Whatever the time of the year, it’s never too late to embark on a fitness journey. It’s courageous to shift to a more active lifestyle, and it takes determination and commitment to succeed. For starters, it would help to check on fitness tips for beginners and hop in the challenge.
Time and again, we’ve been told about the importance of regular exercise. Jumping into a routine is a big favor your body will thank you for. Once you’ve set your mind to working out, a bigger challenge is coming your way – keeping up with your workout regimen.
Fitness isn’t only physical activities though. Another important side of it is a healthy and balanced eating habit. Diet and exercise go hand-in-hand. The other one can’t do it alone without the other. As one saying goes, “you can’t out-train a bad diet.” Eating right to support your workout is crucial.
In this blog, Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute lists down some fitness tips for beginners to get started! This article is ideal for individuals who haven’t been in a routine at all, or those who have stopped from a hiatus and are slowly crawling back.
What is fitness?
Fitness is a broad term. It varies from one person to another, but generally, it speaks about the optimal status of your health and well-being.
Fitness doesn’t only refer to your physical health, it also pertains to your mental state. It covers every aspect of your life, for a whole you. However, the fundamental parts of this journey are a balanced diet and an active lifestyle.
A balanced diet is when you eat a variety of foods in the right amount to nourish your body. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans explains the number of calories you should be eating daily.
On average, a person only requires 2,000 calories to keep going. This may differ though depending upon your sex, age, and level of physical activity. Males are most likely to need more than females. However, there’s an exemption for individuals who exercise a lot as their bodies may demand more.
Basically, the calorie intake a person needs depends upon their group, gender, and age. Healthline created this table:
Image source: https://www.healthline.com/health/balanced-diet#calories
On the other hand, the Academy of Nutrition and Diabetics’ Complete Food and Nutrition sets a guide that describes what a fit person is. It summarizes the following:
1. Energy boost
Exercising increases energy, even if you have to exert more effort for it. It provides you more fuel to stay motivated throughout the day. This occurs because there are cellular-level changes that take place in the body when you work out. The mitochondria generate fuel from glucose on your food intake which boosts the energy in your system.
2. Stable stamina
Working out improves stamina both physically and mentally. A study reveals how exercising reduces fatigue among employees. It also indicates how an experimental fitness program decreases their stress level that enhance their sense of well-being.
When you achieve stable stamina with exercise, you are more focused and energized to perform physical tasks within the day. You’ll also have the resistance to endure the stress or discomfort of everyday life. You can accomplish activities with more enthusiasm.
3. Reduced risk
It is no secret that physical activities are beneficial to the improvement of your overall health. If you have a chronic disease including diabetes, back or joint pain, or asthma, exercising is good for you. It doesn’t only reduce your risk of getting severe illnesses but also helps you manage your insulin and blood sugar levels which can be a trigger.
When you are able to manage your insulin and blood sugar level, you cut down your risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Overall, you allow yourself to enhance your mental state and mood when you work out, which in turn also lowers your chances of depression.
4. Improved physical strength
Getting into physical activities will shake various parts of your body such as the abdomen, pelvic, back and other muscles. You can make it fun by incorporating equipment or getting help from a professional coach to guide you through your movements.
Exercising is both preventive and curative. It makes your lungs fitter and your heart stronger. Stretching your body increases its flexibility, which protects you from injuries. It also enhances your balance, which is why physical activities are recommended to seniors, and people of age.
5. Better life quality
Since physical activities are known to increase the levels of your immune system, you are unlikely to get sick when you move a lot. Thus, you wouldn’t have to worry much about the cold weather or the changing of it. It will eventually improve the quality of your life for you will not get sick that often which leads to more enjoyment.
Fitness Tips: Why should you exercise?
American Heart Association suggests exercising at least 30 minutes daily, and that’s 150 minutes a week, with at least 2.5 hours of heart-pumping physical exercise. It’s beneficial not just for the body, but for the mind as well. If you need to feel better to add more energy, and years to your lifespan, working out is the answer.
It doesn’t matter what your gender, age or ability is, exercising is for everyone. We all know that physical activities are good for the body, but, what makes them difficult for some people? What even accounts to exercise?
The Health Letter wrote an issue about this. It mentioned how keeping an active lifestyle has been important news ever since, that even Hippocrates elaborated the dangers of too much food and little activity. He prescribed moderate exercise and reiterated that idleness or even the overconsumption of food and excessive exercise can be a cause of serious illness.
