How to kick start your fitness future

Hi everyone,

 

If you have been following me for a while you will know I am slightly fitness crazy. I love it. At the beginning of January I started back up again after stopping due to an injury. But I am back at it better than ever. Which got me thinking, I got back into it really easily because I love it. But I thought for others it may not be so simple. So I am going to share with you my tips for kick starting your fitness future. Whether your beginner or just starting back up I hope my tips can help you.

 

1. Make achievable goals.

Right when it comes to working out you want your goals to be something you can achieve. There is no point setting yourself goals that even you know your not going to reach. What I will say is start small. You don't need to start by reaching for the stars. Start with tiny goals that you can progress into what you really want to achieve from your workouts. You can check out my fitness goals for 2017 here. I believe if you have something to work towards it makes it that so much more easier to do.

2. Don't go it alone.

Some people find it easier if they don't work out alone as they then have someone to encourage them. I personally am more of a do it alone kind of girl, as I don't really like working out in front of people. But having said that I have never had anyone to workout with, so I may actually enjoy it. So get your friends involved so you don't have to go it alone. Why not start up a challenge? One to get the better abs, or something similar. This will encourage you to work harder. But you must remember you may love that your friend gives you all this encouragement, but make sure your giving it back in return. That way you both end your session feeling great.

3. Buy some basics.

Now I am talking basic equipment that you may need. I actually started my fitness journey 1 year ago. So when I started I had no idea what I needed to buy and was literally thinking of buying everything. But trust me when I say this, your starting out, you don't need everything. What I find the best things to have are a set of dumbbells and a yoga mat. Yes two things, hard to believe right. I also purchased a weight bench later in the year but to start you probably wont need it. This will depend on what your planning on doing. This year I also am planning on purchasing some more fitness equipment. I'm not sure what or when but I would like to. So just remember don't buy everything out of the fitness section, start small and build up.

4. Food.

This may not seem like the biggest deal when your working out. But trust me you need to fuel your body correctly. You are working out, why wouldn't you feed your body the right foods? I have not yet got back into my food habits. Again its one step at a time. But I eat different foods on days that I work out to days I don't. I follow the body coach (Joe Wicks) Lean in 15 books. So I have reduced carbohydrate meals when I am not working out and then post-workout carbohydrate refuel meals when I am working out. This works for me, I am not saying it will work for you. YOU have to find what works for you and if this means playing around with different foods for a few weeks, so be it. See it as an experience you are learning from.

5. Treat yourself.

What I mean by this is buy yourself some new workout clothes. When I first started working out I was in old jogging bottoms and a vest top. Did it make me want to workout? No not one bit. I then went out to Tesco saw all these workout clothes which were so lovely and said I'm buying it. My mum laughed and said your going to spend all that on something you might not even keep at. I said no I am spending on something I am going to keep at, and boy did I. Wearing them gym clothes changed everything. I bought them in bright colours and in designs I loved the moment I looked at them. So when my alarm went off at 6.15am on a workout day, I wanted to get out of bed and put them on. If you are wearing something you love and feel comfortable and confident in, it will encourage you to do well.

6. Find your place.

Everyone has a place they like to work out. Whether that be at home, at the gym or in a park. My place is at home , in the comfort of my own living room. I am not a public person when it comes to working out. But it is also good to push outside your comfort zone once in a while. So you need to find your place. So try out that trial at the gym, if you don't like it stop. If you do, get yourself a membership. Or want something free, your local park or green is a great place to work out. Find yourself a quiet spot and get to work. Or you may be like me and want to do it at home. Wherever it may be, find your place and own it.

7. DVD's.

So if you are opting for the home workout, you may want to pick yourself up some workout DVD's. These can be picked up fairly cheap. I own a few. One I cant wait to start in February is the body coach workout DVD. I love his workouts and now for it to be on a DVD makes it all the better for me. Having said this a DVD is not a reason to sit down and just watch a bit of it part way through. Don't overdo it but don't use being at home the reason you don't try.

8. Time of day.

The last thing I am going to mention is time of day. When it comes to your workouts it good to know what time of day is best for you when it comes to doing them. I do mine in the morning. 1. Because I'm not really a morning person so it wakes me up for the day and starts my day right. 2. Because if I left them to the evening I would never do them. I know when I come home from work I don't want to get into doing a HIIT session, I just don't. But you may prefer the evenings, or lunch time. So have a play around with the times of day you do them and see what works for you.

So they are my tips for kick starting your fitness future. Do you have any that I haven't mentioned? Let me know in the comments. One last thing I will say is don't sit around waiting for it to come to you, if you want it, work for it. That is the only way you will achieve what you are looking for.

Love
Zoe x