It doesn’t take much to start developing your body.
It’s no secret, working out consistently helps create that beautiful, lean body that you crave. But for some reason it is ridiculously difficult to get started…and maybe even harder to keep it up. We spend a lot of time thinking and hearing about which workout program is the best, the fastest, the latest, which one burns the most calories, which one will make us skinny, ripped, bulked up, and so on. But if it’s been ages since you’ve consistently exercised, you can stop worrying about the abundance of theories and options that are overwhelming you, because in truth, the best workout is the one you do today.
You just have to get started. Get going, and quite simply, move your body! Apart from one’s diet, the biggest reason people are out of shape and on on their way to an existence based on obesity, lethargy, and sickness is not because they did the wrong workout, but because they didn’t do any workout. Quite simply, it is extremely important to get some form of exercise just about every day of the week. Weighlifting 3-4 days a week? Great! A 20 minute walk every evening after dinner, fantastic. A spin class 3 times a week and yoga on the alternate days? Beautiful. Raquetball… Swimming… Self-defense class… Rebounding… Dancing… Jogging… Netball… Even walking the dog… Your body is getting some real value out of any one of these things.
For those of you already dialed in to a great workout/fitness regimen, keep it up! We’ll have some more advanced insights in future articles. But for those of you having a hard time just getting the ball rolling, this is definitely for you. Maybe you’ve gained so many pounds that you’re embarrassed to go to the gym. Perhaps you’ve injured yourself and there doesn’t seem to be much you can do. Are the high gym fees keeping you from achieving your goals?
Don’t worry about that. Gyms are wonderful resources, but they’re not essential. And your injuries? See your health specialist for specific advise, of course. But in all likelihood you can work around your injuries. And the embarrassment of being out of shape, well that’s going to change, because all you have to do is start moving your body, do some basic resistance training a few times a week, and your body will change. You will notice a difference, maybe even in the first ten days, and your self-esteem will be on the rise. Setbacks may come. But if you have been pretty stationary all day, every day, and you start moving your body in a significant way 5, 6, 7 days a week, your body will naturally change.
What should you do? Well, what do you like to do? Everything hinges on this. Are you a nature lover, like to people watch, check out the scenery? Then go for a jog-walk and do those exact things. Love basketball? Pump up the ball and head down to the court! Have access to a pool or the beach…go for a little swim. I don’t mean to oversimplify things here, but at the outset more than ever, just have fun & do what you like to do. Your body was made to be active. And your psyche finds a very meaningful level of satisfaction in doing those things you are most drawn to, so even when the activity is over, you feel lifted and energized.
And as you’re starting out, don’t feel you have to go hard right away. In fact, if your muscles and respiratory system are out of shape, they’re better served easing into things for the first few weeks. So there’s even less pressure! Just go have fun. Move your body and for now just let the muscles get used to the activity.
Don’t have a lot of time? Lay down on your living room floor and stretch for 5 minutes. Then alternate doing a set of pushups with skipping rope (or running in place, jumping jacks, shadow boxing, etc). In just 10-15 minutes you’ve really accomplished something good for your body, without spending a dollar or taking up the whole afternoon.
If the pushups are too hard right now, just keep your knees on the ground to lessen the resistance. If you feel you might be straining at any point, take a rest, get a drink of water, stretch your arms & shoulders, and then do another set or two. Practice breathing correctly. For pushups you want to inhale deeply through the nose on the way down, then exhale through the mouth as you push yourself back up. For pull ups you would inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up. For most exercises you want to inhale for the easier part of the motion and exhale as you drive through the motion of the harder part. Learn good form as early as possible.
Heaps of exercises, guidelines, & resources are on the way, so check back soon. The important thing is that you get up and do something you love. That’s how you overcome the first challenge.
As mentioned at the outset, there is a second giant obstacle to getting fit and that is sticking with a workout program. But here’s the best part — if you began your workout journey by doing something you actually enjoy, then you’ve also taken care of the 2nd hindrance to getting fit. You see, there might be a particular training program out there somewhere that is targeted to deliver the exact results you’re looking for, but if you hate it and aren’t doing it 12 months from now, that probably isn’t the best place to start! People who hate to lift weights or go to the gym can often benefit more from running around with their dog at the park because it’s less like grudgful work and more like genuine pleasure.
Playing a sport is ideal. Play it as often as you can, even if it’s just on weekends. And then when you go to the gym, train with weights, work on your cardio, etc, do it with the goal of getting better at your sport. It will give purpose to your training and help you stick with a program that otherwise might’ve just felt like a meaningless chore.
So find what makes you tick, then make it a way of life. You’ll be one giant step closer to the ideal, healthier you.