{"id":135340,"date":"2026-04-16T06:19:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T10:19:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/?p=135340"},"modified":"2026-04-16T12:43:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T16:43:54","slug":"beginner-strength-training-mistakes-i-made-so-you-dont-have-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/16\/beginner-strength-training-mistakes-i-made-so-you-dont-have-to\/","title":{"rendered":"Beginner strength training mistakes I made (so you don\u2019t have to)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sharing a list of those \u201clive and learn\u201d kinda moments.<\/em><\/p>\n

Hi friends! I hope you\u2019re having a wonderful morning. I have a couple of appointments today and then it\u2019s the mom uber shuffle later this afternoon. \"\ud83d\ude09\"<\/p>\n

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:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working hard at the gym, but I\u2019m not seeing results.\u201d<\/p>\n

I feel this in my soul, because I\u2019ve definitely been there.<\/p>\n

When I first started my fitness journey, I was super motivated, consistent\u2026 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 we\u2019ve been taught to do (especially as women in the early 2000s fitness era\u2026 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)<\/p>\n

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 I\u2019m a certified personal trainer, Women\u2019s Fitness Specialist and Corrective Exercise Specialist, this is not personalized fitness advice. Check with your doctor before making any changes to your routine.)<\/p>\n

\"Can<\/a><\/p>\n

Beginner strength training mistakes I made<\/h2>\n

1. Doing way too much cardio<\/h3>\n

This was probably my #1 mistake.<\/p>\n

I thought the formula was:<\/p>\n

Sweat as much as possible = better results<\/p>\n

So I\u2019d stack:<\/p>\n

Long cardio sessions<\/p>\n

Group fitness classes<\/p>\n

Maybe a little bit of strength training\u2026 as an afterthought.. and I\u2019d use teeny tiny lil weights.<\/p>\n

The problem? Too much cardio can actually work against your goals, especially if you\u2019re trying to build muscle, boost metabolism, and change your body composition.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re constantly in a calorie-burning, high-stress state:<\/p>\n

\u2013 Your body doesn\u2019t prioritize muscle building<\/p>\n

\u2013 Cortisol can stay elevated<\/p>\n

\u2013 You can feel constantly depleted (and CRASH in the afternoon)<\/p>\n

What I wish I had done instead:<\/p>\n

Focus on strength training as the foundation, with cardio as support.<\/p>\n

Now, I usually recommend:<\/p>\n

3 \u2013 4 days of strength training<\/p>\n

1 \u2013 2 days of cardio (or just daily walks + lifestyle movement)<\/p>\n

2. Not eating enough (especially protein)<\/h3>\n

This one is huge and I see it all the time.<\/p>\n

Back then, I was:<\/p>\n

Under-eating overall<\/p>\n

Skipping meals or eating super \u201clight\u201d<\/p>\n

Not prioritizing protein at all (I thought one egg was protein and that peanut butter was also protein)<\/p>\n

Behold, a 2014 lunch:<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I thought eating less would help me lean out faster, but it actually did the opposite.<\/p>\n

If your body doesn\u2019t have enough fuel, it\u2019s not going to:<\/p>\n

Build muscle<\/p>\n

Recover properly<\/p>\n

Maintain a healthy metabolism<\/p>\n

When protein is low, it\u2019s even harder to see that \u201ctoned\u201d look so many people are after.<\/p>\n

What I wish I had done instead:<\/p>\n

Eat enough to support my activity level<\/p>\n

Prioritize protein at each meal<\/p>\n

Stop being afraid of fueling my body<\/p>\n

A good starting point for many women is aiming for 20 \u2013 30g of protein per meal, and adjusting based on your body and goals.<\/p>\n

3. Not taking recovery seriously<\/h3>\n

I used to think rest days were optional. I\u2019d still go to the gym on my \u201coff\u201d days and just not work quite as hard.<\/p>\n

If I wasn\u2019t sore, I felt like I wasn\u2019t doing enough.<\/p>\n

If I had energy, I\u2019d push harder instead of pulling back.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the truth:<\/p>\n

Your body changes during recovery, not during the workout.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Without proper recovery:<\/p>\n

Muscles don\u2019t repair and grow<\/p>\n

Energy levels tank<\/p>\n

Risk of burnout (or injury) increases<\/p>\n

This is especially important for busy moms juggling everything. Your nervous system is already dealing with a lot.<\/p>\n

What I wish I had done instead:<\/p>\n

Scheduled rest days like appointments<\/p>\n

Prioritized sleep (game changer for hormones + fat loss)<\/p>\n

Add in low-impact recovery like walking, stretching, or yoga<\/p>\n

Recovery is magic and it\u2019s what can enable you to be more consistent over the long haul.<\/p>\n

4. Not tracking progress (the right way)<\/h3>\n

This one might be the most surprisin.<\/p>\n

I used to rely only on the scale to tell me if things were \u201cworking.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the number didn\u2019t move\u00a0I assumed I was failing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Strength training changes your body in ways the scale doesn\u2019t always reflect:<\/p>\n

Building lean muscle<\/p>\n

Losing body fat<\/p>\n

Getting stronger<\/p>\n

Improving endurance<\/p>\n

You could be making amazing progress and not see it in that one number. (Read that again, k??)<\/strong><\/p>\n

What I wish I had done instead:<\/p>\n

Track multiple forms of progress, like:<\/p>\n

Strength increases (lifting heavier weights, more reps)<\/p>\n

Progress photos<\/p>\n

Measurements<\/p>\n

Energy levels and mood<\/p>\n

How clothes fit<\/p>\n

Some of the best wins have nothing to do with the scale.<\/p>\n

5. Not following a plan<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ll add this one because it made such a difference for me.<\/p>\n

I used to just wing it.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d go into the gym and do whatever felt right that day, without any real structure or progression.<\/p>\n

Once I started following a structured program with progressive overload, everything changed.<\/p>\n

Workouts felt like they had purpose (which was motivating in itself)<\/p>\n

I could clearly see progress and felt stronger over time<\/p>\n

Results felt like they were actually happening (and felt sustainable)<\/p>\n

A friendly reminder if you\u2019re just getting started with strength training:<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to do everything perfectly!!!<\/strong> ANY movement is good movement. You just want to do it in a way that makes sense for your life.<\/p>\n

If I could go back and tell beginner me anything, it would be this:<\/p>\n

Lift weights. Eat enough. Rest more than you think you need. Stick with it. You\u2019ll still be working out 20+ years from now because you got started in the first place.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re currently on your strength training journey, I\u2019d love to hear from ya: what\u2019s been the biggest learning curve so far?<\/p>\n

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. \"\ud83d\ude09\"<\/p>\n

xo<\/p>\n

Gina<\/p>\n

More:<\/p>\n

My favorite at-home barre workouts<\/a><\/p>\n

A year of workout programming \u2013 DONE<\/a><\/p>\n

The post Beginner strength training mistakes I made (so you don\u2019t have to)<\/a> appeared first on The Fitnessista<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sharing a list of those \u201clive and learn\u201d kinda moments. Hi friends! I hope you\u2019re having a wonderful morning. I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":134569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142,326],"tags":[144,328],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135340"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135340"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135340\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":135344,"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135340\/revisions\/135344"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/134569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yorbestlife.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}