Top 5 Exercise Mistakes Made by Beginners

1. Too Much Too Soon. A lot of beginners are very motivated and start by working out way too much. Exercising is good and some think that more of a good thing is even better. For most things in life, this isn't true. When you're out of shape, your body can't handle this rigorous schedule. If you keep it up, you'll soon feel tired, sore and might quit your routine all together.

2. No Flexibility. If anyone, beginners should be placing a high priority on properly stretching, warming up and cooling down. Doing all three will help you perform better, decrease the amount of muscle soreness you feel and lower your risk of injury. To many people don't do these simple tasks and wonder why they can't get out of bed after running a mile.

3. Abs. The main goal of exercising is to look better and one of the best ways to look better is to have nice abs. Beginners sometimes focus too much time on doing sit ups, crunches and leg lifts, not realizing that it takes a well rounded routine to get a perfect six pack. In most cases, reducing body fat through cardio will work to show a six pack better than hundreds of sit ups will.

4. Bad Nutrition. To lose weight you need to combine exercise with a calorie restricted diet. In an attempt to lose weight quicker, some cut calories so much that they are actually eating too little. If you dip under 1,200 calories per day, your metabolism will slow down and you might not lose as much weightas you would hope. Avoid dropping under 1,200 calories per day to avoid this problem.

5. Supplements. There are hundreds if not thousands of supplements on the market, each with its own claim. A common mistake is to take some of these pills that promise to get your trim or increase your metabolism. Supplements aren't regulated by anyone and while some do have benefits, most are a waste of money and possibly dangerous for your health. Do your research before using any of them.