How to Start Your Fitness Journey
Prioritizing your physical health is critical to your overall health, but starting a fitness journey can be extremely overwhelming, especially for individuals who are new to working out or returning after a long break. Here are some tips you can follow if you would like to start transforming your physique today!
Make a Plan
Walking into a weight room or gym can be overwhelming and overly time consuming if you have not properly planned out your workout. Before you go to the gym, write down a list of exercises, along with how many reps and sets that you will perform for each exercise. It will also be useful to note how long the workout will be, so find a time to workout that fits with your schedule.
Start Small
If you have never worked out a day in your life, you don’t need to begin with a six-day-a-week intensive workout regimen. Instead, start small and keep adding once you become comfortable. Start by doing ten squats on leg day and if ten is too much, start with 5. If you try to start with too much, you could face early burnout.
Find What You Like
Staying inspired to consistently workout can be difficult, but finding exercises that you enjoy can help drive your motivation. Mix up your routine with different cardio and weight-lifting exercises so that your body doesn’t get bored doing the same movements all the time. For instance, instead of going for a run one morning, try cycling or playing tennis.
Follow Proper Form
Form is the foundation of every exercise and if you would like to lose weight and get stronger, proper form is crucial. If you don’t follow proper form, you are at a high risk of causing an acute injury to yourself or developing conditions that can lead to chronic pain. Though hiring a trainer may seem expensive or unnecessary, it will provide you with information on how to improve your physical fitness for a lifetime and it will prevent you from hurting yourself.
Stretch
Though often overlooked, stretching is one of the most important steps in your workout. Not only does it help reduce muscle fatigue, but it also helps avoid any injuries. If you are new to working out, make sure that you are stretching properly and at the right times by reaching out to a personal trainer or other professional, who can demonstrate the proper way to stretch. If you are stretching improperly, you are at risk to potentially injure yourself.
Track Your Progress
After every fitness session, take notes of what exercises you did, how much weight you used and how many sets you completed. This will allow you to see if you are reaching or even surpassing your fitness goals. Tracking your progress also lets you stay accountable, while motivating and reminding you of what you want to attain.
Eat Healthy
Though being active plays a large role in our physical health, what we eat is actually more important in helping us with weight loss. Opt to eat natural foods and foods high in protein, like fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, fish, beans and whole grains. You do not have to entirely cut out all unhealthy foods, but make sure that you consume them in moderation.
Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is essential for all body functions and processes, including digestion and elimination, which allows your body to flush out toxins. Drinking more water helps you to eat less and it provides hydration without unwanted calories. If you would like to lose weight, improve your complexion and retain high energy levels throughout the day, it is time to start drinking more water.
Be Consistent
If you want your fitness journey to be successful, consistency is key. You will not see results if you do not put in the work and effort needed on a daily basis. Also remember that you won’t see results right away. We all have different body types and some people may lose weight faster than others. What’s important is that your body is changing from the inside, which you cannot see day-to-day on a scale or in a mirror. By staying consistent and being patient, you will start to notice your body changing sooner rather than later.
Contact ReEnvision MD
If you are interested in prioritizing your physical health by starting your fitness journey, contact ReEnvision MD to learn more about how exercise and nutrition contribute to your holistic wellness.