Getting started can be the hardest part!
Sometimes, the most difficult part of getting active is getting started! It can be especially difficult if you’ve been on holiday and are in the habit of staying cosy indoors and indulging in all the tasty treats the festive season has to offer. Plus, not to mention the cold weather, which makes outdoor exercise seem very unappealing at times! In this blog, I'll give you some steps to help motivate yourself to get fit and active, despite being a beginner, or slightly out of practice...
Set yourself a goal
Set yourself a manageable goal. Choose just one to start with – it’s easy to scare yourself by setting too many goals and becoming so overwhelmed that you just give up altogether!
Start small, like aiming to run without stopping for 5, 10, or 20 minutes by the end of the month, depending on your fitness level.
Alternatively, see how many sit ups and lunges you can do now, and challenge yourself to increase that number each week.
Write your goal down so you can look back on it and remind yourself why you’re doing this, on those days where exercise might be the last thing on your mind. I like to set reminders on my phone for a specific time of day - like reminding myself to do 5 minutes of high intensity exercise when I get home from work, before I get too comfortable on the couch!
Having small, achievable goals will not only help to keep you focussed, it will also give you a real sense of accomplishment when you hit those targets, and spur you on to aim even higher!
Enjoy the process
The start of the year can be a great time to get active and make healthy life changes, but don’t get bogged down in drastic diets or unhealthy habits like skipping meals. You should try to enjoy the process of getting active!
Try swimming, skiing or ice-skating, or get a group of friends together and play football or indoor badminton once a week. Group sports are a great way to socialise and build relationships, as well as helping you to get active and having a positive effect on your health!
Try a few different exercises or fitness classes in your local gym or community centre until you find something you enjoy and fits well with your goals – usually there’s something for everyone, from high-energy Zumba classes to circuit training with dumbbells. You’re much more likely to keep at it if you don’t put too much pressure on yourself and make sure you see the fun side of getting active!
Try home exercises
Home exercises are a great way to get active if you’re not feeling confident or you struggle to find time to work out. Try to choose exercises that you can manage in your living room, ones that you can do without having to venture out into the cold or brave the busy gym.
Resistance bands are a great tool if you’re exercising at home – check out these 4 easy exercises to do with resistance bands that can you can do in the at home or in the gym!
A quick home workout will not only be easier to fit into a busy schedule, but it may also be easier to motivate yourself to exercise if it doesn’t involve a long commute to the gym or carrying your heavy gear around all day.
Breaking up your exercise throughout the day can also help get you into a routine and will allow for more manageable spurts of exercise. Try doing a few sets of sit-ups first thing in the morning, which will not only help to get your blood flowing and muscles moving, but will also help you to wake up on a cold, dark morning!
Space out your other exercises during the rest of the day – a short walk on your lunch break, a few sets of star-jumps and lunges when you get home from work, 10 push-ups before you go to bed. It all adds up!
Don't overdo it!
It’s easy to panic after a festive season filled with comfort foods and cosy tipples, but it’s important that you don’t go too hard too fast! Especially if you’re a beginner and your body isn’t used to tough workouts, you should make small, gradual changes and give yourself a chance to get used to them. This will help you to avoid unnecessary injuries – you won’t feel very motivated if you have to take 6 weeks off for a shin splint because you tried to run 10 miles on the treadmill on your first day at the gym!
Starting gradually also means that your body shouldn’t be aching in all the wrong places the next day, and you’ll be more inclined to do the same exercise again, pushing yourself a little further each time. Give this easy 10 minute workout for beginners a try and get active safely and effectively.
Plus, don’t forget, our Balance mineral drink is a great way to replace lost electrolytes after exercise! It’s packed full of essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium - it’s a great way to reduce fatigue after you’ve exercised and will help to keep you going through the dark January days!
