4 Crucial Fitness Tips for Beginners
Getting fit and being fit is a process. You can’t do it overnight and you can’t expect miracles within 2 weeks… but you’ll definitely see improvements within a month. The problem here is that so many people don’t even give themselves a month before throwing in the towel.
Below you’ll find 4 crucial fitness tips to bear in mind at all times. They’re especially important if you’re a beginner.
1. Focus on the habit, not the workout
What does this even mean? Aren’t you supposed to train hard?
Yes, yes you are… BUT in your first month, your focus should be on exercising daily. If even 15 minutes is all you have to spare, do that 15 minutes instead of skipping it.
Like Will Durant said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
If you make exercise a habit, you’ll be far less likely to quit on it after a month. Aim to work out 5 to 6 times a week.
2. Progressive overload
Once you make exercise a habit, now you can slowly challenge yourself with each workout. Increase the weight, reps, sets, intensity, etc. Alternatively, you may reduce your rest times and so on.
The goal is to always train harder than you did the previous day. Gradual progress is crucial. The key word being gradual. Do NOT overdo it.
3. Rest is important
People often want fast results and will train like maniacs in the gym thinking that it will accelerate their progress. In the first couple of weeks, this may be the case. But with time, they’ll get burnout and may even experience injuries.
When you’re starting off, give yourself 2 rest days a week. Music is the space between the notes.
There may be some days when your muscles are sore and need more rest. Never fear taking that extra rest day to recover. You may do some light exercise to get the blood circulation going, but if the pain is uncomfortable, just stop the workout and rest.
4. Patience is everything
The number one reason most people quit on their fitness goals… and goals in general, is because they lack patience. They want results fast without realizing that life is long and anything worth achieving takes time.
It will take you time to lose weight… time to build muscle… time to fit into that dress you wore in your twenties… time, time, and more time.
If you’re 70 pounds overweight, it may take you 7 to 9 months to lose all that weight. It’s impossible to do it within a month, and starving yourself won’t help either.
You must give yourself that time to shed the pounds. The same applies to stamina and building muscle. Many men who want fast results turn to steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
This not only sabotages their health in the long run, but can lead to very dangerous consequences. All due to a lack of patience.
If you want to get fit and in shape, create a plan that allows you to make gradual improvements until you reach your goal. There’s no need to rush yourself or you’ll just end up quitting. Take one day at a time and do the best you can… and months from now you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come.
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” - Earl Nightingale
