Starting to workout can sometimes be a daunting task, even intimidating.
Do you sign up for a gym membership? Do you want only classes, or do you want to be able to use machines or free weights on your own? What about at home workouts? Are Pinterest or YouTube workouts good enough?
There are so many different options out there, it can sometimes leave you feeling paralyzed. Leaving you to just not start anything in the first place.
For those of you who have been following me on Facebook or Instagram for some time now, this may come as a shock to you. I used to hate working out. Like with a passion.
But when I left college I knew I needed to make a change and wanted to lose some weight. My dad was a big runner at the time, and since it was summer, and running was free {broke college kid here}, my dad convinced me to start running.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t enjoy it in the beginning. But I took little steps here and there to become a runner. Now I love running, and have been doing so for the past 8 years.
So before you tell yourself working out isn’t for you. Or you’re too old to work out {which I absolutely believe is false}. Or that you’ll never be a runner, cross-fit person, cyclist, or fill-in-the-blank, read these tips.
How to START Working out
I love a good acronym, and this START one is so perfect and fitting when it comes to beginning, well really anything. But in this case we’re obviously talking about how to start working out. So here we go!
S – Set a Goal
Seems pretty simple right?
Well here’s the thing. I don’t want you setting some crazy goal right off the bat. Especially if getting into, or back into, working out is new for you.
Rather than saying you want to run a half marathon in three months, and you’ve never run a day in your life, let’s start out small.
I’m talking setting goals like, going for a 10 minute walk three times a day. Or choosing to workout two times during the week {to start…you can always work up from here}.
Or maybe you want to test out some workout videos. Focus on doing just a 10 minute video to begin with.
Once you’ve set a goal, and one you know you can stick with, it’s time for the next step.
T – Try
Try something new. Try and give it your all. Try with a friend.
The thing is, you just need to try and give something a shot. Otherwise how will you ever know if you like something {or don’t like something}?
Like running for me. I always just assumed I hated running. But when I actually tried and gave it my all, I found myself loving to run.
Trying with a friend will actually make you more accountable too. If both of you are willing to try something new and make it fun, you’ll be much more likely to stick to it.
A – Accountable
Speaking of friend, accountable is the next step.
You need to find a way to hold yourself accountable to actually sticking to your goal {step one, remember?}.
Whether that’s with a friend, a personal trainer, or a coach. Or paying for a gym membership. Sometimes having some skin in the game {moolah} can help hold yourself accountable as well.
Or if you’re someone like me, who holds themselves accountable, then that’s great too!
R – Reward
Here’s the fun part. Rewarding yourself when you reach your goal!
Having some sort of reward tied to completing your goal {working out twice a week for two months straight, etc.} will make you more likely to stick with it. And hold yourself accountable.
Maybe it’s a little reward to start with. Like a new water bottle. Then build on your rewards as you increase your goals.
Your next goal could be running a 5k, and your reward for completing the race could be a massage {trust me…they’re the best after running a race}.
Tying a reward to your goal is going to not only hold you accountable, but make you more likely to try something new and complete your goal.
T – True
You may be thinking this is a weird ‘T’ to end with, but hear me out.
Stay true to yourself and your goals. Remember why you started working out in the first place.
Was it so that you could finally play with your kids without getting winded after five minutes? Or maybe you just want to be able to walk up the stairs at work and not take the elevator. Or maybe you want to feel good in your own skin.
Whatever your why is, make sure to stay true to it. So on the days where you feel like giving up on your goal, you can come back to your why.
START Working Out
So there you have it. Five easy steps to get you started on working out.
Remember that your mindset is a huge factor when it comes to working out. Believe that you can do it, and shove all of those excuses and fears to the side.
Start with your small goals that you feel comfortable with accomplishing. Then build and keep repeating the START process.
Enjoy your workout!
