5 Common Mistakes That Prevent Workout Results
Josh Allen • March 1, 2025
If you work out, this article is for you!
And first - kudos to you! Most people don’t even make it that far.
But here’s the big question: Are you getting the most out of your workouts?
The reality is, many people put in the effort but only see a small return on their workout investment. Just like managing your personal finances, wouldn’t you want a higher return for the time and energy you’re putting in?
If so, keep reading—this article is exactly what you need!
The 3 Levels of People Who Workout
Before I share the 5 things that hold back the potential impact your workouts could provide, it’s important to know that these 5 things only matter if you are someone who wants to maximize your workouts.
After 20+ years of personal training, I come to categorize people who work out into three distinct levels. The level you are at will determine whether or not this article, the 5 things that sabotage your workout results should even be considered.
So first things first - what level are you?
Level 1: Mood Boosters
- Because working out makes you feel good afterwards, this level of person usually works out to get the immediate benefits that come from exercising. This could be things such as achieving a sense of accomplishment, improving mood (ie: decreasing anxiousness) or feeling energized in the body.
Level 2: Fitness Focused
- This person appreciates the immediate effects that working out has but also values progress. They want to know that they are getting fitter and stronger with their workout routine. These people may also have other health goals like fat loss or to increase muscle mass.
Level 3: 360 Performers
- These people value better mood and progressing in their fitness but what differentiates them is that they are driven to extract as much value out of their workout routine as possible. They are deeply aware of how their workouts impact what happens outside of the gym and how what happens outside of the gym impacts their workouts.
If you're in level 2 or 3—or aiming to get there—keep reading to discover five key factors that will help you maximize your workout investment. Since training requires both time and money, it only makes sense to get the best possible return. If you hold yourself to high standards, you'll agree…
5 Common Mistakes (To Avoid) That Prevent Workout Results
1) Poor Program/Technique:
Since you are already working out, this is the easiest place to start. There are a variety of ways that your programming can be off and they are:
- No/Wrong Program
First and foremost, if you are not following a program - one that includes progressions in reps, sets and exercises you are skipping the #1 lowest hanging fruit. Those who follow a program reach their goals 10X faster than those who go to the gym and do whatever they feel like on that day.
- Incorrect Technique
Doing things with bad form. Ie: Shoulders hunched, feet in wrong positions or not breathing correctly. Usually these things are things beginners need to be aware of. However, if you have been training for a while and are still unsure, you may want to hire a personal trainer for that extra eye. - Avoiding Full Range of Motion
This is a type of bad form that means you are not going all the way down or up. By missing this end range you are missing certain muscle fibers that work at those ranges. Solution: go all the way up or down. This may require you to lower the weight and that’s ok in this case.
- Afraid to Lift Heavy
This is often indicated by those who are always doing sets with the same weight or when the rep range is always near 15 reps or higher. Solution: lift heavier weights for fewer reps. Get on a program that progresses things for you. - Timing Between Sets
When it comes to creating the optimal stimulus for the muscles to adapt to (ie: growing or getting stronger) you must have the right amount of rest between sets. Most people take too long between sets which ends up in wasted time and inefficient workouts. If this is you it is likely due to talking or spending time on your phone between sets.
2) Wrong Mindset:
We have come a long way since the old school days of CICO (calories in calories out) and the“no pain no gain” attitude. Yet, many people still cling to outdated beliefs that hinder progress. Some of the most persistent workout myths that continue to stick around are:
- No Pain No Gain
Thinking that hard core workouts day in and day out is the only way to get results is both exhausting and a recipe for burnout or injury. A good workout is not a hard workout. A good workout is a smart workout and a smart workout is knowing exactly how to challenge yourself without going over the edge.
- CICO
Calories in, calories out is the idea that weight loss or muscle gain is solely determined by energy balance. For example, in weight loss, the energy balance theory suggests that if you burn 500 calories during a workout but consume only 400 calories, the resulting deficit would lead to weight loss. This is far from the truth because 500kcal coming from steak or 500kcal coming from candy has a very different effect on the body. Placing more value on a workout that burns more calories or that provides more sweat is not the measure of a successful workout.
