According to Joey Thurman, a Chicago-based certified personal trainer and fitness expert who created The Lifestyle Renovation website, there are many reasons why, despite butt-busting workouts, we may fail to achieve our fitness and exercise goals.

Maybe it’s because you perform the same old, boring workout each week, or you don’t modify your diet by making healthier food choices.

For example, it’s easy to justify overeating if you’re committed to a fitness plan. “It gets dangerous when you start eating poorly simply because you’re working out,” says Thurman.

Of course, these are just a few bad habits that can make it harder to attain the results we want from a consistent exercise program. Thurman also advises against setting unrealistic expectations, perceiving exercise as work and going overboard on training.

The last example is especially counterproductive because you can’t make gains if you don’t allow your body enough time to rest and recover.