7 Mistakes Women Make Trying To Lose Fat Or Gain Muscle

Here’s how to not sabotage your progress:

Traps to watch out for

Seven top common errors are…

1. Not allowing your body to recover properly: you can only train as hard as you can recover from. Focus on sleep, hydration, and proper fueling instead of just workouts. Exercise is a good stressor, but you need recovery to handle intensity, otherwise your body won’t get stronger; it’ll just break down.
2. Following restrictive diet trends: severely cutting macros (usually: very low carb or very low fat) can cause hormonal imbalances (including thyroid issues), inflammation, and low energy. Fuel your body based on your goals and activity level instead of demonizing carbs or fats.
3. Neglecting high-intensity intervals: sprint work should be included weekly alongside zone 2 training. Short, intense intervals improve cardiovascular health and body recomposition, so they remain important no matter what else you’re doing.
4. Creating too large a calorie deficit: eating too little slows your metabolism, reduces your energy, and thus causes plateaus. Aim for only a small deficit (if any) and make sure to fuel muscle repair (that takes calories; your body cannot break the laws of thermodynamics for you!)
5. Failing to get enough protein: higher protein intake supports muscle retention, fat loss, and recovery. As we age, larger portions per meal are needed to trigger muscle-building responses.
6. Avoiding low-rep, high-load strength training: lifting heavy builds muscle, strengthens metabolism, and helps long-term health. Fear of “getting bulky” holds many back from real progress.
7. Relying mainly on steady-state cardio: cardio alone can burn calories short-term, but won’t build muscle or metabolic health as effectively as strength training. Balance is key.

For more on all of this, enjoy:

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Take care!