For beginners, working out and staying fit is not easy but exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for yourself and for your health.
The benefits of physical activity on your body and mind are many. This is why you should stick to a healthy lifestyle.
One thing that keeps some people away from living a healthy lifestyle is the consistency to work out as much as they need.
A lot of people who are determined to work out start well but fall by the way side because they lack the discipline to continue to see lasting results.
If you want to start exercising but don’t know where to begin, relax and read up because this article is for you.
Below are some of the things you need to know about starting a workout routine and sticking to it:
1. Know your health status
It is important that before you start engaging in strenuous physical activity, you need to see your doctor for full body checkup. This will help you know what to do and what not to do. An early checkup can detect any health problems or conditions that could put you at risk of an injury during exercise.
2. Set realistic goals
You will fall by the way side if you start off by wanting to lose 10kg in a month. That’s not realistic. You might achieve it but it’s not sustainable. If you have decided to start exercising regularly, you must create a plan with attainable goals. Start with simple steps and continue building on it as your fitness level improves. Give yourself time.
3. Listen to your body
Be conscious of your limits if you are not used to working out consistently. If you feel pain or discomfort while exercising, stop and rest before continuing. Pushing through the pain is not a good idea, as it can cause serious injuries that might hinder your fitness plans in the long run. You need to take your time to progress through your fitness programme. This will help you maintain your routine for a long time.
4. Don’t forget to stay hydrated
I remember when I started working out, I would drink water as if I was dying of thirst. When I see other people in the gym who work out for an hour without drinking water, I envy them. But I noticed that over time, my body got used to the exercises and I wasn’t drinking as much water as I consumed when I initially started. Drinking water during helps a beginner maintain optimal performance, especially when exercising in hot temperatures.
5. Warm up before you start exercising
It is important to warm up before your workout. Doing this can help prevent injuries and improve your overall performance. It also improves your flexibility and help reduce soreness after your workout. You can simply start your workout with some aerobic exercises like arm swings, leg kicks and leg stretches. This is how to start exercising for beginners.
6. Eat healthy foods
I cannot stress this enough, exercising five days a week without watching what you eat is punishing yourself. When it comes to losing weight and staying fit, you are what you eat. Eat a balanced diet to support your fitness program. You don’t have to starve to lose wright faster. You will gain it all back. Don’t avoid carbohydrates completely as they will give you the energy your body needs for your workout. Make sure you eats lots of protein and vegetables plus healthy fats to keep you going.
7. Motivate yourself
If you don’t get yourself off your bed in the mornings to go work out, who will do that for you? If you want something badly, you will do everything it takes to do it. The same can be said for working out. Plan your time to include your workout sessions. Even if it is 30 minutes you have in a day to work out, maximize it to the full. Don’t wait for other people to encourage you or motivate you. Do it yourself. You are doing it for your body and well being. Even if you fall at some point, don’t stay down. Get up and continue from where you stopped.
8. Replace old habits with new ones
If you eat your meals with soft drinks because you are addicted to soda, you can replace them with natural pineapple, apple or watermelon juice until you are strong enough to eat without them. Just blend a cup of pineapple and a cup of chopped cucumbers with a clove of ginger and store in your fridge. It will help you curb your sweet tooth to an extent. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up from your seat at work and walk around for 10 minutes. While watching your favorite series, do some jumping jacks, plank, wall push, push ups or just walk around.
9. Start small and build endurance
If you are just starting to work out, you don’t have to do everything other people are doing. You can start small and build your resistance level. Taking long walks is a good idea. You can do brisk walk for one hour five times a week and eat right, you will still lose weight. The focus should be on doing something new that will help you achieve your fitness goal. If you can afford it, join a gym close to you and enjoy the company of other people while you work out. Your instructor will tailor your programme to suit your fitness goals.
10. Give yourself time
This is where many people fail in their weight loss journey. They want fast results so they buy slimming teas, slimming coffees, do crash diets and make their muscles sore from working out too much. Calm down. You didn’t gain all the weight in one month so it’s unrealistic to lose 15kg in a month. The best you can do for yourself is 5kg a month. That will take a lot from you too. Give yourself a minimum of three months with intense exercises and extreme dieting to lose 15kg. Give yourself 6 months of moderate exercises and eating healthy foods if you want to lose 20kg. That’s realistic. You won’t be sore from working out or lose out on eating your favorite foods.
If you just started working out, doing three hours of exercise a week is okay. This includes aerobics and strength training exercises. This is how often a beginner should work out.
For beginners, the bottom line is embracing a healthy lifestyle that will last a life time and not a quick fix to losing weight.
Listen to your body. Eat well. Sleep well. Work out. Try new routines. Drink water and you will begin to see the body changes you desperately desire.
