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Dear Sweet Friends,
Let’s finally get some easy tips for starting your fitness journey. First, let’s discuss some facts. Do you know why incorporating a physical health routine is essential? Of course, I know you do! You have heard it many times before. Physical activity improves your brain health, helps manage weight, reduces the risk of disease, strengthens bones and muscles, improves your ability to do everyday activities, and even helps with your mental health. It sounds fantastic. With this knowledge, it should be a no-brainer to incorporate fitness into your daily life. But as we know, it is easier said than done, and many factors can make it challenging to prioritize wellness.
We have all been there: “I’ll start working out tomorrow, tomorrow comes, and to no avail, we didn’t exercise. Or we make a New Year’s resolution, start strong and slowly fall off. Life can be busy and full of responsibilities. Often it is not easy to fit time in to exercise or even find the motivation and energy to exercise. However, challenging does not mean it’s impossible!
You can find the motivation and time to start your fitness “journey. I emphasize “journey” because we must remember this is what it will be. This journey will be an essential part of your life. And although there will be ebbs and flows, these tips will have created an anchor to which you can always return.
Now you’re probably wondering, so what’s the magic trick to getting started? Unfortunately, there are no magic tricks, but there are practical tips that can get you started. So let’s start prepping and conditioning your body and mind for the journey, to reduce injuries and create an attainable and sustainable fitness routine.
10 simple tips to starting your fitness journey and making it sweet:
1. Figure out your WHY: What is the reason that will get you up most days of the week to exercise? Yes, common whys can be to lose weight or to have that dream body, but what happens when you reach that goal? You won’t just stop, will you? Of course, you won’t stop. Your Why should motivate you enough to start your fitness journey and stay the course. The goal is to create reasons which will sustain you throughout your journey. Your Why could be to get physically healthy so you can care for your family or help your mental health. Or it could be to increase your daily energy to complete everything you desire. As you can see, the reasons are endless and may change with time. But as long as it resonates with you throughout your journey, you are on the right track.
2. Consult a Medical Professional: Are your heart and body ready for this new physical activity? Are there specific injuries or symptoms that need addressing? Getting a physical exam from a medical professional is essential to ensure you are physically ready to begin. Also, do you know how to exercise correctly, have proper form when executing a move, or modify when necessary? Do you know what to do if you have an injury? Seek advice from a health professional or personal trainer on how to start exercising safely. This step will make you confident that you are ready to begin this fitness plan. It will also give you the tools to create a program that is attainable and customized for you.
3. Figure out How: What is the plan? Unfortunately, when starting your fitness journey, often many may jump right into a program too quickly without a structured plan that will bring them success. Having that newfound motivation and excitement to improve your health is excellent. But sometimes, this excitement can lead to unnecessary physical setbacks. Consider using SMART Goal Method to set up a plan.
4. Be Honest with yourself and make reasonable goals: You don’t have to go from zero days of exercise to exercising for 30 mins 6 days a week in the 1st week, and honestly, you shouldn’t. Instead, make small goals you can attain. For example, maybe you want to start by taking the stairs part of the way up instead of the elevator, walking to a store that you usually drive to, or even taking 5 minutes to stretch at your desk during the work day. It is easier to incorporate exercise into your day-to-day activities that you already perform and helps you to start creating physical activity habits.
5. Assess your Nutrition: Yes, exercise is necessary, but a large part of your physical health is what you eat and will be a crucial aspect in starting your fitness journey. Unfortunately, some of the more delicious foods are the ones we need to consume less. Yes, I know my sweet friends, it’s the thing you wish you could stop hearing. But less doesn’t necessarily mean never. The goal is to find a healthy eating plan that you can stick with and enjoy. Moderation is key! It can be challenging to change your eating pattern, but small steps are better than none; for example, you can aim to drink more water or add more vegetables to your plate. Simple changes can go a long way to start you on a path of more nutritious and enjoyable eating. And if you don’t know where to start, consider consulting a nutritionist or check out this website with excellent nutrition information.
8. Find the time: Be realistic at the beginning with how much time you can devote to exercising. There can be more time in a day than you realize to exercise, but it’s hard for many to find it until they sit down and take an in depth look at their day. First, ask yourself when you have the most energy, morning, midday, or night; and consider scheduling exercise at that time. Or your day may be too unpredictable or filled to the brim. Do you have downtime in your schedule when watching a television show or scrolling through your phone? Take this time to get up and get even 10 minutes of movement in. The idea is that some exercise is better than none and the hope is eventually, circumstances will allow you to schedule regular times during the week to exercise consistently.
9. Expect Ebbs and Flows: Some days and weeks will be better than others. Don’t give up! We all have our highs and lows, and there may be some days you feel like taking that elevator or days when you are physically too tired and sore and can’t do a workout. It’s best to listen to your mind and body and honor them. When those days or weeks happen, set a date to return to your exercise program. Set a notification a day or two before as a reminder so you can prep in advance. You can also replace regular exercise with gentle stretches that will keep you moving. If you stop for too long, you can lose motivation and slip back into your past habits, but it’s never impossible to “get back in the game.” You should expect these challenges when starting your fitness journey.
10. Last but most importantly, Congratulate Yourself: Not only did you decide to start your physical health journey, but you’re doing it! Every small goal attained is a win. You walked to the store instead of driving; it’s a win; you drank two more glasses of water in the day than usual, it’s a win; you exercised three times in a week, it’s a win. We must take the time to celebrate our achievements even if we feel they may be small compared to our larger goals. We emphasize that it’s a journey because you should enjoy the steps to achieving those sweet goals.
Have a wonderful day!
Sweet Lyfe Daily
Comment below the steps you have taken to get started on your fitness journey
Disclaimer
The post represent our opinions and experiences and are for informational purposes only. We are not acting as medical professionals and this posts does not represent medical professional advice.
The goal of the post is to provide you with information so you can make your own informed decisions – not to tell you what to do or how to do it. The information is not a substitute for medical professional advice. Consult a medical professional and do your own research before making any critical life decisions.
