Is there anything more frustrating than trying hard to be sure you’re meeting fitness goals, only to miss them? It’s not as uncommon as you might think. In fact, many women struggle with unsuccessful efforts to be where they want to be at the gym.

Whether meeting fitness goals means being able to lift a certain weight, run a certain time or distance, or anything else you’ve set your mind to achieve, it’s difficult on the motivation levels when it just isn’t happening.

Don’t Give Up on Meeting Fitness Goals

It may feel as though you’ve hit a dead end in meeting fitness goals, but you shouldn’t give up. Losing your motivation is the most destructive thing that can happen to you when you’re trying to reach a new level. It can send you back to old habits or cause you to give up altogether. Do everything you can not to let this happen.

After all, you really haven’t hit a dead end in meeting fitness goals. The key to overcoming your barrier is to take a closer look at what seems to be going on to hold you back. You might find that you just need to make a few minor tweaks and you’ll be all set to start making progress again.

Most Common Fitness Struggles for Women

1. Stress – These days, is there anyone who isn’t affected by stress? In small doses, stress is actually good for you. However, at the levels the average woman experiences, it can hold us back from reading many targets, let alone meeting fitness goals. This is particularly true because too much stress causes the hormone cortisol (aka, the stress hormone) to be produced in higher levels in the body. Cortisol can be useful in short stressful situations. It helps to keep us responsive, alert and driven. However, when you’re stressed all the time, cortisol can be draining, can cause us to feel powerful food cravings for weight control-unfriendly foods, and can simply get in the way. Take steps to control your stress and you may find your fitness progress slides back on track, too.
2. Inconsistency – If you’re not doing your workouts regularly, if you’re cutting them short, or if you’re just doing them on weekends, then you simply won’t be meeting fitness goals as you would if you were more consistent. Find a way to fit exercise into your regular lifestyle. Make it a part of your routine and not one you’re willing to sacrifice. Give it priority. You’ll notice a difference fast.
3. Sleeplessness – Sleep is critical to controlling stress, keeping up energy levels, hunger control, and a world of other vital parts of your life. This includes your fitness performance. If you’re not getting the rest you need, the odds are that your workout outcomes are hurting from it. Set a solid bedtime routine and stick to it.