Newbie fitness tips!

Where do I start?

Ok, so you have decided to become a fitter, healthier you, GREAT!!!

Here is a list of tips I have picked up along the way that I wanted to share with you guys that are starting out in this crazy weight lifting macro tracking world that I have fallen in love with!

Patience is a virtue

One hard workout will not shed excess weight that took you years to put on. Similarly, one day of eating mindfully and with a more health based nutrition plan will not a six pack make. Patience is a virtue, and there is no miracle pill or shake that will help you reach your goals overnight. If you can accept that the best changes you can make are ones that will be possible to continue for the long haul, you are already on the right track to reaching your goals. Small changes add up and you may not see progress straight away, but rest assured, if you put in the work, you will reap the rewards over time.

Consistency trumps

This is probably one of the most important lessons I have learned on my fitness journey. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about staying as consistent as possible and not allowing little road bumps along the way to throw you totally off track. If you can be just one thing, be consistent (and having patience helps too, as discussed above). Be as consistent as possible with your workouts and your nutrition and the results will show.

Make changes in due time

Your body is a pro to adapting to whatever gets thrown at it. Don’t keep doing the same training programme day in and day out for months at a time and expect to keep making progress. There are so many variables that you can change up, from the weight you are lifting, to the amount of reps or sets. With cardio you can mix it up by changing your speed, adding resistance if you are on a cross trainer or bike, and also the time you spend doing it. With that said…

Pick a programme and give it a chance to work its magic

Don’t ditch a programme after two days and decide it’s not working. Give it at least a month before you call it into question. Just as you can spend too long doing the same thing, quitting on a programme too soon can be an issue too. Pick a programme and give it a chance to work before you kick it to the kerb!

Everyone was a begnner once

Easier said than done I know, but please don’t feel self concious to the point of not wanting to train in the gym. Most people are oblivious to how you look or what you are wearing at the gym as they are worried about themselves and what they are doing. Don’t be embarrassed to ask for advice off an instructor either if you are not sure how to use a machine, they are there to help you! Everyone was a beginner once and had to start somewhere!

Rest

Just as you need to train to make improvements, you also need rest too. This is one factor that goes extremely underappreciated, especially in beginners. There tends be an attitude of glorifying not taking a rest day on social media especially, and I’m here to tell you, especially for a beginner, that’s bad news! When you rest, your body recovers and grows. If you neglect this crucial part of your training, you are opening yourself up to a whole lot of hurt, and potentially injuries. Do yourself a favour and stay in the game for the long haul by pencilling in your rest days to your programme.

Be kind to yourself , aka treat yo self

As important as it is to eat a healthy balanced diet full of vitamins, minerals and fibre, you can still enjoy a treat. Don’t turn it into a free for all, and don’t make it a week long of ice-cream for breakfast and cake for lunch and dinner. You can have a cookie and still get results. If you feel deprived, you are more likely to be tempted to binge eat, and that will make you feel guilty and potentially derail your progress.

These are just some of the nuggets of wisdom I have learned over the last few years (and also that I wish I knew from day 1!) so I hope they might help someone starting out!