Looking for some fitness tips for beginners? Then you’ve come to the right place.
Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your overall wellness. It’s great for both your physical and mental well-being.
In fact, with consistent physical activity, you’ll be able to see and feel the benefits it has to your mind and body.
However, for a lot of beginners, working exercise into their routine can pose quite a challenge. This is especially true if you are starting from scratch. It will definitely take time, effort, and determination to stick to a routine and see the benefits of exercise.
But don’t worry!
If you’re considering starting to exercise but don’t know where to begin, this article is for you. We’ll be sharing our top fitness tips for beginners.
Fitness Tips for Beginners: Why Exercise?
Before we get into our top fitness tips, let’s first understand why we need to have regular exercise as part of our routine. Regular exercise has been shown to improve your health significantly according to research.
The primary benefits of keeping fit and exercising include helping you achieve a healthy body, mind, and spirit. This isn’t some woo-woo statement. Exercise really does lift your mood and spirit. Whenever you’re feeling down, try going for a walk and see the difference.
Here are the top benefits of exercising regularly:
- You feel more energized.
- Benefit from a good night’s sleep
- Feel more confident
- Less stress
- Experience more productivity
- Helps with weight control
- Prevents sicknesses and diseases
With that said, let’s delve into our top fitness tips for beginners.
Related: Top Benefits of Yoga
Fitness Tips for Beginners
Here are our top fitness tips for beginners just starting out on their fitness journey.
SET REALISTIC GOALS
It’s always good to have goals. But as a beginner, you’re going to want to set big yet realistic goals.
Additionally, it’s good to note that it may take some time to get the results you want when it comes to your fitness journey. Fitness is a marathon and not a sprint. Also, we are all on different journeys, so make sure to be patient with yourself.
Here are a few ways to get started in creating your fitness goals.
1. Identify your “why”
The first step is to truly take time to find out your WHY for getting fit. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to add fitness into my life?” “Who am I doing this for?”
2. Know your “what”
The next step is to identify your WHAT. In what ways will your life be better when you are able to include regular exercise into your life? What type of exercise do you enjoy or do you want to try out?
3. Identify your “how”
Ask yourself how are you going to add fitness and exercise into your daily or weekly schedule. Make a plan and then get started taking action.
BE CONSISTENT
Once you’ve set your goals, it’s time to take action. Even just 30 minutes of exercise once a week is better than nothing. What matters is that you stay consistent. Results come through regular and consistent activity. Additionally, it’s important to make your exercise schedule on a set day and time in order to be consistent.
Once you feel you are strong enough, try adding in longer or more exercise sessions into your week.
STAY FLEXIBLE
Even when we try to map out our entire day or week, life happens. Sometimes, things don’t always go as planned.
It’s important to stay open to change and be flexible. Maybe you’ll need to move your Monday workout session to a later day since this Monday is pretty hectic for you.
If you have a business trip coming up or family affairs which causes you to skip the whole week, don’t worry. Just remember to get back up and continue where you left off.
DON’T PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD
The most common mistake of beginners when they are just starting their fitness journey is pushing too hard, too soon.
Remember to take things slow and gradually increase from there. Pushing yourself too hard will only lead to injuries. Try starting with 30-minute workouts to pace yourself. Try doing this once a week to start, then add more days as you progress.
ACCEPT FEELINGS OF DISCOMFORT
When you first start exercising you’ll experience a lot of feelings of discomfort. These can include shortness of breath, pain in some muscles or body areas, and aching muscles after exercising.
But, don’t fret! This is all part of your fitness journey. As you continue having exercise in your weekly routine, you’ll slowly grow stronger and your body will be able to handle more. Just make sure to listen to your body when it tells you that you are overdoing it. Nobody wants to get injured. This will only stop you in your tracks.
TRAIN WITH A FRIEND
If you are the type of person who gets more motivated when doing things with a friend or in a group, then try exercising with a friend.
You can also try to join a fitness class. It’s a great way to stay motivated and meet new friends as well. Having an accountability partner can also keep you committed and on track.
GO ON A HEALTHY DIET
When you are just starting out on your fitness journey, it’s important to clean out your diet. This will help you maximize the results of your exercise regimen.
If you want to build more muscle, strength, and endurance, you need to fuel your body with the right food. Each exercise session takes a toll on your body and eats up the energy in your body.
It’s important to replenish your body with what is lost. Make sure to add lots of protein, healthy fats, carbs, fiber, fruits, and veggies to your diet. Additionally, remember to keep hydrated.
CHOOSE A WORKOUT PROGRAM YOU ENJOY
Your fitness journey should be fun and enjoyable. You don’t have to torture yourself or starve yourself. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
There are so many different fitness programs that are readily available on the internet for free. Find one that you enjoy. This will not only help you love the journey, but it will also be much easier to stick to the habit if you genuinely enjoy it.
Whatever fitness program you choose, make sure you include the following into your exercise schedule:
- strength training,
- cardio,
- high interval training
- flexibility or stretching
- recovery time
TAKE TIME TO RECOVER
Recovery days are as important as the days you train. Each workout puts a lot of stress on your body. This is why it’s so important to schedule in rest days too.
This gives your body the time and space it needs to replenish lost sources of energy. When you stay consistent with your recovery schedules, you’ll come back stronger for your next workout.
BONUS FITNESS TIP FOR BEGINNERS: MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY
Sleep is one of the most essential components when it comes to your fitness journey. Without the proper amount of sleep, you’ll not only underperform during your workout, but this can cause a lot of injuries as well.
Make sure to have at least 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night. This will give your body enough time to rest and recharge.
In Conclusion: Fitness Tips for Beginners
Don’t stop chasing your fitness and health goals. Whether you are just starting out or have had a bit of experience, fitness is not an overnight process. It is a life-long journey and when done right, it will be one of the best journeys you’ll take.