8 gym tips to start your fitness journey
The youtube video releasing this Sunday is about 8 easy tips to start your fitness journey today. So today I’m going to give a written form of that video – in case you prefer to read instead of watch.
tip 1: have small goals
I know it can be so easy to be ambitious and want to make large goals. In the past, I’ve noticed that these big goals oftentimes set me up to fail unfortunately. When I train people, I usually advice them to make small steps. For example, if you’ve never worked out before, maybe the first goal is to have work out once a week. Then, next week, train twice a week and build from there.
tip 2: form focus
Form is one of the most important tips to start your fitness journey. One of my lifehacks is to look at the name of the exercise on the machine then search for how to do it on youtube if I am unsure. There are so many helpful videos out there
tip 3: get enough sleep and water
Sleep is one of the most underrated yet important tips to start your fitness journey. I am writing this as I am sleep deprived for the second night in the row and I am paying the consequences. Don’t be me please! But if we don’t sleep, we won’t have enough energy to workout. If we don’t have energy to workout then we can’t complete our fitness goals. Oftentimes, sleep is more important to focus on than the workout itself to accomplish your fitness goals
tip 4: get out yo head
We are our biggest haters for real. Sometimes, we won’t want to go to the gym due to fear of people staring at us or we will psych ourselves out. We will think we can’t do a workout because we think we are incapable. But I would say – our mindset can sometimes be the biggest barrier to our fitness journey. I have found certain habits like journaling and processing with a therapist to help with this.
tip 5: learn gym etiquette
This is probably one of the most abnormal tips to start your fitness journey that you have ever heard. But please re-rack your weights and wipe the seat after you are done. That is all for this section.
tip 6: have a backup machine/workout
This tip is only relevant if you feel like you go to a busy gym. To avoid waiting too long for lines, I would recommend as you make your workout plan to think about other machines or workouts you could do instead. I have made this mistake plenty of times and still do – as you see in the video
tip 7: add cardio
I know cardio can be annoying. But my philosophy is to help all of us become better athletes and feel stronger holistically – which includes heart health. One of the easier ways to add cardio to a workout is to add it as a 5-10 minute warm up, or maybe have a cardio day – which could be an intentional run, walk, biking, or even rowing. Find the cardio that you enjoy the most and go from there!
tip 8: balance
Balance is another tip to start you fitness journey that is oftentimes overlooked. As I have shared in a previous blog about why I have moved away from chasing thinness, without balance, fitness goals can feel unattainable and discouraging. So make sure you as you start your fitness journey that you prioritize enjoying friends and having fun too!
