The greatest thing you could do for yourself is to intentionally move your body frequently. Physical and mental wellness are both improved by exercise. According to research, exercising improves your mood, helps you control your weight, builds bone density, improves the quality of your sleep, and lengthens your life. Because life can be a hurdle sometimes, it takes effort and dedication to consistently work out. Parenthood, employment, education, anxiety, and other factors may obstruct your path. Additionally, it might be more difficult if you’re a beginner because you might not know where to begin or how to perform specific exercises. The good news is that if you have the right mindset, knowledge, and commitment, you can make a workout schedule that you can adhere to.
If you are new to working out or are looking for advice on how to resume your exercise routine after a long break, I have compiled some tips that I personally followed that will surely help you get started.
Here are things you need to know about working out as a beginner.
Just start. “I’ll start on Monday or the first of next month. Let me first find the motivation to start working out, and then I’ll start.” Do you recognize any of these phrases? After two years of consistent exercise, I realized that you can’t always rely on motivation! Discipline will get you going, not motivation. So, start!
Begin by doing what you relish the most. “I’m ready to start working out, but where do I start?” A common question asked by most beginners. The good news is that you can move your body in an array of ways. Here are a few types of exercises you could try.
- Calisthenics training. These exercises can be done anywhere, including the comfort of your own home, with minimal equipment, especially for beginners. All you need for resistance is your body weight. Calisthenics’ goal is to make you stronger through various body movements.
- Strength training. This is a method of conditioning that uses various types of equipment, such as barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, etc., to increase muscle strength and power.
- Zumba. Do you enjoy dancing? You might like Zumba. This is a type of exercise in which you burn calories by grooving to the beats of music. It is a type of interval training in which dance classes alternate between high and low intervals to improve cardiovascular endurance.
- Stability training. This involves workout drills that help you move your body, particularly your joints, with control in various stances. The primary goal of stability training is to prevent ligament tears or serious injuries.
The advantage of starting with what you enjoy the most is that you will not see working out as an obligation, but rather as a privilege to move your body. You also don’t need a lot of fitness equipment to get started. You only need your body, probably a mat, and a positive mindset! Consistency is crucial, hence it being the secret to getting benefits from your fitness program. Always consider your “why(s)” if you find that your fitness objectives have been eluding you. Did you begin in order to shed weight? Is it because you want to improve your sleeping quality? Yes! Keep reminding yourself of those “why(s)” whenever necessary.
A few tips for beginners in order to stay consistent and see results.
1. Determine your favorite times to exercise.
Is it late afternoon, late evening, or early morning? According to research, the human body can adjust to consistent training schedules, so keeping your routines concentrated at the same time each day will help you maintain consistency.
2. Find a fitness accountability partner.
To be honest, there will be days when you wake up feeling sluggish and slothful. Not every day will be simple and trouble-free. Be kind to yourself when you are having such days because they are common. All you need to do on such days is to talk it out with someone. You’ll be surprised at how easily you can find the motivation to work out. Remember that improving your health does not have to be a lonely endeavor.
3. Start your day with wholesome routines.
Habits, habits, and more habits! The power of developing healthy routines is undefeated! It can be challenging to both break bad habits and build healthy ones. The good news is that it’s doable. Knowing your cues and some of your bad habits can help you develop positive ones. For example, if you normally use 4 tablespoons of unrefined sugar in your tea or beverages, you could reduce it to 3 teaspoons. Once you’ve gotten used to 3 teaspoons, gradually reduce it to 1 teaspoon or none, depending on the goals you have set. The aim is to begin small and gradually progress to larger steps.
4. Have a workout schedule.
Don’t decide what muscle group or routines to focus on the moment you wake up. When you don’t have a workout schedule, it can be difficult to know what to do, which may cause you to skip some days. I’ve always completed my workouts quickly by prepping ahead of time, which frees up time to complete other items on my to-do list. This brings me to the next tip.
5. You don’t need to spend a lot of time in the gym to see results.
Some individuals mistakenly believe that spending endless hours in the gym will ensure results when weight reduction or muscle building is the primary objective. Long workout sessions will only result in fatigue, which will hinder your exercise performance the following day and will affect your exercise form. Your odds of recovering your muscles are slim. Muscle recovery happens when you are not training. You might also be wondering, “How much exercise should a beginner do to see results?” Answers vary from person to person, but my suggestion is, to begin with, sustainable hours. 20 minutes to an hour every 3-5 days is enough for you to see results. This will also make you get consistent with your routine. As you advance, you could slowly build up the number of days and hours to work out.
6. Spot reducing is impossible.
Spot reduction is the practice of attempting to target particular body parts where you hope to reduce fat through exercise. We all wish this was feasible, don’t we? Please let no one lie to you that you can target to burn fat in certain areas of your body through pills or ‘fat burning drinks’. Save yourself the frustrations of not seeing results through these gimmicks. You could use your coins on paying for a gym membership or buying your home workout gear. Liposuction is the only option for spot reduction.
7. Nutrition is vital.
Your objectives will determine how many calories you should consume. You will consume at a caloric surplus if your goal is to gain weight, a caloric deficit if your goal is to lose weight, and a caloric maintenance level if your goal is to maintain your weight. The app “myfitnesspal” is designed to help you if you need assistance keeping track of your caloric intake. You also need to strike a balance between consuming nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables, lean meat, legumes, sea foods, etc., and highly processed foods like sausages, syrups, and sweetened breakfast cereals. Make sure that most of your meals contain nutrient-dense foods because they contain micronutrients (minerals and vitamins) that will nourish your body.
8. Your sleep routine plays a huge role in seeing results.
An essential post-recovery means of helping your body muscles to recover from the strain placed on them during exercise is a good night’s slumber. The amount and quality of your sleep affect how well you perform during your next workout the following day. According to research, adults need 7-8 hours of sleep per night on average to operate at their best.
Latter thoughts
Allow yourself to be a beginner. Don’t compare yourself to experienced athletes who have been on their fitness journey for more than 5 years. Always show up for yourself. When it gets tough and you feel like giving up, remind yourself of your why(s). Take your time to re-strategize and restart as often as you need until you find out what works best for you because what may work for me or your favorite fitness coach may not work for you. Keep in mind that victories don’t happen by accident, so you need to discover the right strategies if you want to prevail! Keep showing up, you’ve got this!
Some great insights to everyone looking to start their fitness journey
Hello Vieven. I am glad you found this helpful!
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Very satisfying and motivating.
Thank you and keep it up!