- Muscle Soreness
Many people think that muscles have to be sore during and after the workout for it to be an effective workout. This is far from the truth. During a workout, more soreness means more lactic acid and lactic acid is necessary for muscle and strength gains. But after a workout, more soreness (lactic acid) means greater recovery time and decreased performance during that sore period. You do not need to feel sore after a workout for it to be effective!
3) Inadequate Sleep
This may be the top mistake most people make. We live in a world with so many opportunities and distractions that take away from our sleep. Late evenings from parties, events or watching TV delays bed time. On top of that, we are waking up prematurely whether from alarm clocks or stress that wakes us at 3-5am. Inadequate sleep affects your workout results in 2 ways:
- Working out under rested
To make the most of your workout you need to show up at your best. If you are training at 6am for example, you better make sure you are asleep by 10pm at the latest.
- Not recovering after your workout
Your muscles repair and grow during sleep NOT during your workout. Workouts break down muscle fibers because working out is a stress. You adapt to that stress and repair/grow muscles only when you sleep.
4) Poor Nutrition Habits
There is a saying: 'you can’t out train a bad diet.’ That means no matter how much or how hard you workout, it will never make up for a bad diet. Putting on muscle, getting stronger, more fit, burning fat and making the most of your workouts is a pipe dream if you are eating the wrong foods, not enough of the right foods or at the wrong time. The 4 biggest nutrition mistakes are:
- Dehydration
Not drinking enough water plus drinking caffeine and alcohol leads to dehydration. If you want to perform better at your workouts then you need to show up hydrated. That means not slamming coffee all day prior to your workout and not drinking wine, cocktails or beer after. The average person needs at least 3L of water per day. Your muscles, organs, blood and brain are all water and dehydration means poor performance and increasing the likelihood of injury during the workout.
- Food type
Inflammatory and processed foods are the biggest culprits. As a society we want convenience and end up choosing the wrong foods to eat like breakfast sandwiches, protein bars, pizza and cereals. In addition to the quality of food is choosing the foods that provide adequate protein, carbs and fat.
- Food amount
How many calories, protein, carbs or fat you need to eat is not only important for good health but to make the most of your workouts. Most people actually have a problem undereating the right types of calories. They have no idea how to balance their protein, carbs and fat to maximize their workout energy or workout recovery.
- Food timing
The timing of calories, protein, carbs and fat is a mystery for most people. They eat what they want when they ‘feel like it’. Timing of food around workouts and even throughout the day will determine how well you perform at your workout and recover from it afterwards.
5) Too Much Stress
If you want the most from your workout routine, then your workouts should be the biggest stress in your life. If that sounds strange to you then it’s because you do not understand what stress is. Stress is more than just relationship troubles, work deadlines or running behind in a traffic jam. It is things like living a ‘big life’, lack of sleep, poor digestion, bad nutrition AND yes even working out!
Because working out is a stress, you can not maximize your workouts if you have lots of other life stress going on. Signs that stress is holding back your workouts can be seen in:
- Showing up to workouts feeling drained (needing extended warmup time) or not being able to push your hardest
- Skipping workouts because you are behind, dealing with issues or not sleeping well
- Dealing with chronic injuries or always having a new injury to deal with
- Feeling wiped after workouts (ie: taking hours to recover)
The more stress you have in life, the more tailored your workout has to be so that it does not tip the scale of overall stress load. That means, intensity and frequency must be carefully controlled.
Final Thoughts
To optimize the results you want from working out means paying close attention to the above 5 pitfalls and knowing which is the main constraint that holds you back. Unfortunately, most people who want to get to a higher level with their training do not have a firm grasp on their main constraint.
At Nova Health Club, we are moving away from just ‘working out’ and towards educating, directing and empowering people to think holistically about their training to become the best version of themselves. Our mission is to challenge and support you to feel, look and perform at your very best in everything you want to do.
