Tips to Help You Start Working Out and Stay Committed
Working out on a regular basis is something that seems so easy when you think about it, but is much more difficult to carry out when the time comes to actually do it. It’s little wonder why so many people stick to a routine for a few sessions and then quit. However, working out doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it can be a lot of fun – if you know what you’re doing. With these tips, you’re bound to see better success in keeping up with your workout schedule.
Set Realistic Goals
Ultimately, how you work out stems from what you want to achieve by exercising. Do you want to lose weight? Gain muscle? Get outside and be more active? Different goals dictate different kinds of workouts of varying degrees of difficulty. Plus, aimlessly doing exercises for no reason other than to vaguely “get in better shape” can leave you feeling… well, aimless. Keep in mind that your goals should be as specific and achievable as possible. Once you’ve reached one goal, you can set another.
Focus on the Process, Not the Goal
Wait, didn’t we just go over why it’s important to set goals?! Goals shouldn’t be the only thing (or even the main thing) keeping you disciplined in your exercise schedule. Failure to meet whatever goals you set can actually be de-motivating, which is why you should rather focus more on actually getting in your workouts on a regular basis. Don’t worry, you’ll meet your goals in due time.
Don’t Overdo It
You’ll probably be eager to start working out and on the way to meeting your goals. However, be careful not to do more than your body is capable of, especially in the first few rounds of exercise. If your body isn’t used to working out, you’ll definitely be feeling it the day after, making it difficult to show up for your next session. Overdoing it can even cause injuries that can snowball into serious issues, keeping you out of the gym for much longer.
Use a Fitness Tracker to Note Your Progress
After some time, the honeymoon phase is sure to wear off, and you might find it’s a struggle to bring yourself to sweat and strain yet again. Making use of a fitness tracker–whether as an app on your phone or on your wrist–can help sum up your achievements and keep you organized no matter what your workout is like. It’ll be a lot harder to harder to miss your workout when your tracker is bugging you to go.
Work Out With a Friend
Going to the gym, or even just working out in general, can be a little intimidating if you’re just starting out. In this case, consider enlisting the help of a friend to join you in your exercises. Not only will you keep each other accountable, but you’ll also both push each other to succeed, perhaps even more than if you were working out alone. Plus, it never hurts to have a little friendly competition.
Whatever your starting point, progress, or goals, the most important thing in having a successful fitness routine is to stick with it! By starting slow and staying steady, you’ll make big progress in the long run, which is what a healthy exercise regimen should be all about. Even on days that you don’t run as far or cycle as long as you wanted, you will have still showed up, and that in itself is a success.