10 Ways to Get Started with Fitness

10 Ways to Get Started with Fitness

Healthy habits are hard to develop, even when you know they’re good for you, so it’s not surprising that so many people struggle with fitness. Fortunately, developing healthy habits doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think. Follow these 10 easy steps and you’ll be on your way to making fitness part of your everyday life!

1) Clean up your diet

Incorporating healthy fruits, vegetables, and whole grains into your diet will not only improve your overall health—but will also help you reach fitness goals faster. While you can definitely slim down by eating a fast-food burger for dinner once in a while, replacing that once-in-awhile meal with something more nutritious (and less calorie-dense) is one of the easiest ways to turn exercise into calorie burn. The idea behind weight loss is simple: If you’re burning more calories than you take in, you’ll lose weight. But if taking in fewer calories than you burn is easy (because all those healthy food choices taste better), then reaching your fitness goals should be a piece of cake. Just don't go overboard on either end; too much exercise or too little food can lead to health problems. Aim for moderate exercise, a well-balanced diet, and enjoy both!

2) Choose something you like

Everyone's different when it comes to fitness; find something you like and your interest will last longer. It’s not necessarily about losing weight, though health benefits are a plus. Exercise doesn't have to take up a lot of time: even five minutes a day could make a big difference over time. Find something that fits your schedule, whether that means doing yoga at home on Sundays or joining an organized group at your local YMCA on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Some people prefer DVDs while others might feel more comfortable in an exercise class. You can do simple things like taking walks around town or hiking through some local trails—or try rollerblading around your neighborhood once you’ve found confidence in your newfound athleticism! Whatever you choose, remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to staying fit. There are plenty of resources available for those who want to get started with physical activity but aren’t sure where to start. Talk to friends who work out regularly, visit your doctor for advice on how much is enough and pick up some health magazines or books from your local library for ideas. Good luck!

10 Ways to Get Started with Fitness

3) Commit to 30 minutes, at least three times a week

One of the most effective ways to stay fit is to commit yourself to 30 minutes, at least three times a week. A study done by researchers at Umeå University in Sweden found that even just one week of consistent training improved participants’ physical health and mental state. In fact, participants reported feeling more energetic and less tense and stressed. The best part? Exercise can be fun! Try exploring new activities like swimming or dance classes—you might find something you love. And who knows? You might make some new friends while you’re at it! If you have trouble finding time for exercise, try scheduling your workouts around your other daily activities—for example, if you always watch TV after dinner, try walking or running instead. Or if you usually play on your phone during lunch break, opt for a quick run around the block instead. These small changes will add up over time!

4) Find others doing the same thing

It’s amazing how quickly going from thinking about it to doing it can be. If you have friends who are into fitness or training, they may be a great place to start. Or maybe you could seek out local gyms that have personal trainers on staff and hire one yourself. Working with a professional will help keep you accountable, motivate you and help keep your fitness routine diverse (in addition to providing advice if/when injuries occur). If possible, go for sessions every week so that small changes add up over time (those 2% increases in performance from weeks 1-52). Whatever approach you choose—working out solo or hiring a trainer—just get started! The more you do something, the easier it becomes to do it again. You want these habits to become ingrained, automatic, and unconscious parts of your life. You want them to become part of who you are. So take action now!

5) Drink water, lots of it!

When you’re dehydrated, your body will store water where it can rather than excrete it. This can leave you bloated and cause your body to feel puffy. In some cases, even moderate dehydration can result in headaches and low energy levels. To make sure you stay hydrated, drink plenty of water each day—at least 12 cups a day for women and 15 for men—and try not to go more than five hours without drinking any liquid, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Chances are, you are dehydrated but don’t realize it. If you exercise regularly, you may need as much as 20 ounces of fluid per hour during activity. Drink at least 8 ounces of fluid two hours before exercise so that your body has time to adjust before sweating begins. If weight loss is one of your goals, remember that an increase in water intake can help prevent bloating caused by excess sodium. Choose plain water over sports drinks or sugary beverages and skip juice entirely unless it’s 100 percent fruit juice (not from concentrate). If you have kidney disease or diabetes, consult with your doctor about how much fluid is safe for you; he or she may want to test your urine specific gravity or recommend another method to track hydration status.

