Fitness. How/Why you should start?

HOW DO I START?

There are many challenges that come with self-improvement and getting fitter is no different there are many difficulties along your journey with staying consistent and eating correct etc, but one of the hardest obstacles can just be to get started.

This blog posts will help you get started on your fitness journey by providing helpful steps for you to follow to start your path to a better you. Also providing essential tips for any beginners with limited knowledge around fitness, this post is for everyone.

Also, as a bit of motivation, at the bottom of this post there is an inspiring fitness story on why it is never too late to start and why fitness is so important not just for your physical health but for your mental health.

Make a plan and set realistic goals.

Once you have taken the first step in your journey which is deciding you want to make a change in improving your fitness then it's important to set a realistic plan and goals.

It is important with goal setting that is realistic and there are steps to follow for example if you want to get down to a certain weight you need to know your start point then your target weight then set yourself a small goal each week to lose a certain amount to achieve this. these small achievable goals are great motivators and while encourage you on your fitness journey.

Make it a Habit

Where many fail in achieving their fitness goals are they cannot keep up with consistency and end up giving up completely, there are many tips to avoid doing this. It is a lot easier to maintain an exercise routine in the long term if they make it a habit and do it regularly. a review of studies concluded that replacing an unhealthy behaviour with a new healthier habit is an excellent approach to maintaining it in the long-term. furthermore, making a schedule or exercising at the same time every day are good ways to sustain your routine and make it last. for example, you can make exercise a habit by planning to work our right after work every day or first thing in the morning. it's important to choose a time that works best for you.

Weightlifting advice for beginners

Warm up. some aerobic activity, such as a 5-minute jog or brisk walk, will increase blood flow to your muscles and prime them for good workout. skipping rope or doing jumping jacks for a few minutes are also good warm up options

Start with lighter weights. you want to start with a weight that you can lift 10 to 15 times with proper form, begin with 1 or 2 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions and slowly progress to 3 sets or more.

Gradually increase the weight. when you can easily do the recommend number of sets and eps, increase the weight by 5 to 10 percent. check to make sure this is the right weight for you before doing the full workout.

Rest for at least 60 seconds in between sets, this helps prevent muscles fatigue, especially as you start out.

Limit your workout to no longer than 45 minutes. you can get the workout you need in this time frame. Longer sessions Mamy no lead to better results and may increase your risk of burnout and muscle fatigue

Gently stretch your muscles after your workout. stretching can help boost your flexibility ease muscle tenson and reduce your risk of injury.

Rest a day or two in between workouts. Resting gives your muscles time to recover and replenish energy stores before your next workout.

Why it's never too late to start

On his 59th birthday Stephen stern looked in the mirror and saw an old pattern repeating itself. had let himself get overweight and out of shape again.

I gained more weight again" Stepehen recalled wasn't obese but i felt really uncomfortable in my body.

Stephens patterns was always the same. had launch into some intense exercise regimes put in the hard hours every day lose a bunch of weight and hit some tough goals.

But they had just stop. for months he would hardly exercise at all. he'd gain weight and lose the ability he just worked so hard to achieve. and then one day he'd look in t mirror and start the process all over again.

This time only a year from turning 60 Stephen know the stakes had changed.

On his chiropractic practice, he'd seen patients his age and younger who'd lost the ability to do things they loved-not just through injury or illness but often through simple neglect of their bodies. he knew that when people at his stage of life loss physical capabilities, often they never got them back.

"When I turned 59, I decided by the time I'm 60 I want to fit again" Stephen said. and this time he needed to break his feast-or-famine cycle. so, he decided to try something different.

conclusion

To conclude I hope you have learned something about you to get yourself started on your fitness journey and this post has encouraged and motivated you to take action and start your fitness journey today. I will be continuing to post useful content on this blog around all things health and fitness. Please check out some of my other posts if you liked this post can check out my post providing a beginners workout plan Here or I strongly recommend having a read of my post all about the benefits of training for your mental health Here.