If you want to get to your next level, consider doing your 5 step assessment with a Nova Health Club coach. In this assessment we look at all the areas of your life to determine your main constraint or ‘pitfalls’ that are preventing you from maximizing your workouts.
For more information about our 5 step assessment email
Info@NovaHealthClub.com or click the button below.
Congratulations to Tanya Vezina, Our Aug 2025 SuperNova!
Check out the interview with Beth to see the habits, mindset and lifestyle shifts that helped her reach her goals
Do Hard Things Now, So Life Becomes Easier Later Modern humans default to the easy way but it's not our fault... Throughout human history, we were wired to survive constant hardship - scarcity of food, threats from predators, harsh environments and manual labor for everything. Our DNA evolved for survival in these conditions, not for modern living. Imagine an early human stumbling across a fruit tree. It made sense to gorge - there was no telling when the next meal would come. The human who gorged had a higher chance of survival than the human who only ate a few pieces of fruit. Practicing self-control in an environment of scarcity would have been a death sentence. Likewise, if given a chance to rest instead of walking miles or hunting, rest was the obvious choice. The problem? Our genes haven’t caught up with modern life. Today, food is everywhere. We don’t have to fight to meet our basic needs. Technology does the heavy lifting, cars replace walking, entertainment is on-demand and calorie-dense foods are always within reach. Left unchecked, our instincts will always lean toward easy options like overeating unhealthy foods (that are so easily accessible) or driving to the store instead of walking. In other words, we’re still hardwired to take the path of least resistance. But here’s the catch: Choosing easy now often means a harder life later and choosing hard now often means an easier life later. Most modern humans are overweight, stressed, tired and dealing with chronic health problems because we’re following outdated survival programming that no longer serves us. It’s time to become aware of these defaults. To override them. To consciously choose the hard thing - because doing hard things is what actually makes life easier in the long run. Hard things like: Going to bed on time instead of watching another episode Preparing a healthy meal instead of grabbing fast food Moving your body instead of sitting all day Walking or biking to the store instead of driving Managing stress with deep breaths and fresh air instead of pouring a drink Looking at your habits instead of masking symptoms with medication It might feel uncomfortable because it goes against everything your biological programming is urging you to do. But that’s exactly why it matters. Don’t think of it as punishment or sacrifice. Think of it as an investment. Every time you take the stairs instead of the elevator, cook instead of order out, or put your phone down to truly rest, you’re building a life that’s easier, richer, and more fulfilling down the road. And remember: Do easy things, and you’ll have a hard life. Do hard things, and you’ll have an easy life. Most of the above information is probably not new to you. That’s because we live in the information age with the internet and now AI - we already know what it is we need to do. The problem however is implementation. This is where having a customized plan and accountability comes in. If you know the hard things you need to do more of but struggle with breaking past your ‘default mode’ then contact us for a complimentary consultation HERE .
Congratulations to Sonya Jeyaseelan, Our July 2025 SuperNova!
Congratulations to Liz Belford, Our June SuperNova!
