It can feel exhausting to start on your weight loss journey only to find it hard to even start. This is a simple resource as a beginner fitness guide to aid you on that journey.
Everyone has to start from somewhere and today is the day you start on the first day of forever with your body. Fitness is important, especially for beginners, because for a lot of us …we’re terrified of even starting.
I want to show other women that it is perfectly fine to be scared, but we’ve got to start! You can’t have your dream body without the work. You’re probably wondering how I know all this?
That’s where this article comes in handy. It is a guide to beginner fitness just for you. ヽ(゜～゜o)ノ
I started my fitness journey several times and of all the journeys one stuck when I started out at The Edge in a little town in Connecticut where I immediately hired a personal trainer to help me get started.
My trainer worked with me for a few months while I also incorporated digital programs like SWEAT and 10k Runner into my workout regimen alongside walking a mile every other day and climbing whenever I could.
I eventually lost 35 lbs. over the course of seven months while taking things slowly trying to unlearn bad eating habits. But my body was stronger, and I was climbing harder routes consistently by the time the pandemic hit.
So, if I can do it, you can too.
Table of Adventures
What is Fitness?
Weird question, right? I get it. Most of us know what fitness is, however, I figured I’d give a little lesson on what fitness means and what it can mean for you.
Fitness is the state of being fit.
There you have it, pack it up, we know it all now.
Wait, wait, no we don’t. Come back!
The thing is, fitness means something different to so many people and I think that that is important to talk about. For some of us, fitness can mean conditioning our heart and lungs (aerobic!) or it can mean becoming stronger (muscle strengthening!) or it can mean becoming more limber (flexibility!) or a combination of the three.
So, here at Lemonade + Adventure, we’re all about discovering and understanding all three in order to have a well-balanced physical fitness.
We just want to point out a few misconceptions when we talk about well-balanced physical fitness.
- Exercise will not erase bad eating habits. Sorry, it’s not going to do anything. As someone who is sugar-addicted and understands the detriment that food can have on your fitness routine, we’ve gotta do better for ourselves with the food we eat at times.
- Women don’t need different exercises than men. Whatever workouts men do, women can do as well. If you feel comfortable with it, do it. Live your best fitness life.
- There’s a saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen” aka the 80% diet and 20% exercise philosophy. They actually aren’t; it’s both diet and exercise. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ There’s no scientific evidence believe it or not. I know, my eyes went wide at finding that out, too. However, reducing your caloric intake, increasing your physical activity in some way (i.e., walking, running, jumping jacks, etc.) or a combination of the two is the best way. You can check out this post by InBody for more information.
Of course, there is a slew of misconceptions in the world of fitness but guess what? We don’t care about them right now. We’re just trying to get this party started for now. You’re going to do great.
How to Get Started with Working Out
You’re probably wondering, okay, this is great, but where do I start?
First off, I’m glad you’re going to stick around; your body will thank you wherever you decide to take the necessary steps towards your health.
Secondly, here’s a brief summary of where you can begin:
- Make a commitment to yourself. Not only are you your own ‘why’, but it’ll keep you going when you’re ready to quit. Also, be kind to your body, please!
- Absolutely, and I can’t stress this enough, smart small. Don’t try to start too much quickly especially if you’ve never done this before. You’re going to quit before you even get started.
- Start incorporating water into your diet. This can be a small step in the right direction even if you can’t start physical workouts for a while. Your body will be hydrated, and you’ll thank your past self for thinking about your future self.
Third, don’t stop until you reach your goal – whatever that may be.
Tips for Success in Beginner Fitness
Consult your physician before you get started on a fitness regimen. You may think your knee is doing a lot better after that climbing accident, but your doctor may be the one partial person to tell you to do low-impact exercises to get you started before you blow it out.
Take it from me – do it.
Also, don’t procrastinate. Just do it. Sunday or Monday’s are not the best days to start – today is.
Related: Still Struggling to Start Your Fitness Journey? Focus On This
Common Questions/FAQ About Fitness
Note: These FAQs will always have questions added to it. Don't forget to bookmark this page and keep it around for when you need something answered!
How do I start my fitness journey?
