So you have made the first step, you are contemplating beginning an exercise program!
In order to make it sustainable, realistic and as enjoyable as possible following a basic strategy will help you reach your goals.
If you are new to exercise or haven’t exercised regularly for over a year it is a good idea to start at the beginning again. Your body responds positively to exercise at quite an astonishing rate. It takes time but over a few weeks of regular exercise you will definitely start to notice results. The saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day!”
When Training my clients I compare building up their fitness to that of building a house, you have to start from scratch.
Planning
Imagine your body is the house that is being built, you have to start at the foundation’s first to achieve your final goal (your dream house), a solid foundation is the key to the long term survival of the structure. There is no point in focusing on the fancy decor and furnishings at the initial stages of the build, that all comes later when the framework of the house has been completed.
This is true of the human body, by starting on a training programme that lays down the solid foundation on which to build on you can achieve your goals with perseverance and commitment. Like a building project there will be issues and setbacks along the way but ultimately you have an end goal. These goals need to be realistic, planned and have timeframes in which you want to achieve them by.
For example “I want to lose 14lbs in two weeks” this is completely unrealistic and not sustainable, it takes time to put on weight and be unhealthy so you can’t expect to to turn your life around in two weeks!
A more realistic and sustainable goal would be to lose the 14lbs in two months, this would still be challenging but with attention to your diet and exercise routine this is far more achievable. A simple change to your lifestyle and eating habits can have a big impact, for example reduce your portion sizes, if there are some leftovers after you have dished up you don’t have to eat them all!! Save them for the following day to have for your lunch instead.
Keep a notepad and write down your progress it takes minutes to do, write the time and date and stick to the same time of day that you weigh yourself. If you haven’t lost any weight don’t give up just focus more on being a bit more honest with what you are eating. You don’t need to become obsessed with the scales but it is handy to keep tabs on how things are going.
This is also true from the other angle, just because you are not overweight doesn’t mean you are healthy! If you have sedentary job or don’t do any exercise your body is not performing to the best of it’s ability and the likelihood of picking up illness’ and infections are far greater.
The list goes on and on with proven health benefits resulting from exercising on a weekly basis.
Let’s say you want to improve your cardiovascular fitness, muscle definition and or strength and you don’t have a weight issue. By following the same simple steps listed above you will notice an improvement in how you feel in a matter of weeks.
To Summarise 
- Set realistic fitness goals
- Write them down and the time frame in which you want to achieve them
- Stick to a routine for exercising
- Don’t give up at the first hurdle, if you miss a week it’s no problem, get back on track ASAP
- Go solo or exercise with a friend or family member, it helps with motivation!
- Take your time! You can achieve your goals just put your mind to it!
A good place to start is the beginners program if you are new to exercise…