We are back with our second series of 'Pod Calls' available exclusively to our Nova Health Club members. Don't miss these unique sessions to help you level up your health and wellness game! What is a Pod Call? A Pod Call is a live online (webinar like)_ session with a Nova coach, offering support and insights on key health topics like fitness, nutrition, recovery and overall wellness. Why did we create Pod Calls? Our goal is your success and your health goals can not be built on fitness alone. After delivering thousands of personal training sessions, we noticed a disconnect between fitness sessions we were delivering and the other pillars of health (and lifestyle habits that happen outside of the gym). To get the most out of your health and your fitness sessions at Nova we need to link other pillars such as mindset, nutrition, stress and recovery. Training coaches who care about your results will agree that a couple hours of personal training each week is not enough time to workout AND learn everything you need to know about maximizing those workouts... Things like how to eat before or after workouts, what recovery habits should be practiced or the link between stress and working out are all subjects that you need to know on your health and fitness journey. Pod Calls are dedicated sessions where we teach you essential health and fitness insights that we can't often cover during your gym workouts. We hope you take advantage of these expert-led sessions that will enhance your workouts, teach you new concepts about health and bridge the gap between fitness and overall wellness. Upcoming Pod Calls (all times in EST) Mon Jun 2, 2025 (6:00pm) Topic: How To Eat Carbs For Better Energy, Muscle & Fat Loss Coach: Josh Allen Wed Jun 4, 2025 (2:00pm) Topic: Hip Mobility Using the 'CARS' (active session) Coach: Kim Vo Sat Jun 7, 2025 (12:00pm) Topic: Benefits of Single Leg & Arm Training for Overall Strength Coach: Matthew Nadler Tues Jun 10, 2025 (6pm) Topic: Releasing Neck Tension Coach: Zack Fernandez Wed Jun 18, 2025 (1:00pm) Topic: Training The Backside of The Core Coach: Colin Soltesz Thu June 19, 2025 (7:00pm): Topic: Ayurveda for Healthy Ageing Coach: Kayla Hutchinson These calls are free for Nova members and Zoom links for each call can be found in the Nova Mighty Networks platform. If you are not a Nova member and would like to attend any of these please email Info@NovaHealthClub.com for a seat. We look forward to seeing you then!
Simon’s 6-Week Transformation: From Stressed & Stuck to Strong & Energized
Simon joined Nova through the LeanDads 12-week program in February. Like many busy professionals...
Health Comes First Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, strength or injury recovery, success starts with being healthy. As simple as that sounds, the unfortunate reality is that most people have no idea how to be healthy. Health isn’t just about working out and eating better . While those are important, they’re part of a bigger picture. True health requires a broader approach - one that goes beyond just hitting the gym or following a “healthy” diet. Think of health like a car with 5 gears: 1st gear – You work out 2nd gear – You work out and eat well But to shift into 5th gear, where real transformation happens, you need to focus on all 5 Pillars of Health These 5 pillars are so simple yet overlooked because modern life is filled with distractions - and we’re constantly bombarded with quick-fix solutions, trendy fads and marketing gimmicks that promise results overnight. But the truth is, when you implement the foundational principles of the 5 pillars you will achieve 80% of your goals. Without them, you’re stuck in low gear with slow progress and feeling frustrated. The 5 Pillars of Health 1)Mindset & Motivation Everything, even health starts with a thought. How you think determines your actions and whether they serve you or hold you back. For most people starting on a journey to achieve a health goal, it is like a fish out of water. They have no idea how to navigate the challenges - and trust me, a health journey has its share of challenges. You start off optimistic and full of excitement but if you don’t cultivate a strong mental outlook you won’t last. This is why most people don’t reach goals - or if they do, it does not last. THOUGHTS create FEELINGS which create ACTIONS which leads to RESULTS 2)Nutrition & Digestion Many people say they 'eat healthy' but are they eating healthy AND getting results? Unfortunately not… That is because most people do not understand what their body actually needs and even though a specific food could be 'healthy' it may not be healthy for you. Even if you are eating the right things, how is it being digested? Recent research emphasizes the critical role of digestion as the starting point for overall well-being. Digestive health influences not only body composition but also affects mood, energy levels, and even skin health. 3)Movement & Exercise The human body was designed to move. Incorporating movement, whether it be walking, stretching, working out or sport is paramount to overall health. When it comes to movement there are 4 components you must incorporate into your life - 1)Mobility, 2)NEAT (non-exercise active thermogenesis), 3)cardio and 4)strength training. If you only do one of them you are not optimizing your potential. 