How does one go about starting to work out? If you’ve never done it before, or just don’t have a lot of experience, here are some general steps for finding your way around and establishing what you want to accomplish. The idea for this blog centers around lifting weights in a gym, but there are a lot of ways to get stronger, and I wanted these steps to be more widely applicable.
First things: Establish your goals.
Having a goal is vital to sticking with any new habit. Create a plan for yourself that’s doable in your everyday life. How often can you go to the gym, or maybe you’d rather workout at home or at the park? There are plenty of possibilities out there. Personally, becoming more confident in the gym environment was an accomplishment for me, and one that I highly recommend. There is a sort of comradery in the gym that helps keep me motivated, because everyone there is working toward the same general goal of bettering their physical (and therefore mental) endurance in some way. Be aware that your goals may change as you do, and that’s okay too. For example, when I started lifting, my goals moved from losing inches (no weight, but three sizes off my waist), to getting stronger, to bodybuilding for muscle shape. It’s fun to challenge yourself, and a newly accomplished goal is the perfect time to set your sights on the next one. This site offers a couple of specific insights on setting goals: https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/setting-goals-and-sticking-them
Step Two: Find a trainer.
Okay, I know, this sounds overwhelming and expensive all of the sudden. An actual trainer is not required, but some guidance is. Doing an exercise correctly can save you a lot of time and money in the long run, you will see your goals arrive sooner, and avoid injuries. I learned the basics of form and mechanics from my husband, who is now a certified personal trainer. After I had a general idea of what to do, I branched off to primarily work out on my own with ideas from him, friends, or online forums. Depending on your decisions in step one, what kind of “trainer” you go with can vary. Maybe you trust your body mechanics and feel that YouTube how-to videos work for you. A step further is to purchase a program online. Below are a few examples of online trainers that I would trust. As you can see from the different types of appearances on the sites, your goals are important. The idea is to find someone who knows how to help you achieve your goals.
Step Three: Don’t change everything at once.
For example, the dreaded dieting: don’t do it. Yeah, I said that. Shocking your body into submission won’t help. In fact, it can cause you to have a negative mental/emotional reaction to the entire iron woman enterprise. It’s normal to attempt a complete life change all at once, but harder on you, and more likely to make you tired. Honestly, the very word “diet” is against my ideas of what a healthy lifestyle should be all about. Learning nutrition is important and can take a little while to understand and get used to, so try one change at a time. Keep in mind: lifting weights burns calories while you lift, and those calories keep burning for several days afterward while your muscles heal. Cool, right? So, give yourself a pat on the back for working out, then give yourself a few weeks between changes.
Step Four: Get Started!
This is the first hard step. Doing all your research takes longer but walking in the first day is the part that takes the most will. Even if you don’t do everything you planned to your first day, feel accomplished for walking in there: gym, living room, park, whatever you decide.
Step Five: Commitment is everything, stick to your goals.
If you’re not used to a lot of physical activity, forcing yourself to go back the next workout day when your body is sore won’t be your favorite thing. Remember, that soreness means your goals are in progress! Just wait till your fledgling muscles to start to peak through, and that will be all the motivation you need to keep it up.
Balance the Lift 