Feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of starting an exercise plan? I get lots of questions about this: what to do, where to start, how to a workout schedule and much more.
Before even starting an exercise plan the best thing to do is plan ahead and prepare yourself for a new healthy lifestyle.
Even if you have really good fitness programs and the best nutrition plan, without preparation, you may set yourself up for failure.
Instead, plan ahead and set yourself up for success with these 5 simple ways to start an exercise plan and stick with it.
Starting an Exercise Plan: Tips for Success
Before I get into these tips for success, ask yourself how many times you started an exercise program but ended up quitting.
Many people start with all the best intentions but soon lose interest,
The only way to lose weight, get fit, and have a healthier lifestyle is to stick with it! I want to see you succeed and feel amazing. I put together these tips to help you do that.
Make a decision to stick with it no matter what. Think about how your life can change if you do and keep that vision in your mind.
Here you go:
1 – Understand your calorie intake
Do you know how many calories you take in on a daily basis? Start keeping a food journal and keep track. You might be surprise by your calorie intake.
If you aren’t sure about your current calorie intake, you can try MyFitnessPal to help figure it out or AuthorityNutrition.
One crucial piece of information for me was understanding portion control. Although I was eating healthy foods, the portions was ridiculously bit! Since reducing those portions to a level suitable for my height, weight and activity level, I feel so much better!
In order to lose one pound, you would need a 3500 calorie deficit. That can translate to eating 500 calories less per day.
Once you wrap your mind around these concepts about calories, you’ll be a much better position to succeed with a new exercise program.
2 – Toss the Junk Food
Are you keeping a lot of junk food around the house or your workplace? When starting an exercise plan, eating junk food will just undermine your efforts and work against you.
To prevent even the slightest temptation, dump the junk!
As an example, a few years ago when I started my healthy living lifestyle, I cleared out my cabinets and threw all the junk food away.
I started fresh with healthy good food for me and my family. It worked out really well and my money was well spent on good food instead of empty calories.
Have you ever looked at the calories in any unhealthy food package? You should. It might change how you think about those type of foods.
The sooner you get rid of these temptations and commit to eating healthy foods, the better change you have of success in starting a fitness program and getting results.
3 – Get moving
Is your body used to movement? If you are starting an exercise plan, it may be a little overwhelming to go from no movement to daily movement.
Ease into it, especially if you are just starting out. You can do this very simply by going for a 20 minute walk three times a week, parking furthest from a store entrance and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
Just taking the stairs can make all the difference and you can go at your own pace.
By adding some movement to your life now, your body will have a better time adjusting when you start your workout regime.
4 – Build a Support System
Have you shouted from the rooftops your commitment to get fit and healthy? You should!
Having support for anything you want to accomplish can help you succeed. Let others know what you are doing will help you stay accountable to your goals.
You are bound to have days where your goal feel out of reach or you feel unmotivated. The support of your family, friends, or workout partners will help you plow through those times!
Surrounding yourself with supportive people is also helpful so they don’t try to tempt you.
Who will you get to support you in your fitness goals?
5 – Make Time in Your Schedule
Before you even start that new fitness program, figure out your schedule.
You have to make time for fitness as well as healthy eating. Your exercise program should be as important as any other meeting you have and viewed as a priority.
For example, I prefer to get up an hour earlier to get my workout done. Then I don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. It’s fits well into my schedule at that time.
What time of day will work best for your exercise routine?
Don’t forget to factor in grocery shopping and meal preparation.
Conclusion
Starting a new exercise program doesn’t have to overwhelming. I gave you five simple tips to get started with an exercise regime.
Which of these will you use to get started?