4)Stress & The Nervous System Stress is highly misunderstood. It is more than just work deadlines, traffic jams and challenging relationships. Stress is anything that takes your body out of equilibrium. That includes inflammatory foods, lack of sleep, digestive stress, alcohol, medications, environmental toxins etc. While most people see stress as something negative, it is meant to make us stronger and more adaptable to the pressures we face. Stress only becomes a problem when there is too much or when our resilience to it has been compromised. 5)Sleep, Rest & Recovery There is so much stress and stimulus in modern life. Even positive ones (like working out or taking a vacation) acts as a stressor that disrupts our equilibrium. To properly respond to the stressors in life, our body requires time to sleep, rest and recover in between. The unfortunate reality for most people is that they are under recovered and over stimulated by stressors. If you are not getting the right quantity or quality of sleep, then you are limiting your energy reservoirs, ability to adapt to stress and ultimately going to struggle reaching your health goals. The New Health Revolution After 20+ years as a personal trainer, I’ve seen countless people struggle to reach their goals - not because they weren’t working hard, but because their 5 Pillars of Health were out of balance. Many believe that grinding it out in the gym a few times a week is enough. But what they don’t realize is that intense workouts are a stress on the body, and without the right support from the other pillars, that stress won’t lead to the results they want. About 10 years ago, I had a realization - I didn’t want to be the kind of trainer who just counts reps while clients stay stuck. My clients wanted real results, and I wanted to help them achieve lasting transformations. That’s when I shifted from being just a personal trainer to becoming a health coach, using the 5 Pillars of Health to create real, sustainable change. This isn’t just a personal shift - it’s an industry-wide transformation, and at Nova Health Club, we’re leading the way. We’ve developed a 12-week program built around the 5 Pillars to help people finally break through and get the results they deserve. Even small improvements in these 5 pillars - mindset, movement, nutrition, stress, and sleep - can create massive changes in your health! But when you truly master them, you become unstoppable. At Nova, we’ve created personalized 12-week programs tailored to your needs within the 5 Pillars: ✅ LeanDads – designed for men ✅ Femme Fusion – designed for women Imagine having a step-by-step blueprint that eliminates guesswork and shows you exactly what to do in each pillar to optimize your body, mind, and performance!? Curious how LeanDads or Femme Fusion can transform your life in just 12 weeks? Click the button below to book a complimentary session with us today!
The 80/20 Rule is a concept many people use for nutrition. It is great for beginners because it’s a simple way to ease into better habits and get initial results without feeling overwhelmed. It allows some flexibility while encouraging healthier choices most of the time. If your health and fitness is struggling due to poor nutrition habits then the 80/20 is a great place to start. However, if you find that you have been following the 80/20 principle but on a plateau with your health and fitness then you will want to keep reading… Nova Truth Bomb: The 80/20 Rule is a minimum standard, not a path to excellence. At some point in your journey, you have to ask yourself: Is this as far as I want to go? The Law of Diminishing Returns For those just starting their health and fitness journey, the 80/20 Rule will create excellent results at the start. But over time, as you level up, the law of diminishing returns kicks in. This means that the closer you get to your goal(s) the more you have to refine your habits to keep seeing results. In other words, what worked initially will only take you so far. If you want great results - whether that’s a leaner physique, higher energy, or peak performance - you can’t stay stuck at 80/20. Challenge Yourself or Stay Comfortable As a health and fitness coach for more than two decades, I've seen the 80/20 rule help many people - but only up to a point. Most people, when they get to that point, will settle for the comfort of 80/20 and decide that is good enough. I've also witnessed conflicting thought patterns in these individuals. They will say things like "everything in moderation" or “it's all about balance,” or “I want to enjoy my wine”. Yet in another conversation, they’ll complain about not seeing the results they want. Reality check: You can’t have it both ways. There’s a strange phenomenon in the human mindset when it comes to pushing limits in health and fitness - many see it as an impossible challenge reserved for the extreme. Ask a casual runner if they’d ever do a marathon, and they’ll often shut it down with a quick “No way!” The same goes for nutrition - suggest tightening things up beyond the usual 80/20, and you’ll hear excuses like, “I need my wine, bread, and cheese,” or, “I’ll do it when....” While the 80/20 Rule can be comfortable, it is a crutch that holds many people back. We see this