Fitness is a lifestyle
Beginners who have decided to go on this venture should understand that fitness is a lifestyle. Thus, explaining how challenging it is at first. It’s more than just an occasional exercise. It’s like brushing your teeth that you have to observe regularly. It isn’t only seasonal or a quick fix, but a way of life that you have to live with.
Fitness consists of healthy habits – both in diet and exercise.
The mainstream goal of a fitness journey has become losing weight or slimming down, but it has more to offer than that. For instance, getting fit is the key to self-improvement. It combats anxiety and eradicates low self-esteem.
Living healthy is also how you prevent sleepless nights and the signs of aging. All of these contribute to your wellness from the inside, which will manifest on the outside both in your physique and mood.
Start with discipline, end fit
One of the common stumbling blocks of fitness success is the lack of motivation. Many people want to exercise but don’t really know their “why.” Do you want to lose weight? Or, do you want to address health issues? Getting fit needs to start with discipline. When you are, you’ll keep going whether you are motivated or not. You need to be consistent especially if you’re a fitness newbie.
Remember that when you develop consistency in doing anything over time, it becomes a habit. Then, habits turn into a lifestyle. Fitness and wellness are not an instant solution to good health. Like brushing your teeth, the more frequently you do it, the better. It’s the same as working a muscle, too. The more you use it, the more functional it becomes.
The key thing is to be able to incorporate these fitness tips into your life. Before you know it, you’re getting leaner, lighter, stronger, and healthier.
The best fitness tips for beginners
Taking charge of your health is challenging, especially when you don’t know where to start. Your fitness journey may be overwhelming at first, but as you reach a balance of social well-being, mental and physical state, you’ll get your groove in no time.
If you’re a newbie, here are some of the fitness tips you should consider:
Set a goal
Like everything else that fills up your plate (pun intended), it’s crucial to set your goals. Starting out can be tricky. Therefore, have an attitude that shouts “begin with the end in mind.” Pick specific days and times in the week you can honestly and realistically commit to.
You will also have that extra motivation to exercise when you understand its valuable benefits to your body. Your reasons for getting fit should be more than just looking good, although that’s not a bad goal, to begin with. Hence, Your goal(s) will inspire you to adhere to this commitment just like you would show up to your scheduled meetings no matter how hard it could be.
Move regularly
Train your body to regularly move, even switching up your workout routine with walking or jogging, if you prefer so. Regular exercise helps you control weight, plus improve your mood and mental health. Incorporate this physical activity into your daily routine so you don’t get lazy and make excuses.
Keep your workout short yet sharp
It’s better to exercise daily for a few hours than to miss a number of days and do once-a-week higher intensity workouts for longer hours. Surely, your body won’t like that! If you’ve got 10 minutes only to spare for each day, that’s better than nothing. Also, you can further improve your endurance with scattered, shorter workouts rather than fewer, longer ones.
In workouts, less is more. Latet science believes that multiple short sessions of exercise (preferably, 30 minutes) have the same impact with exercises completed in a long period. So, if moving for an hour is difficult to fit in your busy day, worry no more! Quick bursts of workout can be as effectives as the longer ones. Vigorous to moderate physical activities will still do wonders for as long as they are consistent.
Add resistance to your training
Even if you’re starting slow, that still counts. As long as you’re moving and keeping yourself active, that’s already a good win. But, it doesn’t stop there. Gradually, you can add resistance to your training workout so you are activating muscles you don’t normally use. You’re helping your body slow down muscle loss and maintain strength and agility this way.
Training with resistance is underrated, when it can actually makes your exercise even more effective. It can increase the strength of your muscle as you work your body against a force. If you are a beginner, you should allocate at least two to three times of resistance per week.
Resistance training includes press-ups or using resistance bands and your own body weight. Ultimately, balance is key. It’s good to have focus areas when working out but it’s great to do resistance training for optimal health.
Diet healthily
Even as you work out, you need to watch the food you eat. Food and proper nutrition play a huge part in your fitness journey. Thus, however intense your workout routines maybe, if you still binge on pizza late at night, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Eat a healthy breakfast especially when you’re working out for the day. You need the energy to move and you don’t want to faint from intense workouts. Drinking lots of soda any time of day wouldn’t cut it either. Snacking can be tempting so it’s better to plan your meals to avoid sweets and processed foods, for example. You can never go wrong with whole food!
