1. Eating too little
This mostly affects women because they tend to eat less food. This will result in the lacking of enough energy needed to make significant improvements to their bodies. One needs a bigger portion of food in order to supplement the energy needed to create muscle mass. Adding some calories may add a little fat to the body but this will shed off while training.
2. Eating unhealthy foods
I mentioned above stocking up on calories, however this doesn’t mean indulging in fast food and junk food which are calorie dense. While bulking up, one should obtain calories from clean and healthy sources such lean meats and healthy fats from say fish. Focus on putting on muscle not fat.
3. Avoiding carbohydrates
If consumed appropriately, carbohydrates make a great source of energy. Carbohydrates are classified into 2 main groups.
+ Simple carbohydrates such as White bread and spaghetti are digested easily and fast hence they fortify the insulin levels and direct more glycogen to the muscles. They also help in deriving amino acids from proteins which are used in muscle building.
+ Complex carbohydrates take long to be digested but they are a great source of long term energy. Arrowroots, brown bread are good examples of these complex carbohydrates.
4. Smoking and alcohol
Smoking limits oxygen supply to one’s body. Lack of oxygen in the blood and ultimately the heart will make you weak thus disorienting your workout program. Hemoglobin has a higher affinity for Carbon monoxide is a by product of tobacco. This prevents absorption of oxygen to the bloodstream.
Alcohol slows down metabolism and stops fat breakdown. It also causes dehydration, slows down protein synthesis and leads to low testosterone levels. All this harbor any meaningful bodybuilding.
5. Unregulated cardio
Integrating cardio improves one’s both the appetite and the cardiovascular system. All these are crucial in bodybuilding.
No cardio results in a poor cardiovascular system will cause one to fail to achieve their goals mostly because they are out of breath.
Too much cardio harbors muscle size and shape since too much energy is spent on cardio. A moderate cardio of say 20-30 minute periods a week maintains a good metabolism and functioning of the heart.
6. Excess exercise machine use
Workout machines are comfortable and easy to use but the free weights basics with dumbbells like rows and squats are the best. Free weights train most muscle fiber leading to best muscle growth. Exhaust as much energy with free-weights before engaging the machines.
7. Little rest
Working out tears muscle tissue. The body requires recovery time to repair the worn out tissue. Lack of rest cancels out any meaningful muscle growth.
8. Weight control
One should focus more on muscle mass development and not how weight one has put on. Weight increment mostly indicates increased body fat. Men tend to relate muscle growth to increasing weight. Women tend to stop eating as much to avoid gaining weight. All these harbor muscle improvement.
9. Misplaced goals
What are you aiming for in bodybuilding? Is one doing this for competitive reasons, keeping fit or just to impress? Making short and long term goals will assist one to keep focused on what one is aiming for.
10.Irregular meal times
The body needs proteins every 2 to 3 hours. This will keep the body from eating away at already formed muscles. Keep to strict eating times to ensure the body has enough amino acids reserves until the next meal.