No matter where you are starting off, you simply want to start – one foot in front of the other. Sometimes that may be easier said than done, something I am all too familiar with, however, once you get the ball rolling everything else falls into place.
Do a cursory look into what you are capable of doing and check-in with a doctor if you’re unaware of your physical limitations. Make a rough plan of what you can eat in your home and plan to make some small changes every week as you continue.
Don’t be afraid to start with loads of candy in your home, you’ll eventually get rid of it and swap it out for fruits. Slow and steady wins the race after all. But if you really need to cut things like that cold turkey, do what’s best for you.
How do I get serious about working out?
You literally keep going. I know, that isn’t saying much, but you’ve got to find your why (whatever that may be) and ask others to keep you to account.
Start a fitness tracker.
Buy a piece of clothing that you’ve always wanted to wear in the size that you want to fit into and hang it on the back of your bedroom door (e.g., “It was an itsy-bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini!” Anyone remember that commercial?) for motivation.
Make a plan for the following day’s workout the day before.
Sleep in your workout clothes if it’s hard to motivate yourself.
Do whatever it takes.
How do I start my very first day of working out?
Take it easy. Your body is going to be screaming at you once your workout is over so don’t feel as though you need to be very hard on your body at this stage. It won’t do you any favors if you blow out your knee on day one – the ligaments may not be strong enough for you to do high knees the way the model is doing it in the video (or whatever other means you’re using).
Flirt with the idea of exercise and see what your body can do.
I 100% suggest doing a fitness test so that you can gauge your progress over the course of your journey. They will become milestones and indicators of your growing strength when you think you haven’t done anything.
Also: write everything down.
Thank me later.
How can I start my fitness journey off right?
Related: 9 Secrets to Start Working Out Without Feeling Overwhelmed
Write a SMART goals list. By creating time management for your journey, you’re telling yourself that this is something important to you. You want your goals to be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
Say you’re looking to lose 100 pounds – a lofty goal, but absolutely doable – you’d create smaller chunks of wanting to lose 10 lbs in two months. See? Small chunks and it isn’t discouraging to you if you’re just starting out.
How quickly can I get in shape?
That really depends on you. Once I became serious in my weight loss journey it took me seven months to get down 35 pounds, but I also gained a lot of muscle and definition. It’s a give-and-take process and it really depends on what you’re striving towards and how hard you’re willing to work for it.
Do I need to work out every day?
If that’s your kink, then sure, be my guest. But to start off, I’d definitely suggest starting at once a week and ramping it up to twice a week once you feel comfortable. Remember, working out doesn’t always mean going to the gym – it could mean simply taking a walk around your neighborhood.
Do what is comfortable for you to get your blood flowing and to a point where you know you can kick it up into high gear. It will always depend on what you are willing to do; however, I dare you to push yourself, you’ll be amazed by what your body can do when you do.
What’s the Best Diet for Me?
I can’t tell you that.
There’s so many kinds of diets on the market it’s exhausting just trying to list them here. But some of the popular ones are Keto, Paleo, and somatotypic diets.
A brief overview of somatotype diets is based on your body composition. There are three somatotypes: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorphic. In other words, ectomorphs tend to be lean and skinny, whereas mesomorphs have more of an athletic build, while endomorphs carry fat easier.
I’m a mixture of mesomorph and endomorph but lean more endomorph. I gain weight easily and grow muscle easily. You can find amazing resources for determining your protein, carbohydrate, and fat ratios everywhere online. I particularly like the NASM blog for that.
Listening to your body first and foremost with its needs is what will help propel you to a better handle on your weight loss. Try using programs like MyFitnessPal for logging dietary information and the Intent app if you’re struggling to put together delicious tasting meals.
The Last Thing You Need to Know about Beginner Fitness
You’re going to want to quit, don’t.
I promise you that you have this in the bag. You’re stronger than you’re giving future you, I swear it.
This will probably be the hardest thing that you do, but guess what? We’re all in this together. Keep pushing, keep going, keep being innovative in your fitness journey, and keep checking back when you feel as though you can’t make it through. The journey is just beginning, and you can do this.
Go get ‘em, tiger.
Begin your weight loss adventure by grabbing a glass of lemonade and joining us here at L + A by signing up for our newsletter.