10 TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED IN FITNESS
- ETF Performance Training
- Sep 13, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 15, 2023
An insight to adjusting mindset, expectations, and taking first steps in fitness for beginners.
You see all the fitness related content on social media. You see friends, family, or others making changes and progress in their health and fitness. You see it and are intrigued, and consider making changes in your own lifestyle. Maybe you want to eat healthier, start exercising, or stop unhealthy habits. But each time you contemplate making these changes you find yourself feeling confused, intimidated and confused. So you stop, and tell yourself it's not that big of a deal. Then that same intrigue circles back around, and the cycle repeats. Time continues forward, without any progress, but the desire is still there. Waiting to find or create the perfect plan, waiting to find greater motivation, or waiting for the perfect time to start.
Here is a list of tips and insights you may find useful in re-framing your mindset about approaching these changes, and taking actions to meet your goals.
Tip #1 - Be Kind To Yourself
The 'fitness' community can be a festering cesspool of misinformation, get results quick promises, and body image disorders. Social media influencers, models, salespeople, and charlatans running amuck misguiding, judging, and putting down well-meaning people who seek to simply live a healthier life. It can be overwhelming but always keep in mind who is speaking. Are they credible? Is their physique and performance from intelligence, hard work, or from using pharmaceuticals and photo edits? Are they giving advice that's rooted in truth, or leading you to simply buy their product?
They haven't lived your life, they don't know your obligations, history, or circumstances. So don't give their words or judgments any power. You are enough, and your body, health, and habits don't define you. Think of the ones you love, and grant yourself the same grace you would give to them. Go and make those positive changes, without concern about what others have to say about it.
Tip #2 - Adjust Your Expectations
I frequently hear about this product or that method to get results fast. There are so many variables from person to person that it indeed can happen, but it's not because of a special product or method. The code has been cracked, the solution has been found. What people are selling online and pushing on the store shelves are themselves and their products.
The truth is, like most great things in life, it simply takes time. You may have spent years living a certain way that has led you to where you're at. If that's a place that you don't wish to be, then it may take time to get you where you want to go.
It's not sexy, it's not exciting, but it's honest. Be patient and embrace the process.
Tip #3 - Don't Compare Your Progress
So many times I have witnessed others disappointed and frustrated over their own progress versus someone else's. As mentioned earlier, they are not you, and you are not them. You may feel your results or progress are worse than another's, but your slight progress could be someone else's dream goal.
Tip #4 - Discipline Over Motivation
You may have had the motivation and then lost it due to a lack of progress. You may currently be motivated but worried about losing it. Motivation is a fantastic tool to utilize while you have it, but nobody is motivated at all times. The practice of discipline MUST come into play. The ability to continue, get in the necessary work, and not just brush it off will truly determine the success of your goal. Your body and health won't ignore the work put in.
Tip #5 - Small Realistic Goals
If you are highly motivated, then you may be trying to make it work. Perhaps a little too unrealistic. The danger here is that you can interpret your own valuable work as insufficient, become frustrated, and stop altogether. And you wouldn't be alone! So many people quit fitness, nutrition goals, or habits because results weren't apparent fast enough. Yes, adjusting expectations and discipline come into the equation. Furthermore, it's simply psychologically and emotionally exhausting to see yourself at the beginning of a large goal. If you haven't been eating right, if your sleep is off, you don't drink water, you're constantly stressed, and you haven't exercised in years, but told yourself you want to lose 50 lbs, that's a lot of pressure. Especially if you gave that enormous change a short timeline!
It is perfectly fine, and even encouraged, to have larger overarching goals. But there MUST be smaller, realistic, short-term goals to stay positive and focused. Daily, weekly, and monthly goals are great to keep focus and stay positive.
From the bottom of the mountain, the top can seem impossible. Focus on your first steps. Make sure they are in the right direction. It doesn't matter how small, if they're consistent, they'll get you to the top.
Start with the undeniable truths of health and fitness. You NEED good sleep, you NEED whole food sources, you NEED to be well hydrated, and you NEED physical activity. Start here. It doesn't need to be perfect. Take the steps to go to bed a little earlier, to eat a meal with whole foods, to drink an extra glass of water, to go take a walk on a day you normally don't. These small changes compound and over time progress you much further than an unrealistic dive off the deep end.
Tip #6 - Little Changes
Little changes aren't only advised because they're more adjustable. If you change too much too fast, your mind and body can go through a great deal of changes, good and bad. Rather, little adjustments over time will help your body effectively acclimate to new stimuli. Furthermore, if you make lots of progress from making a change, it's important to know what change helped make the progress! If you were able to handle several changes at once and made progress, which one kept the needle moving forward? You're left with having to keep all the changes so you don't go backward. And when it comes time to make progress, it'll be unknown which changes had the greatest effect. So take it slow and take note of what has and hasn't worked for you.
Tip #7 - Start Now
There's no debate that the start of a new venture can be the scariest and hardest part. Maybe you don't feel ready, for any number of reasons. But waiting for the right time and motivation will fail you. It won't come. It's too easy to prolong, to say, "I'll start next week, or next month, next year..."
Sometimes, we will benefit from taking action FIRST, to then in turn increase our motivation. Taking those immediate actions of discomfort can become rewarding and satisfying. Knowing that the discomfort is a catalyst to change. The psycho-physio reward system can begin to rewire and gain satisfaction from knowing these hard actions are bringing you closer to a goal.
Tip #8 - Follow A Consistent Plan
Starting is the most important piece. But you still need to formulate a plan to keep you accountable and on track. A tangible roadmap of success to apply your discipline. Scheduling and prioritizing these changes to ensure they are not falling by the wayside and setting you back. What's more, there will eventually come a time when you will need to progress and ensure the changes you make are in line with your goals.
The human body is an incredibly adaptable organism. It is constantly fighting to reach a state of homeostasis and normalcy. The body is also very efficient and will want to preserve energy and effort. So it adapts to it's normal demands. Imposing strategic levels of stress to cue a change is how we adapt. Those that aren't aware of this often find themselves spinning their wheels. stuck on a plateau. Progress stops at a raging halt. This is because your new changes just starting out were guiding a change in your body. If you don't continue changes over time, your body will simply become adapted to the new norm, without any need to change. Following a progressive plan that is congruent with your goals becomes necessary at a certain point. This can be a self-written plan, a free or purchased program, or signing up for online coaching.
Once you have your plan, do your best to stick to it. No single workout or meal will make or break your goal. However, stacking and compounding each good decision will speed up your progress tremendously! It's the small consistent behaviors that drive the greatest change.
Tip #9 - Recognize Achievements
Making these sorts of changes is no small feat. Don't sell yourself short on following through with good decisions. Getting that extra hour of sleep, saying no to unhealthy snacking, drinking the extra glass of water, walking for five extra minutes. Even if they feel small and trivial, they are exactly the actions that will compound into the goal becoming realized. So recognize them, and take pride in taking charge and responsibility for your own success.
Tip #10 - Enjoy The Journey
Like many of the great things in life, they don't happen overnight. Rarely is the finishing point of any big endeavor the greatest part of the story. Take it slow, and appreciate the steps. Have an acceptance that doing something to bring you even 1% closer to your goal, is in fact closer to your goal! At some point, you will look back and be able to relish your progress.
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