After starting my own fitness journey this summer, I've become more aware of the common mistakes myself and those around me were making when it came to weight-loss and fitness.

Here's a list of 11 common mistakes when it comes to exercise and fitness, and ways to fix them.

1. Working Out Alone

One study found that working out with a partner can double your performance. Something about the competition really gets us going. Take advantage of tools like Fitbit, and other exercise monitors, that allow you to share your daily exercise with your friends, keeping that motivation high.

2. Lacking In Your Cardio

Running burns more calories than pretty much any other form of exercise. Not only will you shed body weight, running also increases your chances to live longer and has a huge positive effect on your health.

3. Skipping Meals

DO NOT SKIP MEALS. Skipping meals may seem like a legitimate way to lose weight: less food, less weight to run off. However, studies have shown that most people feel moody and less productive when they have skipped breakfast or lunch. Also, keep snack times to a minimum. Eat what you're supposed to, on the schedule that's right for you.

4. Drinking Smoothies Morning, Noon, and Night.

This may be a shock to some of you, but fruit has... sugar. Now, it is natural sugar, so it's not as bad for you as added, artificial sugars, but it's still not the best thing for you. Your "healthy" breakfast choice has close to 300 grams of sugar and around 250 calories. Instead, try freezing your fruit and eating them out of the freezer. You're still getting a refreshing, cool breakfast, without the extra added calories and sugar from the yogurt and other ingredients you'd add to your smoothie.

5. Working Out In Silence

Working out to music has several benefits. One is that it makes your workout go by faster, by giving you something else to focus on. In addition, studies have shown that music makes most people work out longer and harder. Music also makes your workout feel less strenuous on your muscles, by giving you something to focus on besides the pain. Before you start your workout, head over to Spotify and start one of their already-made workout playlists.

6. Over-Eating

Paying attention to portion sizes is a major key in a weight-loss journey. Your body lets you know when you're full, listen to it. Learn how to read a nutrition label, and go ahead and pre-package your snacks for the week in the correct portion sizes. If you're not careful, a healthy shack can turn into an extra hour at the gym.

7. Wearing The Wrong Shoes

One, good running shoes are expensive. Expect to shell out at least $100 for a nice pair of shoes to exercise in. Two, be sure you're buying the shoes that are right for your foot. We all have different arches in our feet, so shoes are made differently. Use water and a brown paper bag to see what type of arch you have (low, normal, or high) and buy your shoes accordingly.

8. Skipping Sweets All Together

Contrary to popular belief, chocolate is actually good for you. In moderation, of course. Studies have shown that people who eat an ounce and a half of chocolate a day have lower BMIs and less body fat. The darker the chocolate the better. Dark chocolate also helps reduce the risk of heart complications.

9. Focusing On The Number

News Flash: you can, and probably WILL, gain weight while trying to get healthier. Muscle mass weighs more than fat, so when new muscle replaces burnt fat, the number on the scale will go up. Try not to focus too much on the number, focus instead on how much easier it is to get through your day. Notice how much more energy you have now. Focus on the positives, instead of making yourself feel bad about the negatives.

10. Wearing The Wrong Sports Bra

Sports bras typically come in three levels of support: low, medium, and high. Low support sports bras are best for low-intensity workouts, like yoga. Medium support bras are best for moderate-intensity workouts, like walking or Zumba. High support bras are for high-intensity workouts, like running. Using the wrong support can damage your body, causing your breasts to bounce as much as eight inches while running. Try it out in the store to make sure you're buying the right amount of support.

11. Buying Your Equipment New.

Chances are, you'll get bored with that adorable yoga block and want to trade it out for a new jump rope or kettlebell within a month. So, instead of paying full-price for your equipment, check out stores like Play It Again Sports, which offers used (but clean) sports equipment at a fraction of the cost. Or, invest in a gym membership, so you have access to all kinds of exercise equipment for one monthly rate.

If you haven't made at least one of these mistakes, you're lying. I hope this will help you avoid these common mistakes and get the most out of your exercise!

So, are you guilty of these, really?