How to Start Exercising: A Beginner’s Guide to Working Out

If the prospect of getting active for what could be the first time since gym class at school is a little daunting, then have no fear!

We’re here with some great tips to help you start exercising – and once you get going, we promise that you’ll never look back!

Step 1: Choose An Activity

If you’re completely new to exercise, or if you’ve been pretty inactive for several years, then it’s best to start exercising with something simple, like walking.

This way, you’ll get used to what it feels like to move your body regularly, and you’ll want to keep it up once you start to notice some of the immediate benefits of exercise, such as greater self-esteem and more energy!

Walking is a good start as it’s something we can all do without any equipment and doesn’t require an expensive gym membership.

But, if you want to try something else, then it can help to think about what kind of person you are and what you enjoy doing.

If you want interaction and a fun atmosphere, then an exercise class could be perfect for you, or if you’re a water baby, then laps at your local pool might be more of your thing.

It’s important to tap into your preferences and personality as exercise shouldn’t feel like punishment – it should be something you look forward to and find enjoyable.

Step 2: Set Exercise Goals

Goals help to inspire us, but they should be both realistic and concrete to have the desired motivational effect.

Anything too vague, such as ‘I want to get fit’ or too difficult, is more likely to be abandoned. So, start exercising with one clear and achievable goal.

While one person’s goal might be to walk around the block without getting out of breath, someone else might want to swim five laps in a row without stopping or hike to the top of a mountain.

With a clear goal, you have something to aim for, and you’ll feel a great sense of achievement as you improve and get closer to the best you that you can be.

Step 3: Build Up Slowly

So, you walked around the block on day one and felt like it was pretty easy, but don’t go out the next day and expect to run three miles.

Instead, take it easy and give yourself time to build up slowly to those more challenging fitness goals. If once around the block was too easy, go twice or thrice.

Or walk once, then jog the second time. If you overreach before you’re fit enough, then you might put yourself off before you’ve started or may even injure yourself.

Go at your own pace and build up your level as and when you feel ready – remember, no matter how slowly you go, you’re still lapping everyone on the couch!

Step 4: Push Yourself

This might sound like a contradiction to step 3, but once you start exercising, go slow for a while. It’s important to change it up, so you don’t get bored.

The idea is to keep your routine challenging yet achievable, as this is what keeps us motivated to keep trying and improving.  

So, if you’ve been walking for two weeks, add some jogging, or add some speed-walking intervals.

The “couch to 5K” program, which allows you to build up the speed and/or distance of your running over nine weeks with the ultimate goal of completing a 5K (3 miles) run, is a great example of this.

Running not your thing? Perhaps you feel confident enough to join a gym and try a group class, or maybe you’d like to start something totally new to you, like rollerblading!

Step 5: Reward Yourself

We all need a little encouragement to keep ourselves pushing forwards, but just don’t reward yourself with food!

Just as your exercise goals and routine should be tailored to your own preferences, make your rewards things that would be highly motivating for you.

One popular reward is adding money to a jar every time you exercise to save up for a vacation next year. 

Or, if you need more immediate gratification, reward yourself more often with a new song download to add to your ‘running mix’, some new workout gear, or a pampering treat such as a new lipstick or nail polish.

Now you have a 5-point plan to start exercising and build up your very own personal fitness routine to ensure you get the very best results from your fitness journey!

However, if you’re not experiencing as much extra energy as you had hoped, then adding the weight loss supplement Phen Caps to your daily routine will give you the boost you need to get your sneakers on and start exercising!

Have you got any tips for how to start an exercise routine? If so, we’d love to hear from you!