Welcome to your Beginner’s Quick Start Exercise Guide!
If you’re reading this, you’re likely just getting started, want to get started, or starting back up on your fitness journey!
Maybe you want to finally …
- Feel confident going out with your friends
- Have more energy to spend quality time with your family
- Fit back into your “goal” jeans
- Stop feeling breathless or fatigued after climbing a flight of stairs
Or perhaps it’s a combination of all the above. Taking the first steps can feel a little overwhelming.
You might wonder if you are doing things the right way, or if what you’re doing is even going to work for you. On top of that, your brain may be playing tricks on you trying to talk you out of getting started in the first place!
You’re in the right place.
The Beginner Quick Start Exercise Guide will lay out the basics you need to know.
We want to help you take those first few steps in a way that’s fun, empowering, and (best of all!) EFFECTIVE!
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Which is why we advise getting an OK from your doctor or health-care provider before you start ANY new workout or nutrition program
Ready to jump in? Great … let’s GET STARTED!
For many people, exercise tops the list of things they’ll get around to … “some day.”
Getting started on anything new is tough, but what makes fitness so challenging?
Here are some of the common reasons that hold people back – and what YOU can do about them!
REASON #1: You don’t have time.
Raise your hand if you feel like there’s no space in your day for yet another activity!
The good news is that if you’re doing it right, you don’t have to live in the gym in order to get the results you deserve!
You can sneak in an effective workout in just 20-30 minutes! Or even in a few 10-minute sessions a day if you need to split it up.
Find small pockets of time to walk during the day, or get up a half-hour earlier in the morning to squeeze in a strength-training workout,
Think about this …
f you’re working out just 3 hours a week, that’s only 3 out of 168 hours that you’re spending exercising! (That’s only 1.7% of your entire week!)
When you look at it like that, given how important it is for your health, and how you feel and look …
It’s probably worth shifting around a couple of things to free up 1.7% of your time.
Would you agree?
I love this quote:
“If it’s important you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse“
Do you feel like you have to measure up to what others are doing in the gym, or with the people you see on TV or on social media?
REASON #2 – You are playing the comparison game
Do you feel like you have to measure up to what others are doing in the gym, or
with the people you see on TV or on social media?
Or maybe you are comparing yourself with what you USED to be able to do.
This is a trap that’s easy to fall into – and we all have these thoughts, especially in the beginning!
The trick is to just get started! Once you begin a fitness routine, your momentum
will grow and you’ll start to appreciate all of the amazing things your body can do as you grow stronger, more flexible, and fitter.
There is nothing more motivating than your own results.
REASON #3 – You have failed in the past
If you’ve stalled out on fitness and wellness routines in the past, you’ve got a lot of company. Half of all people who start a fitness programs quit it within a year (or much earlier)!
This is because many people set themselves up with a grueling schedule of workouts starting from their first day and understandably lose steam pretty quickly.
The Fix:
- Remember you can’t control the past, but you CAN control what you do TODAY.
- Keep your mind focused forward, instead of dwelling on past failures.
- Listen to your body – avoid those punishing workouts – slowly ramp up over time – and find ways to make exercise fun and enjoyable.
- Keep your attention on what you need to do TODAY to be successful.
- Hire a coach or join a program that has PROVEN they know how to get results, and will give you the accountability and support you need to stay on track.
REASON #4 – You don’t have the energy to exercise
This is a classic Catch-22 situation.
It’s true: exercise DOES require energy. But it pays you back tenfold!! If you do it RIGHT …. you’ll end up feeling even MORE energised each and every day.
Know that taking that first step DOES require more energy than any other step you’ll take – but once you take it, you will wonder why you waited so long! This happens EVERY single time! You’ll never regret taking that step forward.
REASON #5: You dread it because you think you’ll be sore.
Your workouts should be challenging, for sure, but not to the level of the “how am I going to survive this?”
When you’re doing it the RIGHT way – especially at the beginning – your workouts should leave you feeling energised, empowered, and ready for more.
Being a little sore is a sign your body is CHANGING, and that is a good thing! But it shouldn’t be painful. Start slow, and add a little time/effort each day or week. Listen to your body!
REASON #6: You’ve had Surgery / Injuries & Don’t want to get hurt.
If you have ever had an injury – or are worried about getting injured – you might associate exercise with pain.
It can be tempting to either avoid exercise or try to “work around” your injury on your own. For most people, there’s a much better alternative.
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Before you start working out, always check with your doctor or physical therapist for their recommendations the more specific, the better!
Then, hire an experienced certified personal trainer/coach who can design safe and effective workouts and guide you through them to make sure you are using appropriate form. This is a smart investment in your overall health and well-being.
REASON #7: You haven’t defined your powerful WHY.
This is the “fire in the belly” feeling that helps drive you toward your fitness goals.
It can be challenging to get fired up about your workouts without your “why” in place. This can happen when you think you SHOULD get into shape … or that it would be “great” to feel better and more fit … but you haven’t yet defined a compelling REASON to make the changes.
Do you have yours yet? If not, we’ve got you covered … keep on reading.
If your why isn’t big enough …your excuses will be.
Life is short, and it’s up to you to make the most of every moment! Are you living the life you imagined for yourself – energised, happy, and fulfilling your potential? Or do you feel like you’ll get around to living that life … SOMEDAY.
I’ve got news for you. If you keep waiting to feel motivated, you’ll be waiting a very long time.
Motivation is like energy – you don’t get the big payoff until you take action. One of the best ways to find the energy and motivation to live your best life is to take care of your body, so that it can take care of you.
A healthy, fit body will power you through your days, giving you the vitality you need to meet your goals, enjoy each moment, have more fun, and live a more fulfilling life!
- Have the energy to play with your kids/grandkids
- Take active vacations
- Feel great after work so you don’t just come home and crash on the couch.
- Have more confidence to go to the beach and do more social activities with your friends.
- Be proud of yourself for owning your day.
- Feel like you are living your life to the FULLEST!
Why do you need to start living a healthier lifestyle? What will it mean for your everyday life? It could be because …
- You want to be able to play with your kids or grandkids.
- You want to have more confidence.
- You want to FEEL better. (You have brain fog, low energy, etc.)
- You want to be able to wear the clothes in the back of your closet.
- You have a big event coming up (wedding, reunion, etc.).
- Your doctor told you to.
- You want to have a more fulfilling life.
You might have several answers to the question. Look for at least 2-3, and write them down!
Why are those answers important to you?
For each answer you uncovered in question one, go deeper. Why does it REALLY matter to you?
- What does being able to play with your kids mean to you?
- What would you be able to do when you have more confidence?
- How about wearing those clothes in the back of your closet? What will it mean to you if you can wear them again?
- Why does the big upcoming event motivate you?
- What health concerns do you have?
How would your life TRULY change if you got started TODAY and stuck with your program?
Go deep and get personal. Take some time to write about each answer – your responses might surprise you.
If you found this blog helpful, you may want to download the full article (EBook) this has many more great tips as well as a starters exercise program.
If you are looking for a coach, my programs cover this and much more to ensure you reach your own personal goals
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