The 5 mistakes that stopped me from getting in shape, and how I fixed them:

1. Over-eating and under-hydrating

   Before joining ATP, I was under the impression that I needed to continuously eat in order to maintain/build muscle, whilst forgetting about hydration. These misconceptions were arguably 2 of the biggest mistakes I had made. Hydration is so important for every aspect of your health, beyond just physical performance and losing fat.



2. Convincing myself that I was training consistently and adequately

   I used to go to the gym quite frequently, but often without a serious training plan, or the dedication to hold myself accountable in the gym, especially when working long hours, or when you need those extra hours of sleep in the morning. Before joining ATP, I frequently used to miss my gym sessions, which then affected my progress. Lack of progress then affected my motivation.



3. Not preparing a training plan or diet plan

   Not having these prepared prevented any real structure to my training programme and hence, became a big limiting factor.



4. Lack of sleep

   Sleep was always something I struggled with, especially not being able to switch off from work. Now, incorporating daily breathing exercises, visiting yoga classes and stretching has helped to clear my mind and definitely helped with sleep, important for muscle growth, fat loss and recovery



5. Not taking care of aches and pains before they become injuries

   Training through the pain had caused some injuries over a period of time (especially my shoulder). I now learned that when you have muscle tightness/soreness, it needs to be treated before it causes serious injury. I’m glad to have worked with physiotherapists and my ATP coaches to help me navigate these throughout my journey.