A Beginner's Guide to Fitness

 Starting a fitness journey can feel intimidating, but it's a powerful step in the right direction towards improving both your physical and mental health. It's important to remember that everyone starts somewhere, and that it's normal to feel unsure at first whether or not working out is for you. I assure you, working out IS for you, and it will be one of the best decisions you ever make. In this article, I will outline the first steps you should take on your fitness journey.

Understanding Fitness

Fitness is an umbrella term that includes your physical, mental and emotional well-being. There are five components of fitness: strength, endurance, flexibility, balance and body composition. Mastering these five components will ultimately help you improve your physical, mental and emotional well-being and truly make you a healthy individual. 

Setting Realistic Goals

Similar to your business classes, your fitness-related goals should be SMART. They must be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Going into the gym with a "I want to lose weight" attitude is great, but it can be improved. Walking into the gym instead going "I want to lose 10lbs of fat in two months by going to the gym three days a week and restricting myself to 2000 calories a day" is a much better goal because it gives yourself an idea to hold yourself accountable with. 

You can also achieve long-term goals by accomplishing a series of short-term goals. Think of the levels of planning in business management - you have your strategic, long-term goals, your tactical, short-term steps. In business, your strategic goal may be to build a profitable business, but you can't just jump to that goal without setting up realistic expectations. You'd have to first establish your brand, hire good people, and create interconnecting departments. And those steps require steps. Your body is very similar to building a business. You can't jump to your dream body immediately. You need to build a strong foundation and work from there. 

Many people often give up on their fitness journey because they're so focused on the forest that they fail to see the trees that make up the forest. Little steps are key. Take your time and be proud of accomplishing those short-term goals because it just means you're a step closer to your final goal. 

Building a Workout Routine

Creating a weekly plan is key for managing your expectations of yourself. Set time aside for yourself each week to create a habit of going to work out. For beginners, many people opt for 3 days of strength and 2 days of cardio. A common workout split is:

• Monday: Push Day (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
• Tuesday: Cardio
• Wednesday: Pull Day (Back, Shoulders, Biceps)
• Thursday: Cardio
• Friday: Legs

While I have a particular split in which I feel uncomfortable breaking away from, I would recommend going to the gym and doing what you want. Ultimately, you will make way more progress doing something you enjoy rather than doing something just because. That said, don't skip out on a particular muscle group too often (i.e. legs). This can cause muscle imbalances and a disproportionate physique. 

Nutrition

While I am by no means a certified nutrition coach, I can give you a few tips depending on what side of the weight spectrum you're coming from. I started off incredibly skinny, and what helped me gain weight and muscle was simply eating more calories than I was burning. I was eating about 3200 calories a day for 3 months and gained about 15lbs. To lose weight, simply do the opposite - consume less calories than you burn in a day. This can be daunting, but a great way to eat less is to prioritize protein. Protein helps you build a stronger body and is also much more filling. Also, drink more water! Your body often confuses thirst for hunger, and drinking a lot of water will make you feel full. 

Consistency!

Ultimately, consistency is key when it comes to fitness. There's an old saying that it takes 21 days to form a habit. It's actually 66 days, or just a little more than 2 months. If you're able to stick with the gym for 66 days, it WILL become second nature to you, and you'll start to enjoy and crave it. There will be obstacles, such as conflicting schedules and lack of motivation. Here are a few tips to remain consistent in fitness:

• Work out with a friend with similar goals
• Set those short-term goals to keep seeing progress and accomplishments
• Have a backup plan, such as at-home workouts
• Prepare for the gym ahead of time by bringing workout clothes with you
• Use fitness apps to quantify your progress

In conclusion, starting your fitness journey may feel daunting, but it’s one of the best decisions you can make for both your body and mind. With the right goals, a fun routine, and consistency, you’ll see progress before you know it. Yes, there will be tough days, but stick with it, and soon working out will become second nature. Keep pushing, celebrate the small wins, and remember: the rewards are totally worth the effort. You’ve got this!