This article will help those who have decided to start a new life, from Monday or any other day of the week, and join the wonderful world of sports. Here are tips for beginners on how to get on the path to a healthy lifestyle. Take just 7 simple steps toward a beautiful body, good health and a good mood, and then the main thing is not to stray from the course.
Step 1 – Determine your goals
Fitness translates to “being in good shape.” That is our strategic goal. But this wording is too vague and doesn’t allow us to track results. To be effective, use the SMART goal-setting system. According to it, the goal should be:
Specific. “Twice a week I work out at the gym for an hour and swim in the pool for 30 minutes” sounds more convincing than “I want to go to the gym 2-3 times a week.”
Measurable. “Lose 5 pounds by January” or just “I want to lose weight”? Feel the difference.
Achievable. Set realistic goals. If you have gained over 2 years 30 kilos of extra weight, it is naive to hope that you will get rid of them in 3 months. Such a goal is doomed to failure. Failure can permanently discourage you from fitness classes.
Relevant. Is it really important for you to lose weight, or are you comfortable in your body, but you feel pressure from loved ones? Are you objectively overweight, or do you just want to “climb” from size M to XS to look like a runway model?
Limited in time. Not “remove the “spare tire” on your waist,” but “reduce your waist circumference by 5 cm in 4 months.”
Step 2 – Evaluate resources.
By resources we mean:
Health. Any chronic health conditions require a special approach to exercise choices. For example, cardio exercise is contraindicated for cardiovascular disease. Problems with the spine put restrictions on strength exercises. Ideally, the program for beginners should be made by a professional coach. He will take into account your health indicators and initial physical data and will offer exercises relevant to your goal. If you can not take advantage of this service, do not be lazy and go to the therapist or general practitioner to determine the presence of contraindications for certain sports.
Time. Analyze your work schedule. Choose the hours that are most convenient for you to exercise. Make a list of other things you have to do every day, and think about which ones you can delegate and which ones you can give up. Even with the busiest schedule, there is always a “window” for exercise. If your family has a couple of cooked dumplings or scrambled eggs a couple of times a week so mom can go to the pool, the world won’t fall apart.
Finances. Sports require an investment, including money. Fortunately, they can be kept to a minimum. Home fitness is the most affordable option. Gym memberships without a pool are inexpensive, especially if you “hunt” for promotions. Many sports centers have a variety of family or couples packages. It’s both more profitable and more efficient – you’ll support each other.
Step 3 – choose a workout.
Where to start? Decide what suits you best – a class at home or in the gym. Two factors will be decisive:
Logistics. Sometimes it is more difficult to get to the place of training than to work out for 40 minutes intensively, especially after work. Ideally, the fitness club should be a maximum of 10-15 minutes walk from point A. If the nearest gym is far away, it may be more rational to work out at home.
Your personality peculiarities. Some people find it easier to train at home, because people around them tire. Some people, on the contrary, work out more effectively in company. Some people lack self-discipline, they need the support of a coach. Others cope perfectly well without outside help.
Step 4 – adjust your lifestyle
Eat a healthy diet. You won’t manage to lose weight and build muscle, no matter how hard you work out, if after every session at the gym you ‘reward’ yourself with a good portion of french fries and fried chicken or a cake. Vegetables, fruit, fish, dairy products and lean meat are your best friends from now on. Try to eat at the same time, every four hours. This way you have less chance of getting very hungry and overeating.
Drink more. Drink both during training and during the day. Water envelops joints and serves to prevent injuries. Besides, you’ll feel its deficit very soon – headaches, fatigue and lethargy will come.
Step 5 – motivation
It’s important that sports really become a part of your lifestyle. If you don’t know how to start exercising and the prospect of going to the gym for the next year or two makes you sad, the 21-day rule will help you. Psychologists say that after 21 days a systematically repeated action becomes a habit. Set yourself a mini-task – go to the sport 21 times. After that, you will surely notice that you go to fitness with pleasure, without overpowering yourself.