Our fitness affects every area of our lives and can determine how happy and healthy we feel on any given day. Therefore, many of us set fitness goals, and these goals can range from losing weight to building up our core strength. Once you have fixed your sights on a fitness goal, the last thing you want to do is sabotage yourself. Nutrition and fitness guru Ruti Gomes too believes in the power of setting fitness goals. Here, she shares the five common mistakes that may be keeping you from reaching your goals.

1.            Lack of sleep

Ruti Gomes believes that many of us underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. She says that having a healthy eating plan and a regular fitness regime will do little to help you reach your fitness goals if you are not getting enough sleep. Ruti recommends getting a minimum of seven to eight hours of sleep and trying to get to bed at around the same time each night.

2.            Skipping meals

Our brain, Ruti points out, needs to be given a constant supply of glucose. When we eat inconsistently and deprive it of this nutrient, we gradually start losing muscle mass and see our moods dip. According to Ruti, eating every three hours can help prevent this. It will also help keep your hunger at bay and stop us from binge eating.

3.            Not drinking enough water

Depriving our bodies of the amount of water that it craves can sink our fitness goals before we even try to reach them. Ruti says that staying hydrated during the day helps our bodies to transport the nutrients we need. She recommends aiming to drink about half a gallon of water a day.

4.            Eating processed food

Ruti states that one of the fastest ways to reach your fitness goals is by avoiding processed foods. Overly processed food products will consist of chemical substances that force our liver to work overtime while trying to neutralize dyes and preservatives.

5.            Over-exercising

Ruti says that it’s easy to believe that you are on the right track to meet all of your fitness goals if you are exercising for hours every day and pushing yourself. The truth, she points out, is that you may be doing more harm than good. She adds that your body needs time to recover and bounce back after a strenuous workout. Ruti recommends getting thirty minutes of physical exercise every day but keeping more intense workouts to a maximum of three days a week.

Reaching our goals can be a struggle, especially when the goals affect our overall health. However, Ruti Gomes believes that avoiding these common fitness mistakes can help you realize all your fitness aspirations.