Get Back on Track: 7 Tips for Starting a New Exercise Routine

Some people love to go to the gym at the crack of dawn or the wee hours of the night. However, for many of us, the idea of working out comes with lots of dread. Wherever you stand when it comes to physical exercise, it’s clear that it’s essential to our overall health. Getting started on a new exercise routine can be difficult, but with careful preparation and consistency, anyone of any skill level can do it! If you’re hoping to set out on a new exercise routine, here are some things to consider along the way.

1. Check with your doctor

When you set out on a journey to improve your health through exercise, it’s essential to consult your doctor before getting started. Your doctor can assess your overall health and distinguish any health concerns that may complicate your physical exercise. If you have an illness, such as heart disease, your doctor can help you plan to exercise without compromising your health or putting you in a dangerous situation.

Doctors love it when patients take it upon themselves to improve their physical health through exercise, but it’s necessary to take precautions to ensure you’re being safe, especially if it’s been years since doing any workouts.

2. Set mindful goals

When implementing exercise into your lifestyle, it can be easy to think of your dream body and imagine the marathons you’ll be running in no time. However, setting mindful and realistic goals can help you avoid burnout.

If you’ve been working out for years and are just trying to switch up your routine, maybe increasing the intensity of your workouts is realistic. However, if you can’t remember the last time you exercised, you don’t want to push yourself too hard and risk injury. Instead, make small incremental goals to contribute to your big-picture exercise goals. Doing so will keep you motivated, and help you track and measure your progress while preventing you from getting burnt out on all this exercise.

3. Find a workout you can get behind

Exercising is very personal. What works for one person may not work for another, and that’s okay. If you’ve hated running your whole life, don’t think you’ll suddenly find the love and motivation to run a marathon. Instead, find a workout that interests you to help keep you on track to achieving your fitness goals. If your goal is to develop endurance and build muscle, consider looking into hill workouts. If you love getting out in nature, maybe try hiking trails in your area. Also, consider working out with your dog! This can help you stay motivated and help you spend a little more time with your furry friend.

If you think you need the close eye of a trainer or instructor to help keep you active, consider working with a trainer or fitness coach. Check out your local gym to see if they offer training with instructors or workout classes like pilates or Zumba. Wherever your interests lie, there is a way to turn something you enjoy into a workout.

4. Get equipment

After you’ve determined the kind of workout that interests you, you’ll need the necessary equipment. If you like doing floor workouts at home, invest in a solid yoga mat to keep you comfortable. If you enjoy lifting weights or CrossFit, you’ll need some equipment to help you increase the intensity of your workouts.

Even if the exercise of your choice doesn’t require equipment, there are still things you’ll need. For any workout, consider investing in a couple of sets of workout clothes, a reusable water bottle, a towel, and a pair of good tennis shoes to help improve your posture and minimize the strain on your body.

5. Start

Sometimes, the most difficult part of a new exercise routine is just getting started. You can buy all the supplies you need, but what good will they do if you don’t use them? When getting started, the key to keeping your momentum going is finding your source of motivation. If your motivation is to lose weight, find the “why” behind your motivation to keep you going and supplement your weight loss program. The “why” behind your motivation can be doing more activities with your kids, living a longer life, keeping you and a friend going on your workout journey, or whatever will help keep you accountable on your journey. If you think you’ll need extra help to stick to your routine, consider working with a weight loss coach who can help you stay motivated and on track to improving your physical health.

6. Create a routine

After getting started, you’ll need to turn your exercise routine into a habit to keep your momentum going. They say it takes a month of consistency to form a habit, so as long as you can stick to your routine for a month, you may find it easier to continue afterward.

Humans thrive off routine, and implementing healthy habits into your everyday life will make it easier for you to continue your exercise journey. After forming a habit, you may find you need some exercise to perform the other tasks on your to-do list. Working out has a lot of physical and mental benefits, and your body will quickly learn to appreciate the warming up of your muscles instead of dreading it.

7. Watch your progress

After taking the necessary measures to improve your physical health through exercise, you may feel frustrated by how little progress you think you’re making. Tracking your progress is essential to keeping your motivation to work out alive. Seeing your progress is extremely rewarding, but also plays an important role in helping you set future goals. Without measuring your progress, you’ll have no idea the rate at which you’re improving your physical health, and without a clue on how to continue.

Journey to better health

Your physical health plays an important role in your overall quality of life, and there’s a lot to be proud of when you achieve your fitness goals. Whether you’ve loved working out your whole life or are just getting started, everyone has to start somewhere. So find your motivation, ensure you get the clear from your doctor, set some goals, and get started!