Starting a new fitness adventure? Fundamental checklist to get you going

Last Updated on 17th February 2022

It’s tempting to think that it’s easy to get fit: you just exercise more… right? Well, yes – but, in practice, getting more of that vital exercise into your day can be trickier than you could have expected.

That’s why you should carefully plan out your workout days to reap the best benefits. Here are just a few things you should make sure you regularly tick off your fitness checklist.

Get your day off to a dancing start

Dancing is fun, and doing any exercise that you enjoy – and, therefore, are likely to stick with – would bode well for your fitness success. However, you might not have realised that the dancing can start from the moment you wake up… if you set your alarm to music.

Leave music playing and keep dancing to it as you progress through your morning routine, advises Women’s Health – not least because that dancing can kick-start the day’s calorie burn.

new fitness adventure

Choose a routine that fits your schedule

If you don’t typically have one hour to dedicate to exercise, a fitness routine that involves 60 minutes of exercising might not be the best option. Instead, choose an exercise plan that will fit your schedule.

For example, when your planned workout is not going to happen for whatever reason, be ready to pivot by doing a shortened version of the workout or you could even take a short walk. Recognize that anything is better than nothing. The best thing is carrying out bite-sized exercises as they will help maintain consistency with exercising when life gets busy.

Ease yourself into new exercises

When starting a new exercise routine, it is important to do so gradually. Trying to run three miles or lift weights like a bodybuilder as an inexperienced person will only lead to disappointment and possibly injury.

Instead of jumping into an intense routine, start out slowly and at a pace that’s manageable for your body. This way, you will be able to learn the new movement patterns more easily- without getting too stressed from being pushed too quickly. By taking a moderate approach with rest days and functional movements you are much more likely to stay consistent in your routine instead of skipping workouts or overdoing it because you get frustrated by not making progress fast enough. You are also less likely to injure yourself while adjusting to these changes!

Share your goals

The moment you commit to a new fitness routine, start letting your friends and family in on it. We are the first people who disappoint ourselves, so get other people involved for some accountability. Ask trustworthy friends or members of your family to check in with you every week or month, and offer them the same consideration.

Invite someone to join you in your get-fit efforts

Exercising alongside a friend or lover could help you to prevent your motivation flagging, though it could take some effort for you to convince that someone to become your fitness buddy.

Some may feel uncomfortable in the gym without the correct attire so you could try by persuading your workout partner to purchase some activewear from a wide range of tracksuits for men.

Get your diet right

Developing muscle is one of the most obvious signs that an exercise regime is working. Still, your body can’t build that muscle effectively without sufficient supplies of energy and protein, which is why you need to make sure your diet provides these.

Coach advises that, within 15 minutes of finishing a workout session, you eat a snack that is three parts carbohydrate to one part protein.

Go to bed earlier on your most intense workout days

You could find some exercise days more strenuous than others – and, when you do have one of those days, you should settle down to bed at least half an hour earlier than usual.

That’s because your body treats your hours of slumber as an opportunity to produce more tissue-repairing growth hormone which assists your muscles in recovering and strengthening.

Keep looking for new opportunities to take the stairs

In some ways, technology has helped to improve our fitness, such as by providing us with fitness bands and smartwatches like the Apple Watch.

Nonetheless, elevators have a lot to answer for, as they have given many of us less incentive to ascend or descend stairs. Be sure, then, to buck the trend by always taking flights of stairs where you can.

Join a gym – but the right one

Signing up for a gym membership might, on the face of it, seem like an obvious step to take. However, what isn’t always so obvious is exactly what gym you should join.

Fortunately, MyFitnessPal provides various pieces of advice concerning how you can make sure your chosen gym is sufficiently convenient for you and strikes the right vibe.