If you want to make movement a regular part of your day, you have many exercise options. But you may be unsure about how to start working out if you’ve never really exercised regularly before. Show Whether you’re looking to run, ride a bike, lift weights, or do yoga, just thinking about how to start working out can feel intimidating. After all, scrolling through all the fitness posts on social media—or even seeing runners easily power up the hills in your neighborhood—can make it seem like exercise comes so easily to those who are already in the thick of it. Nope: Everyone starts somewhere. You can rest assured that the yoga teacher you follow on Instagram didn’t immediately pull off that handstand during her first class, or the CrossFitter didn’t bang out 10 pull-ups the first time they hung on the bar. And those runners you see going for hours? At one point, jogging nonstop for five minutes was probably a victory for them. Besides, your exercise routine is about you—it’s about your individual goals, your preferences, and your interests. What works for the fitfluencer you follow on Instagram may be way off from what you’re looking to implement in your own life. What matters instead is finding a fitness program that works for you. And the good news is, there is a lot out there to choose from. Here’s what you need to know about how to start working out—and how you can begin an enjoyable, challenging exercise program that’ll stick with you for the long haul. 1. Identify your “why.”This is a huge part of staying motivated, consistent, and positive when you're first starting to work out. "Identify why you're ready to incorporate a regular workout program into your life and reach your goals," Lisa Tanker, certified personal trainer, tells SELF. This might take some digging, but it’s important you hone in on a reason that’s meaningful enough to you that it’ll push you forward. Maybe it's being able to keep up with your kids, feeling strong in your own body, or just setting aside time to focus on your own well-being. Fitness should be about your own goals and what feels right for you. "When you're embarking on your fitness journey, it can be easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing," Jen Comas, C.P.T., cofounder of Girls Gone Strong, tells SELF. "Remember that we all move at our own pace, and to focus on what is best and most enjoyable for you and your unique body." Then, before you get started, you should also check with your doctor to get the green light to continue with whatever routine you are considering. 2. Invest in some gear.Exactly what kind of gear you need will depend on what kind of exercise program you want to try, but there are few staples that tend to be universal. Finding a pair of comfortable, supportive athletic shoes is one of your first moves, Shauna Harrison, Ph.D., a group fitness instructor, tells SELF. The best way is to try on a bunch and see what feels most comfortable. If you don’t feel comfortable going to a retail store now, many online retailers offer free returns, so you can send back what doesn’t work. Another option is to connect with your local running- or athletic-shoe store—their associates can often talk you through appropriate options by phone. (If you’re looking to start running in particular, these tips can help you choose the right running shoe.) Page 2Some fitness trackers offer the option too. For instance, the Smart Wake feature on the Fitbit Ionic ($260, amazon.com) uses data gathered from the smartwatch, like heart rate and movement, to sound the alarm anytime within 30 minutes of your chosen wake-up time. It’ll never let you sleep later than you want, but if it senses you’re coming into a lighter sleep stage, it may wake you up earlier. Consider that bonus time for your already hectic morning. 11. Use an alarm app that forces you to think before you can turn it off.This is my current wake-up method, and I have to say, it is equal parts annoying and effective. In order to shut my alarm off, I have to solve a set number of math problems. You can choose different levels of difficulty, as well as how many problems you want to solve. There are several app options with this feature, but I like My Math Alarm Clock. Some alarm apps will force you to take a picture of the same thing every morning to turn off, like your toothbrush or your slippers. Choose something far away so you have to get up and walk there—and whatever you do, do not get back into bed if there’s a chance you won’t make it back out in time. Try out Alarmy. 12. Or just switch to an old-fashioned alarm clock…away from your bed.There’s a low-tech solution that can work too: A physical alarm clock far away from your bed. Try using a real alarm clock (like, the kind that plugs into the wall and you can’t text with), so you can’t carry it back to bed with you like you might with your phone. Getting out of bed to turn that thing off means you’re probably less likely to hit snooze and go back to sleep. 