This can lead either to unwanted injuries or unsatisfactory results, says fitness trainer Robert Marincescu, a guest on Myimpact.

Robert Marincescu, himself a member of Generation Z, is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist. After ten years of working in a corporation, he quit his job to pursue his passion for sports, which he also turned into a business - a fitness gym.

Robert says that results are achieved through perseverance, and the focus should be on personal progress, not on comparing oneself to perfect images on social media.

He explains, in an interview with Alex Daragiu, what are the biggest mistakes that young people make when going to the gym, but he also has practical nutrition advice for those who want to stay in shape.

Alex Daragiu: Do people from Generation Z frequent the gym?

Robert Marincescu: They do, and that's great. I've noticed they have access to a lot of information. So they have quite varied workouts, but my advice would be to have someone with them, at least in the beginning, to filter this information they find on social networks.

Alex Daragiu: When someone goes to the gym for the first time, what is the biggest mistake they can make? For example, if an 18-year-old boy goes to the gym, the first thing he does is chest and biceps. He injures his shoulder, rendering him unable to continue. Subsequently, experiencing pain each time, he ceases going to the gym altogether.

Robert Marincescu: That's a big downside because they disregard joint warm-up and muscle activation, which is very important before a workout, precisely to prevent such situations and to make it enjoyable to come to the gym.

Because, ultimately, the gym - or fitness, or exercise in general - should be long term, not just coming for a month and realizing you don't like it or continuing to work the same muscle groups and seeing no progress, then going back home and saying it's not for you.

Alex Daragiu: I guess you see this most often in the gym when a young person comes and does the same thing every time.

Robert Marincescu: Exactly. I consistently strive to assist others, drawing from my own positive experiences. Back when I was younger and began hitting the gym at 16, I received guidance from experienced people (...). And that's what I want to do. I explain, but many don't understand, many have headphones on.

Alex Daragiu: Is it advisable to listen to music or refrain from doing so while engaging in gym-related activities?

Robert Marincescu: Both yes and no. Primarily, yes, as music has the ability to distract, soothe and energize, perhaps even more effectively than a pre-workout supplement. It's very good, but unfortunately, compared to previous generations, or maybe the ones from earlier years, there used to be a community in the gym. I help you, you help me. We practiced together and helped each other. We could grow. Nowadays, you're in one corner with headphones on, I'm in the other corner. I'm an advocate for balance. I'm at the gym with headphones on if I feel like listening to something motivational, but I can also be without headphones to enjoy the community in the gym.

Why it's better to go to the gym than to work out at home

Alex Daragiu: If you can't go to the gym, what can you do at home?

Robert Marincescu: There are many options. There is a wide variety now, especially with the access we have to the internet. We have platforms like YouTube, which are free, offering cardio circuits, functional training, heat training, interval training - which you can do at home and burn a lot of calories (...).

I would go for outdoor exercise or gym training because you come specifically to do that. If you want to work out, in my opinion, you should change into workout clothes because if you come dressed in your home outfit, you won't last more than 10 minutes doing something because you're not "there".

Alex Daragiu: Do you go to the gym with friends or solo?

Robert Marincescu: It varies greatly from person to person. I mean, if two, maximum three, come, it's very good, you can motivate each other. But if you come in groups of more than three, it could turn into something completely different.

Alex Daragiu: Does the gym help with mental health, and if so, what do you think has helped you?

Robert Marincescu: Of course. The gym, especially now when young people, and almost everyone, suffer more from anxiety than in the past, suffer from office or job burnout, they come to the gym, and here the endorphins released after exercise, mentally, do something sensational. You will feel completely different after exercising. Alternatively, in the morning, you find that your day takes on a different tone after completing your workout.

Alex Daragiu: Regarding this, what do you think it's more beneficial for someone who works during the day? To exercise in the morning or in the evening?

Robert Marincescu: I think in the evening, for a person with a day shift. But it depends a lot on them, how they feel. I've worked out at all possible hours, and I've gotten used to all possible hours.

Meaning I worked out at 8 in the evening when I had a corporate job, and I was very okay with the energy, I was super okay. Then I worked out in the morning because I had a schedule change, and now my workout time is between 1 and 3 PM. However, regardless of the time chosen, it ultimately revolves around establishing routines and maintaining dietary habits.

What are the biggest mistakes we make when we want to lose weight

Alex Daragiu: What are the biggest mistakes someone my age makes, from a nutrition perspective?

Robert Marincescu: When wanting to lose weight, people tend to starve themselves, and when they want to gain muscle mass, they eat all sorts of junk. There's no balance. That's the biggest mistake. I mean, you have to have a balance in your diet.

Balance means, in my opinion, a balanced diet. It's simple, as a definition: 80% to eat "clean" - to eat according to a plan you set with calorie and macronutrient calculations - and 20%, you can go towards the temptations you face daily.

But a "cheat meal" that I also offer in my nutrition plans - a meal per week - is a meal the client wants. At lunch, not in the evening, and only one meal. "Cheat meal", not "cheat day", because from here it could be "cheat week"...

Alex Daragiu: Is there a myth about proteins, for example, to have only proteins in your system or only vegetables, or is balance actually the key?

Robert Marincescu: Just as I mentioned earlier, there are diets of all kinds, very restrictive, based solely on proteins, based solely on fats, or a combination, but predominantly something from the three. I always lean towards balance. This means that all three - fats, proteins and carbohydrates - are very good. Macronutrients are essential.

Alex Daragiu: It seems that people my age, Generation Z, come with misinformation to the gym taken from the internet, for example. What are the thoughts that occur to you when considering this, namely, information that might be false?

Robert Marincescu: Yes, that's the flip side of access to information. It's very good that you have information and options to choose from. However, filtering is very important. At least have someone to guide you on what to do because otherwise, you come and get injured.

How can you overcome the fear of going to the gym? "You don't come to be judged by someone"

Robert Marincescu: I've had many examples among my clients who asked me to take them away from the front of the gym. Especially women have this problem of social exposure, bigger than men.

Men don't think about this, they come, they're okay, but women usually have this barrier they put up. I don't know exactly where it comes from (...). They consistently seek companionship, coaching, which is beneficial, or opt for classes because the gym is predominantly populated by men, around 80%.

You have to get over this because the idea is that you come to the gym not to be judged by someone, but to try to achieve your goal.

The journey may be lengthy, but progress is important. Today, you may run for 20 minutes; tomorrow, for 22. Evolution holds greater significance than the eventual outcome, which will undoubtedly materialize. Regrettably, the idealized images presented on social media discourage this generation from attending the gym.