How to begin a workout regime when you arenât sure where to start:
Weâve all been there: With so much info floating around online about health and fitness, itâs tough to figure out who you should be listening to. But by asking yourself a couple questions and figuring what you want out of a fitness regime, you can start exercising without feeling too overwhelmed.
1. Clearly define your goals. You need to know what youâre working towards. Things like âGet healthierâ and âLike myself moreâ are both very admirable, but theyâre also very vague. Start thinking about specifics. Do you want to run a mile in under 9 minutes? Lower your cholesterol levels? Climb a big-ass mountain? Squat your body weight? Set something more definite and tangible.
Are you having a tough time with that? Itâs okay - Instead, think about your most impossible, fantasy fitness dream: Run an ultramarathon? Become a professional ballerina? Swim the English Channel? Deadlift your car? Once you have a huge, kind ridiculous long term goal in mind, itâs easier to break it down into manageable chunks. âI want to run an ultramarathon,â for example, can start off as âI want to run 1 mile without stoppingâ and might eventually turn into âI want to run a 6 minute mile and maintain that for 5 miles.â Even if that original goal seems completely inappropriate and unachievable, thatâs completely okay: the key is in the baby steps.
2. Take a look at both your abilities and the resources available to you. The sort of exercise equipment that you can access is going to affect the sort of workout you can do, as will your fitness limitations. You canât run if you donât have a safe environment to run in, for example, and you canât do intense cardio if you have respiratory difficulties. Acknowledge both the things that you have and the things that you donât.
And most importantly, think about what you enjoy. Exercising should be fun, so donât ignore the activities that you like the most and force yourself towards the ones that you absolutely loathe. Is there any particular kind of exercise that youâre dying to try? Do you play sports and like competing? Is it a team effort kind of thing that appeals to you, or do you prefer going solo? Keep all of this in mind.Â
3. Start researching the types of exercises that fit within the above parameters. You want something that will help you move towards your goals while still existing within your pool of resources. Google is going to be a big help in giving you ideas here, as will fitness websites like Bodybuilding.com, Fitocracy, FitSugar, Shape and tumblr here. Talk with your doctor and a potential trainer in your area. Educate yourself about what youâre getting into and how you can do so safely.
4. Make some flexible plans. Any routine that you create right now is just a guess - You wonât fully know what youâre capable of until you jump in. The first couple weeks will be an experiment to see whether or not the new plan suits you. If itâs too difficult, donât feel bad about dialing it down. If itâs a breeze, feel free to increase its intensity. Play around with the number of days you exercise (just include at least 1 rest day per week and donât exercise the same muscle groups 2 days in a row), play around with intervals and intensity, and play around with exercise types. Give yourself 1-2 weeks before drastically changing your plan. This will give you enough time to try it out properly. If itâs working and you enjoy it, then you will have done it for just long enough to create a habit.
After all, you have time. Thereâs no rush here. Even if youâre 60, youâve got ages to work on your fitness goals. Fiddling around with your fitness plan is okay, you donât have to settle on one right away and see immediate results. Have a little patience when it comes to figuring out whatâs best for you and your body.Â
And remember - Just because a plan worked for someone else does not mean that it will work for you. Copying another personâs workout routine may provide you with a place to start, but donât be afraid to make your own adjustments. You are a unique individual with your own needs and goals, so donât feel pressured to take on a specific workout routine just because someone else achieved positive results from it.
5. Ask for help when you need it. People make their living off of planning workouts. If you donât know what youâre doing and arenât even sure of where to start, seriously consider joining a gym or hiring a trainer. They can at least get you started. If you canât afford that sort of commitment, then start browsing through online workouts that suit your needs. There are plenty of graphics floating around that you can choose from and read through. Use them as a guide. Just be aware that, if you donât have any expertise or experience, trying to plan your workout alone can be dangerous and time consuming. Talking to a professional is really the best choice for complete beginners.
6. Have fun. Always have fun. If you donât enjoy what youâre doing, then you shouldnât be doing it. Try something else. Not every single workout will be filled with rainbows and unicorns, but you shouldnât dread exercising. It should leave you feeling happy and fulfilled. If your workout is just breaking you down, then step back and reconsider. Start back at the beginning and figure out exactly what you want from this. Unless âbe miserableâ was listed as a goal, you shouldnât actively force yourself through workouts that you hate.
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