7 Steps For Starting Your Fitness Journey

1. Determine your goals

Starting a journey without a destination in mind is very close to self destruction, and feeling like you will never accomplish your goals. You have to have a goal, or at least a checkpoint in mind where you can allow yourself to feel proud an accomplished. Having goals will also keep you on the right track, and will keep you from getting side tracked. As humans we will never be satisfied not accomplishing our goals. We want to be lazy, but also get things done. As you might be able to tell, it is not easy to work with your brain. That is why you need the next step.

2. Have a game plan

Create a plan. A plan is something you can stick to. Your plan is leading you to your destination, which is completion of your goal. Without a plan, you can have that goal but have no idea how tot get there. Some components of a good plan are:

3. Commit to yourself

You have to take that first step. It will seem scary, but that is not bad. Something you can do is imagine yourself at your destination. Imagine how you will be different. Imagine how you will think, and imagine how you will feel. Now imagine yourself if you don’t take that first step. Do you see the difference? So take that first step, commit to yourself. Your motivation, your willpower , and your self discipline. You can do this. YOU CAN DO THIS. If it is hard for you to find motivation for your workouts you can find that here.

4. Start small and build up

If you have never done a workout, or drunk a lot of water daily, that don’t expect yourself to be able to jump right in. Start where you are able to be consistent. If that is ten pushups and ten squats a day, just do that. If that is one yoga session weekly, go to that session. Build up so you are always able to be consistent. Don’t do so much that you are overwhelmed. There is no one forcing you to be the best at that yoga class. You don’t have to be! You can be exactly who you want to be, but on your own terms, and your own pace.

5. Something is always better than nothing

This step closely relates to the one before it. Doing something is always better than doing nothing. What I mean by this is that if you take a yoga class, and then have time to go on a ten minute walk, but you don’t because you think it won’t anything, think about the future. Those ten minutes could turn into an hour. Or five miles of running. There is no limit to what a simple ten minutes could turn into. There is also no limit to what ten minutes a day could do for you. You could be happier, healthier and more satisfied, all with ten minutes. Doing something, anything is always better than doing nothing.

6. Have a fitness journal

A fitness journal is the best place to keep track of your progress, and keep you on course. If you want to learn more about the how and why of fitness journaling, you can find that here. A fitness journal can be helpful for almost all the steps. You put your plan and your goals here, you plan out your steps and growth, and so much more.

7. Celebrate yourself

Celebrate yourself! Rewards, cheat days, vacations. Celebrate your process. Celebrate how far you have come. Allow yourself to feel proud and happy without feeling guilty. For example, get a facial after thirty days of consistent exercise. Choose a reward at the beginning of your journey and put it in your fitness journal. try not to be completely rewards based, and enjoy the journey. But a reward is also a great incentive. If you want to learn more about the rewards system check out this post.

Enjoy creating and experiencing your fitness journey!!