A Foolproof Plan for Starting an Exercise Program
No one wants to look foolish, especially when you’re starting an exercise program with the will and determination to finally get in shape. You want to know what you’re doing, or at least fake it until you make it. If you’re not confident, you’re less likely to start and finish. Then you’ll maybe chalk it up to another failure added to your list. Am I the only one who keeps track?
How do I know this? Because I tried and failed several times when I started exercising. Now I’ve been a trainer for 13 years and have seen people start, stop, and fail with the greatest of intentions. I’ve trained clients who made great progress only to see them fall off the wagon when accountability disappears or life gets in the way. I’ve watched the gym flood with New Year’s resolution goers who are eager to put all their failures behind them to finally lose the fat. But slowly they drop by the wayside when their motivation wave crashes. Your health and fitness requires time and an emotional commitment, not a six-week shred. Instead of crashing and burning in your fitness quest, use my advice below to avoid adding another failure to the list.
1. STARTING EASY
There’s a lot of health and fitness information on the web. Too much can paralyze you with analysis. Just start. Pick something doable. If you don’t understand the article or program because of the big fancy words, move on. When you’re starting, complicated things don’t work because they cause confusion. Confusion can lead to quitting. You know what does work? Starting easy.
2. START WITH THE BASICS
There are fundamental movements your body uses from the start: squats, pushing, pulling, walking/running/carrying, hip hinging, and groundwork (rocking, rolling, crawling, and more). Don’t believe me? Have you ever seen a baby drop into a deep squat without a coach? When you’re starting out, these should be your focus rather than chasing treadmill workouts or curls. There’s nothing wrong with those, but training the fundamentals will reestablish movement patterns and help you reach your goals faster.
3. DON’T PROGRAM HOP
After you choose a program, it’s natural to think the grass is greener somewhere else. You’ll see new fads with impressive results. Maybe your program isn’t great or you’re not making progress. Change isn’t always bad, especially if you’re plateauing or if your routine or you are stale. But too much change doesn’t give your body a chance to adapt. There’s room in the middle. My rule: finish the program first and evaluate whether it worked. If you haven’t seen positive changes after six weeks, it’s okay to try something new.
4. SCHEDULE YOUR TRAINING TIME
During the COVID-19 period, many people had more time on their hands. Finding time to exercise isn’t a problem, but it won’t always be this way. Treat your workouts like important appointments. Set aside time and you’ll be in the right mindset and less likely to skip. For example, I train Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the same time, and I set a reminder 30 minutes before. It’s now a habit even when I don’t feel like it.
5. SHOWING UP AND BEING CONSISTENT
Nothing gets done without showing up, so show up even when you don’t feel like it. Most of what you do depends on showing up and being present. It doesn’t matter if you exercise 2, 3, or 4 days a week—pick a schedule, show up, and do it. Do this consistently for the long term. Life will get in the way, but staying active through tough times pays off for your health and peace of mind. Consistency is about showing up, not being perfect.
WRAP-UP
These five tips will help you start and sustain any exercise program. Exercise is not just a six-week burst to lose fat; it’s for life and your health. If you’re starting after a layoff or you’ve never trained with resistance before, I have a six-week program called “Get Back In the Saddle” that will give you a solid foundation. It can be purchased here.
