Starting your fitness journey can be an intimidating task. You may have an image in your mind of expensive exercise equipment and people watching you as you work out. The truth is, you can start your fitness journey anywhere – your home or your neighborhood park are both great places to get started.
When beginning your fitness journey, it’s important to set SMART goals. These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Creating these goals will help to push you in the right direction and ensure that you remain committed. Once you’ve set your goals, it’s also a good idea to find ways to motivate yourself. This can be done through extrinsic motivators such as rewarding yourself with new workout gear or a gym membership, or by using intrinsic motivation techniques like exercising for the love of it.
A common reason for failing to stick with your fitness journey is introducing too much change too quickly. This could be going to the gym 7 days a week when you’re not used to working out or eliminating foods that your body is accustomed to eating. This sudden change will be hard for you to maintain and will create a greater risk of falling off track much earlier than you had planned.
In order to make your journey sustainable, it’s important to understand what makes you tick. What is your “why” – why are you trying to achieve this goal? This is the driving force that will pull you through on the tough days when you’re tempted to take a shortcut or give up.
You can also help yourself overcome self-doubt by setting clear, attainable and realistic goals. This will ensure that you stay on the path to achieving your dream body. It is also essential to identify any obstacles that may come up along the way and devise a plan for how you will deal with them. This will keep you focused on the goal and allow you to tackle each challenge as it arises instead of getting overwhelmed.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to try different types of exercises until you discover what you enjoy. You might find that you prefer running over other forms of cardio such as cycling or aerobics, or that you enjoy a more strenuous exercise such as weightlifting or calisthenics. By finding the type of exercise you enjoy you will be more likely to stick with your fitness routine.
Getting started on your fitness journey is not an easy feat, but you can succeed by having unwavering dedication and relentless commitment. You can also seek guidance from a healthcare professional, start with small changes and build up your endurance, create a routine, and find a supportive community to make your journey successful. For more fitness, nutrition and wellness tips, visit RENPHO. Download our free app today!
Milena Estêvão is a YouTuber passionate about sharing her experiences (challenges, successes and motivations) in the fitness activities she is involved in.
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