13. Or find one that lets you ease gently into your day.Some people may respond well to an alarm that’ll annoy you awake, but for others, that’s just plain stressful and can have the opposite effect. Fagan swears by her calming alarm, which uses low yoga music to ease her awake. “If the first thing you hear in the morning is beep-beep-beep, that stresses you out, and you’re like, ‘I don’t want to do this,’ and then you snooze it,” she says. “But if you wake up in a more relaxed way, it kind of sets the tone.” Try Gentle Wakeup for Android or Early Rise Alarm Clock for iOS. It’s not just about noise, either: Smart light alarm clocks like Philips SmartSleep ($40, amazon.com) use gradually brightening light to ease you awake by your chosen time. And devices like Ooler Sleep System ($700, chilitechnology.com) gently warm up your bed as morning approaches, which mimics the rise in body temp you experience during that time, says Dr. Winter. “You are kind of simulating the rise in temperature and increase in light that typically happens when the sun goes up,” he says. “Those things can really be powerful in terms of helping an individual set that rhythm for what they want to do in the morning.” 14. Once you’re up, just get moving.Okay, you’re awake. To make sure you stay that way—and make the most of your earlier wake-up time—resist the urge to do a quick social media scroll (which can turn into way too much time swiping) or bargain with yourself about whether or not you’re going to do your workout. “Just get started,” says Fagan. Tell yourself you’ll just do 10 minutes, and if you’re still not feeling it, you can cut it short. Many times, you’ll start feeling it during that time and want to continue, but even if you don’t, consider that short workout a win. “Something is better than nothing,” Fagan says. “It makes you think, Maybe I didn’t do the whole 45 minutes, but I did 15 minutes—I did something for myself today, and I’m going to build on that momentum.” Additional reporting by Christa Sgobba All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Related:
One of the easiest parts of starting an exercise program is deciding to do it. Usually, there's something inspiring you to make a change: Maybe you tried on a pair of jeans that were too tight or there's an upcoming event—a reunion, wedding, or party—where you're going to see people you haven't seen in a while. Whatever it is, you're motivated, you're excited, and the fantasy of a new you is enough to inspire you. It's the getting started part that can be tricky. Here's how to harness that energy to get started and follow through with making your goal a reality. Planning and preparation are important when you're getting started with exercise, but to be successful, you also need momentum—and the more you can create, the easier it is to stay motivated. The best way to build and maintain momentum is with action. While it's great to ponder your weight-loss goals and general fitness goals, simply focusing on your commitment to exercise and finding success in the workout itself can help motivate you to keep at it. There's something to be said for just doing it—before too much contemplation drains your energy. But before you jump right in, there are a few things you should do to prepare. If you have any injuries, illnesses, or conditions, or are on any medications, talk to your doctor to make sure it's OK to exercise. Some medications may affect your heart rate, and it's important to know how that may relate to your workouts. It may also be helpful to make an appointment with a personal trainer to guide you in using the correct postures for different exercises. When you are new to exercise, it can be beneficial to have someone watch your body to ensure you aren't moving in the wrong way. When it comes to slimming down and toning up, there are two key types of workouts: cardio, which burns calories by raising your heart rate, and strength training, which builds the lean muscle that boosts metabolism, the rate at which you burn calories. Together, this pairing can produce powerful weight-loss results. The cardio workouts included in this program are designed to be done on any cardio machine (e.g., treadmill, elliptical, bike, or rowing machine). If you prefer other activities (for instance, running, cycling, fitness videos, or group-fitness classes), choose another option as a substitute. For the strength workouts, you'll need some equipment:
It will also help to know the basics of weight training, including two key terms: Also important to know is how to determine how much weight you should use. Start with a lighter weight and perform a set. Continue adding weight until the exercise feels challenging but you can do the desired number of reps with good form, which includes moving slowly enough that you're using muscle—and not momentum—to lift the weight.
The last rep should be difficult, but not impossible, and you should be able to keep good form while doing it. This isn't a must, but tracking your progress has many benefits, especially if your goal is to lose weight. In addition to keeping you accountable to yourself and committed to achieving your goals, it makes it more likely you'll reach—and even surpass—them. Weighing yourself and keeping an exercise journal are two ways to track your progress, but taking your measurements (chest, arms, waist, hips) will give you a little more information. For example, you may be losing inches even if your scale weight doesn't change. In that case, monitoring your measurements every few weeks can reassure you that you are, in fact, making progress. Here is a list of exercises you can choose. You will find more information below.
