Before you begin working out ... two things you need to know

 Duvaughn Dick, Contributor

The other day, someone shared this concern with me: I started going to the gym three months ago, and after being flustered for the first week, I hired a personal trainer. However, I have recently discovered that he is not a certified personal trainer. I believe in him and follow his directions without question, but I am not getting the results I was expecting and, worse, I suffered an injury last week and cannot go to the gym for the next two weeks. I am frustrated with my injury and lack of progress. What should I do?

Here's the thing, you should never give unquestioned obedience to your gym instructor, even if he was a certified gym instructor. Always research on your own, because you need to understand what you are doing to your body and how to do it to achieve your goals. And there is always going to be more to learn, so never stop reading.

I will mention two things that you should know before you even start your gym programme. This list is not exhaustive, but it could help you to make gains towards your goals much quicker and make your time at the gym more effective and productive.

1: PREPARE FOR INJURIES

First thing, it is very important to know about injuries and injury prevention. There are many common injuries that occur with people who exercise, and one would be very fortunate to never experience an injury if you are working out consistently for years. Therefore, prepare for such an occurrence.

Shoulder, back and elbow injuries during gym workout are common, and you need to know what you can do to keep them away.

Two common and extremely important factors that can put you at risk of injuries are improper exercise technique and muscle imbalances. If you are not entirely sure of an exercise technique, ask a competent trainer at your gym or read it up online and watch a few videos. This can be time consuming to learn one exercise, but it is always worth it if it can prevent an injury.

Also, working particular body parts more than others, for whatever reason, can be a recipe for an injury. Muscles are paired based on their opposite force on a joint. Biceps flex the elbow, while triceps extend the elbow. Hamstrings flex the knee, while quadriceps extend the knee. They are paired in this way, and strengthening one more than the other at the other side of the joint leads to muscle imbalance and can lead to an injury in the weaker muscle or at the joint.

2: DIET MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Second, and also very important, you have to focus on the kitchen aspect and not only the gym. Working out is the easy part, eating towards your goals is what makes the difference. Nutrition is arguably the most important factor in the gym/exercising/healthy lifestyle. This cannot be stressed enough; this can be a make-or-break factor towards your goals.

You cannot eat the same foods in the same way it took to get your body in the shape it is and expect it to transform in the journey towards changing your looks. Your diet has to change! Nutrition comprises more components than just what and how much you eat, it also includes when you eat.

Knowing the macronutrients of the foods you eat, the carbohydrates, protein and fats, can make a difference. It is very important to eat the right amounts in the correct frequency.

Starving yourself to lose weight is also a big misconception, and is never a good idea. Eat small, frequent meals (inclusive of healthy snacks) four to six times a day.

These tips can make a world of difference to your results as a beginner.

Duvaughn Dick is a registered physical therapist and certified fitness trainer.