HOW TO START YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY

“Fitness is a journey in itself.”

Many people out there dream of having a fit and healthy lifestyle, getting rich, buying a house, getting a dream job and a lot more but only a few of them are able to achieve it and rest face failure. Reasons for failure may vary from person to person but a successful dream achiever works with a proper plan, knowledge, commitment, hard work and stays motivated towards his/her dreams.

Likewise, a fit and healthy lifestyle is a journey in itself that requires a plan, commitment, hard work, and motivation. I will take you through few steps by which you can start your fitness journey.

DEFINE YOUR GOAL.

What is the first thing you do when you decide to travel?

Decide your destination!! Correct?

Meaning when you decide to travel somewhere it’s the destination that will define your journey.

Suppose you have decided to travel Goa then your journey plans will be all about parties, beaches, places to visit, travel expenses, hotels, food, etc.

In the same way, the fitness journey begins by defining your goal or destination. You may want to lose weight or gain muscle or want abs or look hot, etc. Decide your transformation goal which you want to achieve.

Once you have defined your goal then plan your journey about where to train, how to train, diet and nutrition, measuring progress etc.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY?

Knowledge is the key source for any change.

To start your fitness journey, the first thing is you need to find a gym/fitness studio with a proper trainer or an expert source who can guide you on training, nutrition, diet plan, etc. through your transformation process.

Find a gym/fitness studio in your local area and research about the trainer/expert by explaining your goal to the trainer and how he/she will be able to help you in achieving it also take reviews from gym/studio members about the trainer.

Now that you have decided your transformation goal and a gym/fitness studio, next comes is how to stick to your goal without losing interest and dedication.

Find a proper schedule

Find a proper schedule dedicating only to your training session and follow your schedule with commitment that it should be your number one priority at that time. Do not get involved or commit to any other activities in that schedule.

Set a reminder for the decided schedule and plan your day accordingly.

In the initial stages you may have to push yourself but regularly following your schedule will make you disciplined and committed towards your goal.

Enjoy your workout/training session.

Having fun and enjoying the things you do, plays a critical role in boosting your engagement and interest in the process of transformation. Therefore plan your workout/training sessions in such a manner that it grabs your interest and keeps you engaged.

Here are a few tips to make your fitness transformation enjoyable and engaging.

Plan your workout: Request your trainer for a proper workout regimen and follow it strictly.

Music: Listening to music while training has got many advantages. It will help you in boosting mental and physical stimulation, increase in performance, reduces stress and a lot more.

Get a workout buddy: Instead of working out solo, having a fitness buddy will make your exercise even more enjoyable, less stressful and your chances to get injured will reduce. Also, your fitness buddy will provoke you to push harder in training which will improve your performance and you will reach your goal faster.

Fitness clothing: Fitness clothing is designed for comfort and an improved range of motion. Having a good workout & training gear will not only make you look good but also it will boost your confidence. Besides the looking good factor, it will control your body temperature, improve your performance and keeps you motivated.

Gym bag: Carrying a gym bag will make your life easy and handy. Therefore pick these essentials – Gym Shoes, Workout Clothes, A Gym Towel, Water Bottle to keep yourself hydrated while workout , cell phone and earbuds for music, Personal Care Items and Energy Bars for a pre- or post-exercise snack.

Eating Clean and Healthy

Following diet & nutrition is the most difficult part of any transformation. Whether it’s losing weight, gaining weight, muscle building or any other transformation goal, diet & nutrition play 80 percent of the key role and the rest 20 percent is exercise. Therefore, request your trainer or nutritionist for a proper diet plan based on your transformation.

Here are a few tips to following healthy eating.

Plan and schedule your meals in advance:  Plan your meals well in advance a week before and schedule it to avoid missing out your meals. This will also help in tracking your calorie intake.

Avoid eating extra calories or temptation: If you want to achieve your desired transformation then you need to compromise on food temptation. Food temptation not only destroys your eating habits but it will also affect negatively on your health in the long run and will divert you from transformation goals.

Eat Mindfully: Some individuals tend to overeat when they have a craving, hunger, food-related cues or emotional eating which leads to overweight, stomach related issues, etc. Mindful eating will help you in avoiding your tendency to overeat and self-control.

1. Try to eat slowly by chewing your food thoroughly without any distractions.
2. Stop eating when you’re full.
3. Take your meals in a small portion instead of making a mountain of food on the plate.
4. Add only those food items to your plate which will make you feel healthy and positive after consuming.

Drink water:

It’s a known fact that human bodies are 60 percent water and critical for the proper functioning of all the cells and organs. Here are a few reasons why drinking lots of water beneficial.

1. Keeps you hydrated
2. Boosts performance during exercise
3. Helps in Weight loss
4. Prevents kidney damage
5. Helps in the digestive system
6. Regulates body temperature
7. Boosts skin health and beauty
8. Delivers oxygen throughout the body
9. Lubricates the joints

Rest Period: 

Recovery and rest period is a key accept in fitness journey because during this period body recovers and strengthen itself by repairing body tissues and muscles. therefore it is suggested to have at least 8hrs of sleep on daily bases so the body recovers and psychologically feel relaxed and positive.

JOURNAL YOUR WORKOUT AND PROGRESS

Many of us train in the gym by picking up random exercise without following any proper journal and performance progress. This is a sign of person’s directionless behavior and lack of transformation goals. If you have planned to achieve your transformation goal then you need to journal your workout and progress.

Keeping a workout journal can help in:

1. Clear and focused fitness goals.
2. Track progress towards goals
3. Record workouts are done and plan future workouts
4. A better understanding of workout habits
5. Plan rest days
6. Staying motivated
7. Prevent injuries
8. The factual record of successes

Keep your workout journal clear and easy to understand.

For Example:

Date and time I Exercises I Weights used for each exercise I Sets X Reps I Time

9/2/2019 I Squats I 60 Kgs I 5sets X 12 Reps each set I 15mins

STICK TO BASICS WITH PROPER FORM

Be it fitness, sports or any competition proper form with basics is a vital key for success. A form once learned will stick with you for the rest of your life. Learning the proper mechanics of training in the initial stage of your fitness journey will benefit you in the long run by reducing the risk of injuries, improved range of motion and helps in muscle targeting.

Consult your personal trainer or other fitness specialists for help in the early stages of a fitness journey for learning mechanics and proper form of any exercise.

TRAIN YOUR LEGS

I see many of the newbie’s as well as expert athletes don’t really like legs day and intentionally try to skip it thinking maybe it is not that important or it’s too difficult to work out. That is one of the biggest mistakes of their fitness cycle.

Strong lower body is the most important to produce power and balance in the upper body. Training legs involve compound movements that will benefit in burning more calories, increase in core strength, muscle growth, helps in weight loss, strong back and due to an increase in core strength; you will be able to lift heavy.

Extremely important you will have sexy and toned legs with the strong upper body to show off on beaches, trips, etc. 

THAT’S IT, Best of luck for your fitness journey – Achieve your transformation goals, Enjoy your journey, Eat healthily and Stay consistent.