How to start working out: 5 simple steps
Working out is essential for your physical, mental, and even emotional health. We all know this, but sometimes it can still feel tricky or overwhelming to start a working out routine and stay consistent. So here are 5 simple steps to help you start working out and create a simple and sustainable routine that you’ll actually enjoy.
5 Simple steps to start working out easily:
1. Focus on activities you genuinely enjoy
Let’s start with the most important step because if you want to start working out, and then keep working out, enjoyment will be a crucial factor in your success. So opt for activities you genuinely love and enjoy because let’s be honest, if you don’t love it, it’ll feel like a chore soon and you most likely won’t stay consistent with it. Starting is great – but making it a habit (or even a lifestyle) is better.
Also, maybe opt for several activities instead of only one to avoid getting bored – besides, a mix of both cardio and strength training is preferable to only one sort of training.
For example, I absolutely love jump rope and yoga and power walking and pilates so I focus my workout routine on these and alternate between them from day to day. I don’t follow a strict regimen – I hate it, it makes me feel pressured and trapped, so what I do instead is give myself space to be inspired by the day or the moment. But, as always, you should do you. Some people actually thrive with a clear-cut routine, and others don’t. Find what works best for you and do it.
2. Be realistic
If you’re just starting working out or going back to it after a while, then you should be realistic when you set your first goals.
If it’s been a while since you’ve worked out, then it might be preferable to actually be realistic and start with smaller goals (and still have a bigger one for long-term practice). If you push yourself too much right from the start, you could get overwhelmed and then won’t make it in the long run, or maybe even injure yourself, especially if your body isn’t used to exercising yet.
If you’re not used to working out yet, then starting small and being realistic is the best way to do it. Make it a progressive endeavor, and give yourself time to build up the habit and routine until both your body and mind grow used to it. Afterwards, It’ll be easier to go for bigger goals if you’ve already built the habit and got used to exercise on a regular basis.
Do not hesitate to take your time to build up to it. It also gives you time to build both strength and endurance. Remember, working out is something you should grow used to instead of just jumping right into it. So be realistic and set small – but achievable – goals. Besides, if you hit your first goals, you’ll get even more motivated to keep going. On the other hand, if you start by setting big goals right from the start and don’t reach them right away, you might get discouraged with the process and give up before you’ve had the chance to achieve anything.
So be realistic, and start with a small and consistent practice. It is the best way to achieve a sustainable routine while remaining motivated.
3. Do it
Nearly every time in life, the key to doing something is just to do it. Don’t think about it, don’t reflect, just go for it.
Even if it’s only a short and small session. Don’t jump right into one-hour-long workouts – just tell yourself you’ll do something for five or ten minutes, and go do this. And sometimes, once you’re done with your five or ten minutes, you’ll even be motivated to keep going. If your goal feels overwhelming right from the start, it’ll be harder to get motivated and do it. But if you know you only have to exercise for five or ten minutes, it’ll make it easier to find the motivation to go and crush your workout.
When starting, remember that a bit of something will always be better than nothing. Even if it’s just a 5 minute session, or even a walk around your neighborhood or to your office. The key is to start somewhere and do something.
4. Stay consistent
Consistency is key. When you start working out, the goal is to make it a habit, and for this to happen, you need to stay consistent with it, even when you’d prefer to give it up, wether because it’s not a good day or week, or you’re not reaching your goals fast enough, or seeing improvement (remember that improvement actually takes time), or simply just don’t feel like it.
Everybody gets discouraged at some point, and thinks about giving up, but the key is not to let discouragement win. The moment you give up, your chance of reaching your goals becomes 0 percent. So remember why you started in the first place, focus on your reasons, and don’t give up.
This is why setting smaller but achievable goals is important. Small goals simply make it way easier for you to stay consistent in the long run.
5. When you fall off the wagon – simply go back to it
Falling off the wagon is natural and happens to everybody at one point or another. And I don’t mean giving up – I really mean falling off the wagon as in life happens and you have things to do and prioritize, and you kind of fall off track.
Chances are, it will happen to you too – and maybe even more than once. Don’t worry when it does, it’s perfectly okay.
And knowing this is crucial because it’s actually encouraging. Because when it does happen, you won’t beat yourself for it as you’ll know it’s actually a normal part of the journey, and it’s not happening because you’re lazy and not giving it your max. It’s just life, and you go through ups and downs. It’s a perfectly natural occurrence.
The key is simply to go back to it. It is really as easy as that. Beating yourself for it won’t help, nor will it be productive or help you achieve your goals. So simply notice that you’ve fallen off the wagon, and simply go back to working out. Just get back on track.
+1: Keep it simple
I know I’m repeating myself with this one, but as always, it’s the most important step. Keep It Simple.
Like many things in life, success –in this case setting up a working-out routine – is about keeping it simple so it can be sustainable. Of course, this is not about the workouts, it’s about your practice. Your practice and routine should be simple and realistic enough that following it is easy enough and sustainable. So again, I feel like creating a practice consisting of small and attainable goals is a powerful strategy because it is simple (and it works really well for me – as it’s proven to be the most effective strategy that has me actually working out regularly for the last five years now).
Here are the five steps I use to keep my routine simple:
1. Opt for activities you genuinely enjoy
2. Set several goals, or One Big Goal then break it into smaller goals*
3. Focus on one goal at a time
4. Prioritize rest (I can’t stress this enough–rest is crucial. Never ignore your resting days. It’s because you rest and give your body time to heal and adapt that it can grow stronger, and you can crush your next sessions and improve.)
5. Repeat all the above
And this is it – a simple way to create a working out routine that you enjoy and help you reach your goals.
*Another tip for keeping it simple is instead of having One Big Goal (which can feel unachievable and overwhelming), take this goal and break it into smaller, more achievable goals. It’s the little things you achieve every day that end up creating big changes.
Final Words
Starting a workout routine doesn’t have to be hard. If you keep it simple, be realistic by setting small and achievable goals that motivate you to keep going, and be consistent while practicing activities you genuinely enjoy – working out won’t be such a struggle anymore, and you’ll probably create a sustainable practice that you genuinely enjoy and help you reach your goals.
And if you’re interested in the other 5 key habits of physical self-care, here they are: Physical Self-Care: The 5 Key Habits
If you have other tips to help make it easier for other people to start and follow an exercise routine, please share them in the comments below.
In the meantime, I hope you have a great day, and that you remember to be kind and gentle with yourself.