments.
Hello friends! I hope you have a wonderful morning. I have a few appointments today and the mother-mother mix is coming later in the afternoon. 😉
Today I wanted to talk about something that keeps coming up with clients and in DMs, especially from women who are just starting out with strength training:
“I work hard in the gym but I don’t see any results.”
I feel that in my soul because I was definitely there.
When I started my fitness journey, I was super motivated, consistent… and also made some mistakes that slowed my progress significantly. The hard part is that we were taught many of these mistakes (especially as women in the early 2000s fitness era… Does anyone else remember hours on the elliptical? I propped up my textbook on the elliptical and *learned* while pedaling at full force).
Today I wanted to talk about some of the biggest beginner strength training mistakes I’ve personally made so you can skip the frustration and see results faster. (Just a note: Although I am a certified personal trainer, women’s fitness specialist, and corrective exercise specialist, this is not personalized fitness advice. Consult your doctor before making any changes to your routine.)
The Mistakes I Made in Beginner Strength Training
1. Doing way too much cardio
That was probably my biggest mistake.
I thought the formula was:
Sweat as much as possible = better results
So I would stack:
Long cardio sessions
Group fitness classes
Maybe some strength training…as an afterthought…and I would use tiny weights.
The problem? Too much cardio can actually work against your goals, especially if you’re trying to build muscle, boost metabolism, and change your body composition.
If you’re constantly in a calorie-burning, high-stress state:
– Your body doesn’t prioritize building muscle
– Cortisol may remain elevated
– You may feel constantly exhausted (and have a crash in the afternoon)
What I would have liked to have done instead:
Focus on strength training as a foundation and cardio as support.
I usually recommend:
3 – 4 days of strength training
1 – 2 days of cardio (or just daily walks + lifestyle exercise)
2. Not eating enough (especially protein)
This one is huge and I see it all the time.
At that time I was:
Overall, eating too little
Skip meals or eat super light
Not a priority on protein at all (I thought an egg was protein and peanut butter was protein too)
Behold, a lunch from 2014:
I thought eating less would help me lose weight faster, but it actually did the opposite.
If your body doesn’t have enough energy, it won’t do the following:
Build muscle
Recover properly
Maintain a healthy metabolism
When protein levels are low, it’s even harder to see that so many people strive for a “healthy” look.
What I would have liked to have done instead:
Eat enough to support my activity level
Prioritize protein at every meal
Stop being afraid of fueling my body
For many women, a good starting point is to aim for 20-30g of protein per meal and adjust this depending on your body and goals.
3. Not taking recovery seriously
I used to think rest days were optional. On my “off” days, I still went to the gym and just didn’t train quite as hard.
When I wasn’t in pain, I felt like I wasn’t doing enough.
If I had energy, I would push harder instead of withdrawing.
But here is the truth:
Your body changes during recovery, not during exercise.
Without proper recovery:
Muscles don’t repair or grow
Energy level tank
The risk of burnout (or injury) increases
This is especially important for busy moms who have to juggle everything. Your nervous system is already dealing with a lot.
What I would have liked to have done instead:
Planned rest days such as appointments
Prioritized Sleep (Game Changer for Hormones and Fat Loss)
Add a gentle recovery period such as walking, stretching, or yoga
Recovery is magical and allows you to be more consistent in the long run.
4. Not Tracking Progress (in the Right Way)
This might be the biggest surprise.
I used to just rely on the scale to tell me if things were “working.”
If the number hasn’t moved I assumed I had failed.
Strength training changes your body in ways that the scale doesn’t always reflect:
Building lean muscles
Lose body fat
Get stronger
Improving endurance
You could be making amazing progress and not see it in that one number. (Read that again, k??)
What I would have liked to have done instead:
Track various forms of progress, such as:
Strength increases (lifting heavier weights, more repetitions)
Progress photos
Measurements
Energy level and mood
How clothes fit
Some of the best wins have nothing to do with scale.
5. Not following a plan
I’m going to add this because it made a huge difference for me.
I used to just wing it.
I went to the gym and did whatever felt right that day, with no real structure or progression.
When I started following a structured program of increasing overload, everything changed.
The training felt like it had a purpose (which was motivating in itself)
I saw significant progress and felt stronger over time
The results felt like they actually happened (and felt lasting)
A friendly reminder if you’re just starting out with strength training:
You don’t have to do everything perfectly!!! EVERY 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 say something to beginners it would be this:
Lift weights. Eat enough. Get more rest than you think you need. Stick with it. You will still be training 20+ years from now because you started from the beginning.
If you’re on the strength training journey, I’d love to hear from you: What’s been the biggest learning curve so far?
And if you need help creating a simple, effective plan that fits into your life (especially for my fellow busy moms), I’ll have some fun things coming soon. 😉
xo
Gina
More:
My favorite barre workout to do at home
One year of training programming – DONE
Success! Check your email for a free 30-day meal and fitness cheat sheet
