A Beginner's Guide To Fitness

If you had told me a couple years ago, that someday I'd be writing a blog post by that name, I'd have thought you were crazy. I had always been an athletic person growing up — I played about every sport I could possibly find. I even 'worked out' a bit in high school in my family's household gym. But it wasn't until about two years ago, after I first met my health-conscious (now) fiancée, that I really got into the whole fitness lifestyle. That's also not to say that I am, by any means, an expert. (Because I'm not.) I am still learning new things about exercise every day and have not even come close to my ultimate goals — despite significant improvements and accomplished milestones along the way. I'd argue, though, that I can explain things better than the average Joe since I know how hard it is to get going in the gym ... but boy, when you do it is an amazing feeling. 

Now for the sake of full disclosure, I am very self-conscious and have struggled to bring myself to post about my own fitness life for a while. Much in the same way as some people are nervous about getting back in to the gym, for fear of embarrassment, I kept postponing blogging about my own workouts. But, in huge part due to my new confidence after seeing much-deserved results, I thought I'd give it a try! In my first of what will hopefully become a new series in my blogging life, I want to give out a few basic tips for those of you who are struggling to get back into shape.

1. It's not going to work if you don't really want it to.

No one can force you to get to the gym on a daily basis, and no one on earth is going to have the time and energy to do so. They also won't worry about you hitting your goals as much as you will. The first step in developing a healthy lifestyle and getting back in to the gym is to want to. Once you get over that mental hurdle, it's all play.

2. It's a lifestyle.

Fitness is not just something you do in your spare time ... you have to be absolutely committed to the idea of going to the gym on a daily basis. And not only do you need to be committed, you also need to be excited. Nothing is going to push you harder and further in your workouts than motivation.

3. Never settle.

Motivation and settling go hand in hand. As soon as you get complacent, your motivation goes away ... and eventually, your regimen slips. The worst thing you can do is think you're finished. That's not to say you can't be happy when you've accomplished something new along the way, but you should always be pushing yourself for something better ... even if it's merely focusing on one point of your body you'd like to improve.

4. Fight the plateau.

Probably the worst word or phrase you can ever hear during or after a workout ... except for "I think I tore it" maybe. Has your lifting weight failed to increase for the past week? Still stuck on that weight for ten days? Figure out exactly what is preventing you from plowing forward and change it! Mixing up your routine is always essential in confusing your muscles. Just like your brain, they get complacent too. (I'm actually on my own plateau at the moment and am constantly tweaking my routine.)

5. Create interval goals.

Just because you haven't hit your ultimate goal, doesn't mean you've failed. Create markers along the way that are going to help boost your confidence. Trying to lose twenty pounds? Celebrate when you lose the first five! That doesn't mean you should be content with stopping at that point, but use that as motivation for the next step in your fitness journey and allow it to be a future example of how your hard work is really paying off.

6. Nutrition.

People always say that fitness is 10% working out and 90% what you eat — and they are exactly right. You can run as much as you want or lift as much weight as humanly possible, but if you're pounding donuts after each gym session you're not going to see the results you're hoping for. Sure, you can make moderate gains doing half the work, but you'll never hit your peak if you don't give your maximum effort.

7. Research

Just like anything else in life, you need to know what you're doing if you are going to do it right. Whether you're trying to find a thirty-minute workout you can do each day at home or you're craving a new way to work your abs, the internet is chock-full of fitness gurus. Find a reliable source, such as BodyBuilding.com, and have yourself a ball. There's always something more to be learned and use the experience of others that have been in your shoes before to guide you along the way.

8. Have fun!

I can't stress it enough. The most important thing when working out is to have fun. Yes, it may be painful at first (and that's never going to go away if you're doing things right), but learn to enjoy the pain. Exertion means you're making your body work. Once you start seeing the results, you'll appreciate the fact that all that hard work is what got you there. In the end, the only thing that is going to keep you coming back to the gym is you.

If this can help motivate at least one person, I'll be happy I wrote this! Remember, this is my first time and it's definitely a big leap out of my comfort zone. You may think getting back into the workout world is a huge step out of your realm, but this was just as big for me. I always love to talk fitness and health, so feel free to discuss.