6) Keep track

This is a great way to measure your progress and hold yourself accountable for sticking with your plan. Start by tracking a few key things each day, such as water intake, servings of fruits and vegetables, and minutes spent exercising. You could even try adding in how many hours you were able to stay awake during lights out (you know: that time between when you hit snooze at night and finally get out of bed in the morning). Also track any changes you make along the way: Did you move up a step on your pedometer after walking 10,000 steps one day? Did eating more fruits and veggies make it easier for you to fall asleep? Tracking these small successes can help keep you motivated. (Want some guidance? Check out our free app, SleepTracker, which helps you monitor your sleep patterns.)

7) Decide what’s important to you, and start there

If you’re already exercising, great! If not, it’s time to start figuring out what’s important. Are you trying to get more energy and live longer? Want to lose weight or build muscle? Whatever your goal, one of your first steps is setting some realistic expectations and knowing how much time you can commit. Everyone has a different fitness schedule and set of priorities—and that’s OK! Try starting small by taking just 10 minutes every other day for a week. You may be surprised at how quickly those little changes add up. And remember: No matter where you are in your journey, there’s always room for improvement. Take stock of where you are now and don’t be afraid to set new goals as often as necessary. You might want to try something new or focus on a particular part of your body; whatever it is, be sure to choose an option that fits into your lifestyle so you can stay motivated over time.

8) Set realistic goals

Before you start trying to tackle your fitness goals, set realistic goals for yourself. While it might be tempting to aim high and go all out, a surefire way to set yourself up for failure is trying too hard too soon. If you've never worked out before or you're coming back from an injury, try starting small by working toward being active 3 days a week. You can then build up as you get in better shape. When in doubt, take a step back and reevaluate your goals so that they’re attainable and sustainable for your life at that time. Achieving them will give you the motivation to keep going—and push you past any plateaus that may come along later on.

While setting goals can help motivate us to work out, it's important not to become discouraged if we don't reach them right away. We should always be pushing ourselves to improve, but we should also give ourselves credit when we succeed no matter how small our accomplishment may seem! A great goal isn't one where we shoot for perfection; instead, it's one where we learn something new about ourselves each day as we strive toward our goal. After all, our fitness journey is an ongoing process of learning what works best for us personally.

10 Ways to Get Started with Fitness

9) Workouts don’t have to belong

Some experts recommend at least 45 minutes of vigorous exercise each day. While that might be an excellent goal for most people, it’s important to remember that, no matter what your fitness level, you can make a difference in your health and wellbeing by carving out even just 10 minutes or so for physical activity. If you’re starting from scratch, consider planning a series of 15-minute workouts. You could do them all at once or break up your fitness time throughout the day—for example, going for a walk during lunch and then doing some strength training exercises right before dinner. The more often you work out, and even if it’s not quite as intensely as you might like, activity is activity! Your body will respond regardless of how long it lasts. Plus, short spurts of exercise are easier to fit into a busy schedule than one longer workout. Working out becomes less intimidating and much more realistic when you think about it that way. For example, try exercising for five days a week instead of three or four days; you'll likely find yourself enjoying better results than if you tried to go for seven straight days. It's also worth noting that research shows two 20-minute bouts of moderate activity performed within 24 hours may have benefits similar to one longer workout session. So try breaking up your workout into two sessions (say 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes after dinner) rather than one continuous hourlong sweat session.

10) Have fun!

It’s true: you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. That being said, it doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming. Simply getting outside for some movement is often enough to see results. Grab some friends, do a few push-ups, and start making fitness part of your daily routine. Once it becomes a habit, you won’t even notice how much time you’re spending on exercise; instead, it will feel like part of your day – like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. And that’s when you know you’ve found something good!