How to Get Started on a Fitness Program

It’s no secret that working out and exercising has exponential benefits to help you in recovery from releasing powerful hormones and endorphins that can curb cravings to distracting you from your previous lifestyle and tempting habits. But if you’ve never been athletic person or someone who frequents the gym, it can seem daunting to get this whole thing started. Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks that can help you get yourself into a groove that will improve your health and life in the short and long term.

Find a Program You Like

A lot of the issue is getting excited about what you’re going to be doing every day. Some people just aren’t runners so the idea of heading out of the house in the morning and jogging through town seems like something only crazy people do, or maybe those running from giant prehistoric dinosaurs. But there are plenty of options. Find an activity you like—sports, boxing, lifting, running, swimming—and plan a routine around that. The web is full of great fitness programs tailored to different tastes and styles. Find one you feel comfortable sticking to for 6-12 weeks.

Create a Ritual

One of the best ways to commit to a new habit (like going to the gym every day) is to create a little ritual around it that will develop into a habit over time. If you go first thing in the morning, have your gym clothes and tennis shoes laid out the night before. Have your protein shake and supplements ready to go so you just have to add water and head out the door. Create a playlist on your phone or MP3 player that will become a familiar motivating companion in the gym. Keep things habitual and ritualized and these patterns will cement into your mind. Before you know it, you’ll be rising and slipping into the training outfit and slipping out the door before your brain realizes what you’re doing. 

First Two Weeks

The first two weeks are the most important part of the new routine. This is when you’re really doing something different with your normal routine. Just push through the first 2 weeks and make yourself get to the gym. After these first two weeks, you’ll see that it’s already a thing you’re doing so the desire to quit get less and less.

Sleep and Eat

Training your muscles and burning fatty calories is the whole point of a fitness routine but you’ll be disappointed in your results if you don’t support this physical activity with proper rest and nutrition. If you’re making significant gains at the gym, you’re tearing muscle fibers and need good protein to rebuild them. If you’re burning calories and wearing yourself out, your body needs a good 8 hours of solid sleep to recover and rebuild.

Make sure you get a good, strong start to this new commitment and in 3 months you’ll be surprised how different you look and feel. You’ll notice and so will others.