Getting excited about starting a new workout program is natural. You hear about a new program a friend is starting, see someones results or can’t sleep at night, catch an infomercial and decide “I’m going to that!”. These are common beginnings for many people who decide to start a new workout program, but what happens when your program arrives, it’s time to show up for that workout class or day 1 of training rolls around?
This is a list of workout tips that have worked not only for myself, but for the people I’ve helped to get started on their fitness journeys:
NUTRITION IS KEY: All of the exercise in the world cannot undo a bad diet. If you purchased a new workout program that comes with a nutrition, like the ones I follow, make sure you read, understand and follow the eating plan. If you are beginning a program that doesn’t come with a nutrition guide, become familiar with Clean Eating. You’re only cheating yourself if you don’t make your nutrition a priority.
FOLLOW THE PROGRAM AS LAID OUT: If you purchased a complete program, chances are it came with a workout calendar. This calendar is your friend and has been laid out to get your maximum results. It’s common to not feel like doing a specific workout on a specific day, but don’t go off program and pick a workout to suit your mood. Doing this works against your goals and doesn’t help you to break out of your comfort zone and form new habits. These programs will give you results if you follow them as laid out.
MAKE YOUR WORKOUTS A PRIORITY: Treat your workouts as if they were an appointment. Block out time in your schedule and show up everyday. You wouldn’t dream of laying on the couch and watching TV if you had a doctors appointment, would you? Don’t treat your workouts as an option…you have to work for the results. You’ll also feel better and have more energy once you complete them. The sense of accomplishment that comes from doing a daily workout is a powerful and will carry over into other daily tasks you do.
FIND YOUR WHY: Your reason for ordering, deciding to start or committing to a workout program is important. You should write down the top 3 reasons why you decided to start. After you write them down, put them somewhere visible…on the fridge, the snack cabinet, next to your computer or on the bathroom mirror…put them in a place where you will see them multiple times a day so they act as a reminder. Changing the way you think plays a big role in fitness success.
TRACK YOUR TRANSFORMATION: Taking “before” photos as well as measurements are super important. As a society we put way too much stock into the number on the scale. That number doesn’t tell the whole story of what’s going on during your transformation. There may be a week were the scale stays the same but you lose inches in your waist, hips and thighs because you are building lean muscle. If you don’t have that extra way of tracking, you may get frustrated and give up all because the scale showed you a big old zero, meanwhile your body did change and you didn’t know it because you didn’t take 5 minutes to measure. As for photos, I know the before may be embarrassing, but they are only for your reference and looking at the “before” and “after” side by side can be truly eye opening.
GET SUPPORT: Surrounding yourself with supportive people is very important when you take on a lifestyle change. Negativity is all around us and we have enough self doubt in the beginning, we don’t need outside voices telling us that we can’t do something because they are afraid to. People who begin a new program with me as their coach are always placed in an accountability group with people who are just starting out so they can motivate each other, ask questions and see that they are not alone in their ups and downs. Being around like-minded, positive people is a key component to successfully completely a fitness program.
Follow these tips to start your journey off on the right foot. There will be ups and downs, challenges and road blocks, but if you stay focused on your “why” and have a good support team around you, the sky is the limit and you will amaze yourself at what you can accomplish when you truly set your mind on a goal.
If you’ve been wanting to start a new fitness routine but have been unsure as to where to start or need support, please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear what your goals are and help you get started.
Do you have a tried and true tip to share with beginners? If so share it below!
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Great advice! I usually plan a few weeks ahead for my next workout program, to figure out what equipment I need, and what the time commitment will be each day. My suggestion as far as the schedule goes: If you know a certain day of the week is very busy, make that your rest day if possible. Shift your other workouts to days when you know you will have time. I agree that it’s important to do the workouts in order, even with that modification,