As you know, there are many great reasons to exercise as it improves your health and general well-being. But are you finding it difficult to start an exercise routine or following through? Do you wish to know the right way to go about your workouts? Then, this article is for you. Here, you will find all you need to know about starting an exercise routine and sticking to it.
Know Your WHY
Before you start exercising, you need to know why you want to start working out. What do you want to achieve by engaging in exercise? Perhaps, you want to lose weight, stay healthy and look fit or be able to go out feeling strong and confident. When you have found out your “why,” it is vital that you write it down and visit that “why” every day. This will help you have focus, stay motivated, and make your goals achievable. Remember, knowing what to do is not enough to achieve your workout objectives; you also need to know “why” you want to exercise.
Set SMART Goals
When you want to start exercising, do not expect too much from yourself. This can lead to a lack of motivation and loss of focus. Instead, set SMART goals for yourself. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. You need to set goals that will help you stay on track with your objectives. Put your focus on what you can handle and what you have achieved rather than focusing on the result. You can write down your smart goals such as; “I want to lose 35 pounds of body fat” or “every week, I will lose 3 pounds.” Writing your goals down will increase your chance of achieving them significantly.
Choose An Exercise Plan
To stick with your exercise plan, you must identify specific workouts you can do. Just because your family or friends love lifting weight or swimming doesn’t suggest you do, too. You have to find an exercise you genuinely like, one you can do. Then look for other activities that meet one or more of your benchmarks. This will help you stick to your workout plan over time. Exercises are essential for different functions including, cognitive health, maintenance or loss of weight, bone and muscle health, and cardiovascular health. There are several types of workouts you can choose from, such as; endurance (aerobic), strength, balance, and flexibility. Each of these exercises has its benefits and helps improve your health and general well-being.
Make Your Workout Fun
Exercising can feel like a lot of work. Sometimes, it might feel challenging or intense. But as any fitness specialist will tell you, once you get the routine down, a workout can similarly be much fun. How you make your exercise fun will largely depend on your personality. Instead of doing your exercise in silence, you can get a music player and load it with upbeat songs. This will make your exercise become more fun. Music can give you the inspiration you need to get through a difficult set of workouts. Listening to a podcast or an audiobook can also put your mind at ease while exercising. Similarly, if you find it difficult getting out of bed early in the morning to exercise, you can find a friend to work out with. Working out with a friend can serve as an extra source of motivation for you.
Get Gym Equipment
Using gym equipment is an excellent way to start your workout routine at the right level and build over time. Gym equipment is developed to help you optimize your fitness level. If you are new to working out, gym equipment will help you target the right muscles. When working out with gym equipment, make sure the machine is adequately modified to suit your body. Also, you must start light and build up slowly, especially when using cardio or weight-based gym machines. You need to get gym equipment if you wish to create suitable workout routines. Some essential equipment you can use in creating workout routines includes cable row, dumbbell bench press, chest press, lat pulldown, leg press, and much more.
Conclusion
For many people, starting an exercise routine and sticking to it can be very hard. However, you can learn how to work out continuously when you know why, set smart goals, choose an exercise plan, make your workout fun and get gym equipment. We wish you the best in your journey!