Why Is Exercising So Confusing?!?
There are thousands of fitness websites you can view online and millions of exercise moves posted on social media platforms each day. You can find hundreds of exercise videos and pick from a ton of different exercise styles. This makes getting started with a fitness routine, really confusing and overwhelming. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, lots of people feel this way when they first start exercising.
The first two things I always share with people who ask me how they should start working out are:
1. Just do something, anything, to break a sweat.
2. Keep things simple.
4 Tips to Build the Best Fitness Routine
1. Consistency is mandatory.
Congratulations, you have finally started exercising! Your key is now, not to stop. When you stop exercising for too many days straight, it’s harder to get back into your routine. Not exercising for multiple days in a row may stall or even reverse your progress. It’s better to block 20-30 minutes six days a week for a short workout, versus completing a couple of two hour sessions weekly.
2. Change things up.
Be sure to include strength training, cardiovascular exercise and flexibility into your weekly exercise plans. Each component is 100% necessary to build your strength and to help avoid injury.
Try switching up your actual routines at least monthly. Regularly altering exercises, the order you perform them in and the weight you lift, will help keep you from plateauing. There are so many fun and innovative ways to add variety into your fitness plans. Try using different exercise tools like the TRX, Lebert Equalizers, Bosu Ball or gliding discs.
To be extra creative, you may need the assistance of a workout buddy or a personal trainer to help push you outside your comfort level and that is OK.
3. Be Prepared.
Before you start exercising, write down the muscle groups you want to work out and the exercises you are going to perform. This will minimize the downtime you take in between each exercise. Assistance from a personal trainer can help you with this initiative. I give many of my clients fitness homework for them to complete in between each of our training sessions and while they are on vacation.
4. Eat Something Beforehand.
I know this tip is controversial. Some people truly believe they burn the most calories by exercising first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. I have found that when my personal training clients try to do this, they aren’t able to push themselves as hard. They have to take longer breaks, often stopping due to feeling light headed. I always encourage my clients to eat something before seeing me. It doesn’t have to be a huge meal, but something in the stomach is beneficial in my experience.
To Sum it Up…
Beginning a fitness program can be overwhelming due to the numerous fitness websites, exercises posted on social media, workout videos and exercise styles available. To get started just do something to break a sweat almost daily and try to keep things simple. Follow the four tips I’ve detailed above, to begin building your own fitness program now.
