How to Start Exercising: A Beginner’s Guide to Working Out
Regular exercise is one the best things for your health.
You’ll soon begin to notice and feel the positive effects consistent physical activity has on your body, and well-being.
It takes determination to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, and discipline to keep it up over time.
This article will help you if you are thinking about starting exercise, but don’t know how to get started. This article will help you establish a routine that you can stick to.
Why do you exercise?
Regular exercise is proven to be beneficial for your health.
It is a great way to maintain and increase your body weight, muscle mass, and reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases.
Research has also shown that exercise can improve your mood, mental health, sleep quality, and even your sex life.
This is not all. It can help you keep your energy levels high.
Exercise is powerful and can improve your quality of life.
Exercises of common types
There are many types of exercise.
- Aerobic. Any fitness program must include some form continuous movement as its core. Swimming, running and dancing are some examples.
- Strength. These are exercises that increase muscle power and strength. These include resistance training and weightlifting.
- Calisthenics. These movements are often performed without the use of large muscle groups and gym equipment. These moves are performed at a moderate aerobic pace. You can do them in a variety of ways, including situps and pushups as well as lunges and pullups.
- High-intensity interval Training (HIIT) This exercise consists of repetitions of short bursts high-intensity exercise, followed by rest periods or low-intensity activities.
- Boot Camps. These high-intensity, timed-based circuits combine resistance and aerobic exercises.
- Balance and stability. These exercises strengthen muscles and improve body coordination. You can try Pilates, Tai Chi poses and core-strengthening exercise.
- Flexibility. These exercises aid muscle recovery, range of motion and prevent injuries. You can try yoga or doing individual muscle-stretch moves.
These activities can be done either individually or in combination. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as it is fun.
How do I get started
Before you start a new exercise routine, it’s important to think about these things.
1. Take a look at your health
Before you start an exercise program, it is important to consult your doctor.
This is especially important for people who are new to vigorous and strenuous physical activities.
A quick checkup will detect any conditions or health issues that may put you at risk of injury while exercising.
It can help you optimize your workout. If you work with a personal trainer, it will make it easier to understand your limitations, and to create an exercise program that is tailored to you.
2. Plan and set realistic goals
When you have decided to exercise regularly, create a plan with achievable steps and goals.
Start with a set of simple steps that you can follow. You can then build on this plan as your fitness levels improve.
If your goal is to run 5 km, you can begin by creating a plan that includes shorter runs.
After you’ve completed the short runs, you can increase your distance to run the entire 5 km in one session.
Start small and achievable goals to increase your chances of success. This will keep you motivated every step.
3. Make it a daily routine
Sticking to your exercise routine is another key element to success in exercising.
People find it easier to stick to a regular exercise program if it becomes a routine and is done regularly.
According to a review of studies, replacing unhealthy behaviors with healthier ones is a great way to maintain them over the long-term.
You can also keep your routine going by creating a schedule and exercising every day.
You can, for example, make exercising a daily habit by setting aside time each day to exercise. You need to pick a time that is most convenient for you.
1-week sample exercise program
Here’s an easy-to follow, one-week exercise program that doesn’t require any equipment. It takes you only 30-45 minutes per day.
You can adjust the program to suit your level of fitness and make it as difficult as you like.
- Monday: A 40-minute, moderate-pace jog/brisk walk.
- Tuesday: Rest day.
- Wednesday: For 10 minutes, walk slowly. Next, walk slowly for 10 minutes. Stretch afterwards.
- Circuit #1: Three sets of 10 lunges per leg, 10 pushups and 10 situps.
- Circuit #2: Three sets of 10 chair-dips and 10 jumping jacks alternate with 10 air squats.
- Thursday: Rest day.
- Friday: 30 minute bike ride or moderate-paced jog
- Saturday: Rest day.
- Sunday: Walk, jog or run for 40 minutes.
This 1-week program is just an example to help you get started. You can find more ideas and plans for working out at the following links.
- For beginners, a 20-minute exercise
- 30 moves to maximize your at-home exercise for different skill levels
- 6 cardio exercises that are low-impact and can be done in 20 minutes or less
SUMMARYYou can do many different exercises. This is only one example of the many exercises you can do to get started.
Some tips for beginners
1. Keep hydrated
It is important to consume fluids throughout the day in order to maintain healthy hydration .
Proper fluid management is crucial for optimal performance in exercise, especially when working out in high temperatures .
Hydrating after a workout can also help you recover.
2. Optimize your nutrition
To support your fitness program, eat a healthy diet.
To maintain healthy energy and get the best out of your workout, you need to eat all food groups. Carbohydrates are essential as they provide fuel for your muscles prior to exercise.
After exercise, carbs are important to replenish glycogen stores as well as aid in the absorption amino acids into your muscles.
Protein also aids in muscle recovery from exercise, repair tissue damage, and building muscle mass.
Lastly Regular intake of healthy fats has been proven to help you burn body fat and maintain muscle fuel during exercise, making your energy lasts longer
These links will provide more information about nutrition pre- and post-workout.
3. Get warm
Warm up is important before you start your workout. This will help you avoid injuries and increase your athletic performance.
It can improve flexibility and reduce soreness following a workout.
Start your workout by doing some aerobic exercises such as arm swings and leg kicks.
Alternativly, warm up by warming up with easy movements related to the exercise that you are planning to do. You can walk before you run, for example.
4. Cool down
It is important to cool down because it allows your body to return back into its normal state.
Allowing your body to cool down for a few minutes can help you restore normal breathing and reduce muscle soreness
Light walking after an aerobic workout or stretching after resistance training are some examples of cool-down options.
5. Pay attention to your body
You should be aware of your limitations if you aren’t used to exercising every day.
Stop if you feel discomfort or pain while exercising. It is a bad idea to push through pain as it can lead to injuries.
Remember that faster and harder is not always better.
You can make sure you are sticking to your exercise program over the long-term by taking your time and focusing on the important things.
Stay motivated
Fun is key to making exercise enjoyable and motivating you to continue. This will help you not to dread working out.
You can mix and match activities, just like the exercise program above.
You can join a gym, take a virtual class such as yoga or Pilates, hire a personal trainer or do team sports if you are able. This will help to increase motivation and enjoy your workouts.
You can keep your accountability up by working out with a group of friends or in a group. This will help you stay motivated and accountable.
You can also track your progress by keeping track of your weight lifting levels and running times. This will help you stay motivated to improve your personal records.
The bottom line
It can be difficult to start a new exercise program. Setting realistic goals can help you keep a fitness routine going for the long-term.
There are many types of exercise that you can choose from. You should find the ones that you enjoy and make sure to change them from time to time.
To prevent injury, you should start slow, increase your fitness, and allow your body to rest.
You can stay motivated by taking actionable steps such as keeping track of your progress and joining a virtual class.
It is important to eat healthy and hydrate frequently. You should also check in with your healthcare provider regularly to keep track of your health.
What are you waiting?
Get active today!