Cardio
Flexibility training
Basic strength training
Yoga
Choose any cardio machine, set it on a manual mode (versus pre-set programs), and find your warm-up pace. For the bulk of the workout, you'll change the settings (including incline, speed, and resistance) every few minutes to work at a moderate level, ending with a cooldown. Throughout, you'll use the perceived exertion (PE) scale, which gauges the intensity at which you're exercising from 1 to 10, to work at the suggested levels. This 20-minute workout is really designed just to get an idea of how cardio feels to your body. Feel free to change the settings to adjust to your ability.
Cardio and strength training may be the cornerstones of any solid workout program, but you don't want to end your workout without stretching.
Stretching when your muscles are warm has a number of benefits, from building greater flexibility to offering relaxation and stress relief. The great thing about stretching is that you don't have to spend a lot of time to get the benefits. This total-body flexibility workout, which includes eight stretches, can be done in as little as 2 minutes. Now that you've completed your first workout, it's time to plan your first week of workouts. Here's an idea of how to schedule your cardio and strength-training activity. Perform the 20-minute cardio routine outlined above. For this basic strength-training workout, you'll do 1 set of 15 reps of each of the nine exercises listed below, resting briefly between exercises as needed. The workout targets all the muscles in the body, including the chest, shoulders, arms, back, hips, glutes, and thighs. It's short and simple—a great way for beginners to get started with strength training.
It's normal to be sore after lifting weights for the first time, or if it's been a long time since you've pumped iron. If you find you're very sore the next day, you might need to take an extra rest day and back off of your strength workout the next time. Today you'll do the same 20-minute cardio routine as Day 1, followed by the 10 lower-body stretches included in this lower-body stretching workout. For today's workout, you'll go through the following eight yoga poses, holding each for 3 to 5 breaths. Do the workout anytime you like—it will refresh you in the morning and help you unwind before bed. Take your time when performing each exercise and focus on your breath: Breathe in and out through the nose, taking the air in through the back of your throat. Do each pose at least once. Today's workout involves the basic strength-training workout you did on Day 2. As before, perform 1 set of 15 reps for each exercise, resting briefly between moves as needed. If you feel that's too easy, you can always add another set or use heavier weights. Today's cardio workout involves interval training, which is when you alternate work sets (working at a higher intensity) with rest sets using the perceived exertion scale to monitor your intensity. This workout can be done on any cardio machine.
On Day 1, you completed your first workout. During week 1, you got through a full week of cardio, strength, and flexibility workouts. Now you're ready to build on that success with progressively more challenging workouts.
Keep in mind that the schedules are only suggestions. You may want less cardio, more rest days, or to stick with the same workouts for more than a week. Use this program as a place to start and adjust the schedule so that it works for you. You'll continue with the same schedule as last week but progress with a few small changes to keep you challenged. For cardio, you'll do the same workouts with an added 5 minutes to build endurance and increase your exercise time.
Your strength-training workouts include the same exercises, but you'll be doing 2 sets of each for added intensity. Interval training increases by 4 minutes, to 25 minutes. Modify the workouts as needed to fit your fitness level and goals.
This week, the changes to your workouts are more drastic with higher-intensity cardio workouts, a new and more challenging strength routine, as well as a new yoga workout to try. Your cardio workouts go up from 25 minutes to 30 minutes and the interval workout takes you to higher levels of intensity. The strength routine includes new exercises and heavier weights, and there's a yoga routine performed on an exercise ball, which offers extra support and challenge.
Remember, if these changes feel too fast, keep the same workouts for as long as you need to and feel free to add reps slowly. When they start to feel easy, you'll know you're ready to move on to more challenging workouts.
With three weeks of workouts under your belt, you'll maintain your previous schedule with a few small changes to keep things interesting. You'll continue with your 30-minute cardio workouts, but try a new interval routine that includes making more frequent changes throughout the workout. Your strength workout remains the same, but you'll add a second set to challenge your muscles and continue progressing.
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests aiming for your weight lifting weight and reps to feel like an eight out of 10, with zero being no effort and 10 being a maximum effort.
To continue making progress, you need to change things up—in exercise lingo, what's called exercise adaptation. Change can come in a variety of ways including modifying weights, repetitions, intensity, speed, duration, variations on exercises, and more. You only have to make one change at a time to make a difference and continue reaching new goals. |
What does a fitness plan start with?
Pos Terkait
Copyright © 2024 membukakan Inc.
