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We’ve all had “hit the gym” on our New Year’s resolutions list before. The struggle that comes after making this resolution is bringing it to life. Where do you start? What do you do? What do you need? Starting a fitness journey may seem intimidating, but let’s talk about what steps you should take when beginning yours.
1. Prepare Your Mind
Most people begin their fitness journey by getting a gym membership and making a trip to the grocery story for some healthy food. These are both great steps to take but there are some things you’ll need to do first. A strong mind is key to seeing improvements and becoming healthier. You will need to understand that the beginning will be tough and you’ll have to learn to say no to certain temptations that will set you back from reaching your goals.
It is important that you start with a positive mindset and continue that throughout your entire process. Positivity and self confidence will keep you going.
A hard concept to grasp when working out is patience. You will not see improvements overnight. It is very easy to get discouraged and lose motivation when you aren’t seeing a lower/higher number on the scale. You need to keep going and remember that these changes will take time, but the time will be worth it.
2. Choose a Plan Best Fit for You
Everybody has a different body. This means that what works for you might not work for me and vise versa. Do some research! Learn about your body and what will work best for you. If you have no idea where to start or what exercises you should do to reach your goals, you can get a personal physical trainer. There are thousands of online virtual trainers that can give you specific instructions on what food to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and provide you with daily workouts based on your body type and personal fitness goals. Personal trainers are everywhere and easy to find. You can find one by searching instagram using certain hashtags like #onlinefitnesscoaching or post an ISO on facebook.
If you aren’t quite ready for a trainer or want to go a more affordable route you can find beginner videos on YouTube. YouTube has every how-to video on the planet. You want to workout your thumbs? They have it. But really, if you want to start slow and learn along the way YouTube has some great videos that can help you. I recommend any 15-20 minute HIIT workout you can find. Some videos you’ll want to take a look at before going to the gym and getting straight to lifting are form videos. When lifting weights it is extremely important to have correct form. Bad form leads to painful injuries and pretty intense back pain. You don’t want to get hurt and have to take a long break from the grind to come back and start all over.
3. Stay Consistent and Form a Habit
Remember that another person’s achievements do not discredit yours. Say you and your workout partner’s goal is to lose weight. You lost 5 pounds so far but your partner says they lost 10 and you instantly feel discouraged. As I mentioned, everybody has a different body. Just because your partner sees more improvement on the scale does not mean you didn’t work as hard. Moments like these are when it becomes hard to stay consistent. Remember that you are doing this for you. When you focus on your own goals you begin to feel more confident and it gets easier and easier to walk into the gym another day.
Taking these steps will give you not only a stronger body but a stronger mind. Scratch this resolution off your list and make it something you do everyday and every year. Turn this new hobby into a habit, you won’t find a healthier addiciton. I promise that you won’t regret it.
