The American Council on Exercise comprised a list of ‘Top 10’ mistakes that people tend to make when visiting (or not visiting) gym. Following you will find list in our own words. Take note of these errors and make sure that you are covered on all bases in regard to avoiding them. Mom Looks Great readers must be at top of their game!

1.Feast or Famine – We are not talking about you diet in this case. When time is tight, some of you may forego your workout. Remember that you do not need a full consecutive hour to meet fitness demands. Ten to twenty minute bursts of activity can work in conjunction with one another or even alone on days when your schedule will not allow more time.

2.Balance Scale – In building a healthy body you want to give equal amounts of attention to all muscle groups. Visible areas such as your arms or legs may tempt you for more focus, but your stomach, back and behind are also key areas of strength in your everyday routine. When you do not work your body as a whole throughout week, you are prone to injuries due to an overall muscle imbalance.

3.Mirror, Mirror – Your eyes are beautiful and nothing is in your teeth, but most important, mirrors in gym are for insuring correct posture during exercise and not for aesthetic reasons. On flipside, do not feel cocky for staring at yourself while exercising. It is imperative that you make sure your posture is correct during your training sessions. Common errors in posture include knees jutting beyond ankles when in squat or lunge positions, shoulders shrugged (even slightest bit) while performing upper body exercises as well as butt not tucked or stomach not tightened. Make sure your form is correct and if needed, there is usually an available trainer if you have questions.

4.One Step at a Time - The whole basis of Mom Looks Great program is gradual progression, whether you just had your baby or you have an unconditioned body after a long period of time of foregoing formal exercise. While men are usually guiltier than women of Mistake #4, we too can enter gym and expect to pick up at intensity where we left off, whether it’s weights that we lift or speed of which we perform cardio exercise. Do not succumb to your ego. You must re-introduce your body in a proper manner which means a gradual progression of intensity over a period of time.