Health & Fitness for Beginners
(The guide the starting your fitness journey)
For the majority of people, dedicating time to your health & fitness can be particularly difficult. Many have to juggle work, families and social activities in their daily week, which in turn makes many shy from the idea of starting and committing to their goals. This blog is for those who want to help their current health or fitness, giving you tips on how to start.
The first and most vital step is to make this commitment and solidify your new mindset. Create a vision board perhaps, where you piece together where you plan to be in the next 6 months down the line. Another way to know your commitment cannot be easily forgotten by your future self is to book in something, such as a fitness class or an hour with a nutritionist. Committing yourself to at least one positive activity may aid in your overall journey. Those who don’t not have the time or the money to wing it and book a class can start with watching a fitness video on youtube, take 30 minutes from your day and test it out.
Now after your first step of committing to one thing, push yourself and dedicate one week to fitting in each day things such as a trip to the gym or coaching from a Personal Trainer or even perhaps trying fitness youtube videos. Now you have tested and trialed what your new routine would look like – stick to it or alter if needed. Don’t stress about not seeing immediate progress! Doing something is always better than nothing, be patient… your progress will follow soon enough.
Your next step would be to sync your new fitness journey in with your normal routine as well as possible. If you don’t successfully fit this new commitment into your life your journey simply won’t last. A huge part of this step is focusing on your eating and drinking habits. People normally take this step to mean they can be healthy throughout the week and then they can binge over the weekend. That however, can be more damaging to your journey. Think of it as a lifelong commitment rather than a quick fix. That way of eating is not obtainable and will most likely lead to you going back to where you started. The most realistic approach to food & drinks is the 80/20 rule. Each day allow most of your food to be healthy but give yourself one thing each day that will satisfy your cravings. This will help you at the start as you are still enjoying the foods & drinks you crave but in moderation. If one day doesn’t go to plan, or even a week do not let it stop you from trying again the next day. Don’t let this stop you from enjoying yourself either, go out for dinner, have drinks with your mate just make smarter decisions! This journey is an uphill battle but once you have reached the peak you will most likely never go back down.
Once you’ve found a common ground with what you consume each day, it’s time to take a deeper dive into the fitness side of your journey. Many beginners are nervous or feel judged when stepping into a public gym, most do not know what to do. For those with the money, going and seeing a Personal Trainer will benefit you substantially, not only will they teach you how to perform exercises that build confidence in the gym, they are your motivators and support system throughout the journey. Another way to start is to do some research, go on social media and look at a range of workouts and find one that fits you. Start light, make sure you slowly progress in weights to avoid any injuries. You can also go with a buddy or partner to help you ease into the gym. Public gyms also have on- hand Personal Trainers who will be there if you need advice. If you cannot find time at all during the week to visit a gym, try out home workouts. There are many high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and bodyweight workouts online, if they don’t work for you there are many alternatives that you could do with family or friends. Such as dancing, boxing, karate, outside running/hiking and swimming.