How to Start Your Fitness Journey the Healthy Way
Around 50% of people who start a workout program quit within the first six months.
Starting a fitness journey is harder you think because you must sustain a high level of enthusiasm to see results. Perhaps you’re eager to start but you’re not sure where to begin.
Sound familiar? If yes, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know.
Make a Commitment to Yourself
When starting a fitness journey, you must commit to it. Remember, it’s your responsibility to put in the work and be consistent so you can enjoy the results. Even on days when you’re unmotivated, make sure you go to the gym or get on your yoga mat and push through.
You should also ask yourself why you’re starting a fitness journey. Perhaps it’s to lose weight, gain muscle, or to boost your mood. Once you have a clear idea of the result, you can decide which type of workout is best for you.
Create a Vision Board
Stumped for how to start a fitness journey?
A fantastic way to visualize your goals is to create a vision board as it gets you in the right mindset for your workouts. Get a poster board and print out photos that reflect your dream body, the clothes you want to wear once you’re fit, and motivational quotes.
Put this in your bedroom so you see it as you wake up and it’ll set you up for the rest of the day.
Understand the Math
Once you learn how to begin a fitness journey, it’s important to know how the process works. Know that regardless of how healthy the food you’re eating is, if it’s too much then you’ll store that energy as fat.
During the fitness journey, you must burn more calories than you consume otherwise you’ll stay the same weight or gain more. Using this logic, track how much you’re eating and choose a recipe that benefits you. As a general rule, you should eat a maximum of 1,200 calories for women and 1,600 for men.
But you must remember how important nutrition is. For a nutrition challenge, load up on fruit and veggies, lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats so your body is fueled up before working out.
Go for a Physical Exam
Before you begin your journey to fitness, schedule an appointment with your doctor. They will tell you whether you need to avoid a type of exercise and confirm that you’re ready to begin the process. Plus, your doctor will likely share tips on how to improve your diet too.
Start Small
Instead of diving into the deep end, take baby steps otherwise you may become discouraged. For instance, start walking for 30 minutes a day and choose the stairs over the elevator. Once you start small, you’ll develop a healthy habit so you can then add more challenging exercises.
And always remember that something is better than nothing. If you have a hectic day and you can’t commit to a 45-minute cardio workout, then squeeze a 10-minute session in the evening as it’s still progress.
Create a Realistic Fitness Plan
Not everyone loves going to the gym or waking up at 5 AM for a mile-long run and that’s okay! At the minimum, you must exercise at least four times a week for around 30 minutes each time. If you’re a beginner, commit to 20 minutes a day whether it’s yoga or a brisk walk around the park.
Experiment with different exercises like spinning or resistance training so you can find one to stick to.
Hire a Personal Trainer
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, consult with a personal trainer to discuss your fitness goals and create a realistic routine.
You don’t have to have a personal trainer for the whole time but it’s beneficial at the beginning as they’ll show you how the equipment works, share tips on how to avoid injury and create a beginners program for you.
Don’t have the budget? Then search YouTube or find DVD workout but make sure there’s “beginner” in the title so you learn how to do each movement before progressing.
Find a Workout Buddy
Many people’s enthusiasm wavers because they don’t have support to cheer them on. You should find a buddy to workout with whether it’s your best friend, co-worker, or a group so you can run together in the evening.
This is useful because you can hold each other accountable and discover that joining that new yoga class is less intimating than you think.
Expect Setbacks
Life doesn’t always run smoothly as you’re often thrown curveballs. Perhaps work is too busy or you have family obligations so you can’t work out for the weekend. Just make sure that you get back to the routine as soon as possible so you still feel that momentum.
Celebrate the Small Wins
Sure, starting a fitness journey is serious but celebrate times when you make clear progress. For instance, treat yourself to a massage if you’ve worked out for 30 days straight. Or buy a new pair of running sneakers after completing your first 5K run.
That’s How to Start a Fitness Journey
Hopefully, after reading this article, you know how to start a fitness journey.
It’s important to stay committed, get motivated by finding a support group and find a workout you love. Make sure you’re eating nutritious meals and hire a personal trainer to guide you throughout the process. Good luck!
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