Are you ready to start a fitness journey? Starting something new can be incredibly exciting but also intimidating. We’ve organized our top tips to help make your first steps into the fitness world a little easier!
1. Set Specific Goals
The key to any successful journey is knowing what you’re aiming for in the first place. Sit down with a cup of coffee and your favorite music and take some time to jot down your goals and ideas for this new adventure. Don’t be afraid to get specific; for example, how much weight do you want to lose and when do you want to lose it by?
2. Make a Commitment to Yourself
Once you’ve decided what you want to achieve, make a commitment to yourself to make it happen. While you may be too excited now to imagine becoming unmotivated, we all see natural ebbs and flows in our motivation levels. Resolve that no matter how motivated (or unmotivated) you feel, you’ll commit to completing what you set out to accomplish! You’ll be amazed at how much more empowering it feels to complete a workout when you’re not in the mood.
3. Discover Inspiration
Social media is an incredible resource for finding inspiration and continuing to stay motivated. Whether you’re into weightlifting, cycling, running, yoga, Pilates, bodyweight workouts, CrossFit, HIIT, circuit training, or anything else you can imagine for that matter - there’s a little something out there for everyone. Check out Sunny’s 9-5 Fitness Podcast, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and more on our website for inspiration.
4. Start Small
One of the most common mistakes when starting a new fitness routine or activity, is pouring all that eager energy into too much too soon. Jumping right into heavier weights, more challenging exercises, longer or faster workouts is a recipe for injury or burnout. What you should focus on first, is taking the time to learn proper form and technique and being patient enough to open up to progression only when your body is ready to take that next step.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Mix it Up
If you find yourself getting bored with your routine or it’s just not working for you, mix it up! There are endless ways to get fit, so there’s no reason to get caught up on just one. Stay in tune with your body and your emotions, you’ll know when it’s time to explore something new.
6. Be More Mindful
It’s not just your workouts that count, there are so many simple little ways to live your life healthier throughout the day. Drink more water, make healthier food choices or swaps for things you like to eat, take time to get outside and get some fresh air, take the stairs, take breaks throughout the work day to mentally reset and help you be more productive. Many of these changes may seem little, but they make a drastic impact on health outcomes, happiness, and stress reduction in the day to day.
7. Balance is Essential
I’m going to tell you something you probably don’t want to hear but should. Your new fitness journey isn’t everything. And what I mean by this is, the rest of your life can’t just drop off the face of the earth. You still have other priorities, commitments, and loved ones to think about. If you sacrifice too much to make this new lifestyle happen, it won’t be sustainable.
Rather than sacrificing relationships, or performance at work to reach your new goals, think about where you can make sacrifices of your own. Maybe that’s waking up 30 minutes to an hour earlier each morning to workout, maybe it’s meal prepping on Sunday nights, so the family doesn’t end up eating at 9PM every night. Remember what’s most important to you and continue to treat it as a priority.
8. Something is Better Than Nothing
You’ve heard me say it before, and I’ll say it again - the 2 mile walk you did is better than the 3-mile run you didn’t do. If you just can’t bring yourself to do the workout you had planned for the day, meet yourself halfway. Think about what kind of movement that day sounds fun. Maybe it’s yoga, maybe it’s a walk around town, maybe it’s ditching the gym for an outdoor hike or game of basketball at the park. Whatever you do, do something.
9. Food is Fuel
Whatever your fitness goals are, your food choices play a role in your success. For example, if you’re aiming to lose weight, and start working out, but still eat fast food burgers and fries all day long, odds are you aren’t going to lose that weight. While I won’t get into the complexities of nutrition decisions for different goals in this article, I will say this, your food is fuel for your new fitness routine. Be kind to your body by fueling it with the rich nutrients it needs to power your workouts, recover, and thrive.
10. Don’t Do This Alone
Find a community of others to share your goals, progress, and thoughts with along the way. You’re much more likely to stick to your new lifestyle with some support. Whether you join a class, a Facebook group, or create an Instagram account to share and post your progress with your friends, just find something at your speed and start now!
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