often with those who practice “cheat days” - a popular reward for six days of ‘being good’ followed by one day to indulge in low-quality food or excess alcohol. Many of these people really want to get in better shape too! I know dozens of people who will talk about their health and fitness goals, but instead of embracing the next challenge, they seek comfort and ease. The 80/20 Rule in Practice The 80/20 rule promotes 'cheat days' 20% of the week. Let’s break this down a little further with nutrition. You eat three meals a day—that’s 21 meals per week. If you follow an 80/20 approach, that means four of those meals can be lower-quality or “cheat” meals. Think about that: Four entire meals each week could be pizza or pub food. That’s more than a full day of unhealthy food! This may have been a serious upgrade for someone who was once eating poorly every day of the week but as you can see, 80/20 only gets you so far. And that is where the average health conscious person will stop. That's ok if it meets your values but if you truly value excellence and want to achieve more, it’s time to raise your standards. Here’s a funny thing about those who preach 80/20 about nutrition: In business, career growth, and wealth-building, these people push for excellence—they don’t settle for “good enough.” Even within the family setting - children are expected to aim for 90% or higher in school. It's not often you hear dedicated parents say, “80% is fine, just settle for that.” So why do they accept mediocrity when it comes to their health? That’s a mindset we need to bat out of the park! The Next Level: 90/10 or 95/5 Raising your standards within health means embracing new challenges and continued growth. And going beyond 80/20 has massive benefits - benefits like unshakable energy, razor-sharp focus and a strong, resilient body that will make you unstoppable. If you value progressions in your health and fitness then put aside the 80/20 mindset and raise the bar to 90/10 or even 95/5. This could be: One or two off-plan meals per week instead of four Focusing on long-term consistency rather than weekly indulgences What do I mean by ‘focusing on long-term consistency rather than weekly indulgences’?’ Rather than thinking of 90/10 as a weekly ratio (a few off plan meals each week), consider stretching it over a longer period of time. I call this ‘extending the gap’. Example: Instead of “cheating” one meal a week, allow yourself to be on track for a solid month or two and then take a week off for vacation. You’ll get far better results this way because your body gets consistent time to heal from inflammation and function at its best before introducing something like nachos and beer that then slows you down. The Hidden Issue With Weekly Cheat Meals Most people don’t realize that one cheat day or meal per week can sabotage their entire progress! Unhealthy food creates an inflammatory response in the body that can take up to 14 days to recover from! If you’re indulging every seventh day, your body never fully recovers. This is why I push for a longer-term approach - one that ‘extends the gap’. Extending the gap creates better results even if you are following the 80/20 rule. Imagine being locked in for 80% of a 12-week period - eating well, training hard, and staying dialed in for 10-11 weeks. Then, after that consistent stretch, you take a week-long break or vacation where you enjoy whatever you want… The main benefit in ‘extending the gap’ of your 80/20 lifestyle is that your body has more time to detox, reset and thrive rather than constantly battling inflammation from frequent indulgences.… On top of that, when you do decide to go ‘off plan’ on a vacation for example the likelihood of you ditching the plan for an entire week is very low. In essence, your 80/20 mentality with an ‘extended gap’ naturally becomes a 90/10 plan giving you far better outcomes. Cheat meals or cheat days each week only work for those who are coming from no experience with anything healthy. For those who have been around the block a few times (most of the Nova Health community), they need to upgrade their approach and this the exact method we use in our health coaching & transformation programs for those who want to break through plateaus The Bottom Line: Raise Your Standards The 80/20 Rule is a stepping stone, not a destination. It’s a solid starting point, but if you want to keep progressing - or aspire to be great - you have to push beyond “good enough.” If your results have stalled, reassess your standards If you’re chasing big goals, stop settling for mediocrity If you want real transformation, ditch the weekly cheat mentality and “extend the gap” So ask yourself - what do you truly value more? The comfort of your weekly cheat meals and drinks? Or the opportunity to reach a higher level? At the core, all humans crave progress. Progress and growth isn’t about choosing what’s easy. It’s about choosing what matters most. Taking Action You have 3 choices depending on where you are at in your journey: Just beginning? Start with the 80/20 however it fits for you Stuck on 80/20? Stretch the gap! Stuck on 80/20? Move to 90/10! Whatever level you are at, if you are looking for support to jumpstart progress then check out how our health coaching & transformation programs can help you!
