Getting into fitness isn’t an overnight job.
To get into the routine of working out and eating healthy you need to be committed and willing to completely overhaul your lifestyle.
That might sound totally dramatic and it is, in a way.
However, you don’t need to raid the cupboards and throw away or hide any of your favourite snacks. People often think that getting into fitness means you need to live off chicken, rice and vegetables until your dying day.
Well, we’re here to tell you that simply isn’t true.
Here are some of our top tips for our first-time fitness friends!
Start off little and often
So, you decide to start working out.
You sign up to a gym and you commit to going five days a week for an hour every time. You then cut it down to three days because your body hurts in places you didn’t know it could. Then, you eventually stop going all together. Sound familiar?
The number one mistake first timers make is trying to do too much at once.
Naturally, your body is going to take a while to get used to all of these new movements. Whether that be running and cardio or working with weights in the gym. Either way, your muscles will need some time to adjust.
Instead of trying to make it all happen at once, take your time with it. Maybe get into the routine of working out twice a week to start with. This way, your body will naturally have enough rest time in between and you can slowly start to build up in frequency and intensity.
Go to some gym classes
If you struggle to motivate yourself, classes are a fab way of getting started on your fitness journey. Classes are actually how most people build up their endurance and stamina when starting out.
In a group setting, you feel more comfortable and less self-conscious. You’ve also got an instructor or personal trainer who tells you exactly what to do and teaches you how to correctly perform each movement. Plus, you might also meet other first-time gym goers while you’re there – workout buddies great for encouragement!
Work with a personal trainer
If you can afford to, it doesn’t get much better than working with a personal trainer.
Form is everything when it comes to working out and you need to make sure you’re doing everything the right way to avoid injury and strain. This is where a personal trainer can help. They’ll work with you to create a personal plan that is best suited to your body, your life schedule and your current fitness level.
You can work with a personal trainer in your own garden, in a park or in a gym. Either way, they will provide you with feedback and motivation to keep you on track with your goals.
Don’t be afraid to ask gym staff questions
Too often people just stick to treadmills or elliptical machines when they go to the gym. While these are great for cardio exercises, they’re not training your muscles the same way weights do.
In order to build long-lasting endurance, weights are essential. But we get it, the gym floor is a scary place full of muscle-machine men drinking protein powders and unnecessarily grunting every two seconds (so awkward).
Don’t let this put you off. When you next go to the gym, pull one of the staff members aside and ask them to show you around. They’re not judging you and they are happy to help with any questions. Ask to learn how some of the machines work and what types of machines or weights you should be using to tone certain areas of your body.
From there, you can slowly build up to working out on your own with your personal routines.
Are you a first-time gym goer or are you a regular fitness bunny? Either way, leave your questions and comments below!