Choose the right carbohydrates, healthier fats, more protein, fruits, and vegetables. Depriving yourself of food isn’t the right way to go. Depending on your goals, calories should be your friend, whether you’re getting more or less of them. When you do exercise, however, you will need more calories. Get in touch with your nutritionist or a medical professional to guide you with your fitness goals.
Control your portion
One of the common misconceptions about getting fit is not eating at all. That’s far from the truth! On the contrary, fitness allows you to eat anything you want, as long as you only eat them in portions. There’s no bad food, only bad portions.
If you’re used to eating with big plates, you can start investing in smaller dinnerware instead. You can even follow the FODMAP diet as your portion guide. Your hands are also great to be used as a serving guide. You shouldn’t normally eat more than a handful of bread, for example.
When eating out, practice asking for half portions. Another tip: start all your meals with a glass of water. This should help prepare your body for what you eat and will signal you when you’re consuming too much. Lastly, don’t eat straight from any food container. Eat only what you can finish in a few bites.
Sleep and rest well
Enjoy rest as much as you do your other activities. Fitness isn’t just about movement. It’s also about rest, active rest, and the quality of your sleep. Ask any instructor for fitness tips and you’ll hear them say you have to allow your body to recover, especially from strenuous activities.
Schedule rest like you would schedule your workout. Recovery allows your body to repair from the intense exercise! That way, your muscles and body tissues can do their work and you’re helping your body avoid getting injuries.
One of the best fitness tips you should keep in mind is getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each day. Diet, exercise, and sleep are all interrelated and play crucial roles in your mental and physical health.
Have you ever done an all-nighter cramming to review for your exams the following day? The lack of sleep didn’t really do you much good, right? In fact, sleep deprivation can cause distraction, lack of focus and concentration, and increases the risk of other health conditions like heart diseases.
Lift weights
Many fitness newbies are afraid to lift weights. That’s okay. However, you will eventually have to add this to your routine so you can start with lighter weights if you prefer so. Moreover, you can be creative by using household items in your exercise. Use bottled water as your weights for arm exercises, for example.
Weights are useful for strength training to protect your bone health and muscle mass. Hence, lifting weights can help your body burn calories efficiently to make you stronger and fitter. Seek guidance and assistance from your fitness instructor or a health professional to make sure you are lifting an appropriate amount of weights during exercise.
Get hydrated
One of the tips for a healthy gut is getting enough hydration. Being fit means taking better care of your gut. Thus, make it a habit to drink lots of water every day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 11 cups of water for women and 15 cups for men.
Water has zero calories and, therefore, can help in your body weight management. It’s best to drink water instead of soda and other high-calorie drinks such as alcohol. Surely, drinking water is your best companion to your fitness journey.
Make it a habit
Choosing a healthy lifestyle can make your life better and longer. Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute promotes quality of life with the length of life. Hence, we strongly recommend starting healthy habits that you can stick to and commit.
Develop a routine, a schedule, that you are comfortable with. Whether it involves food or exercise, these habits will spell the difference whether you value your time and body or not. Go easy on yourself, start simple, and be consistent.
Stay motivated
Get inspiration from whatever it is that motivates you. Is it a vision board of your body goal? A whole-year round of good health and no hospital visits for any untoward health conditions? One way to make your workout training more enticing is by creating music playlists that you actually enjoy. You can also find non-fitness-related reasons to go out of the comforts of your usual workout routine. For instance, you can go out and jog somewhere with a more scenic view.
Give yourself the pep talk you would otherwise give another person you’d encourage to exercise. There are many beginners in fitness who are competitive not only to themselves but also to others. This can be done through joining health and wellness communities, online workout programs, or fitness trackers and apps.
What are you waiting for?
The key thing about these fitness tips and tricks is to get started. Just get on it, start slow, and build your stamina. You will see your fitness level go up over time so stick to your program. Maintain a healthy, balanced diet, hydrate, and rest so your body can recuperate. Go for it! And, remember to have fun and enjoy!
References:
https://www.sharecare.com/health/fitness-exercise/what-is-fitness#:~:text=Fitness%20includes%20five%20essential%20components,(ADLs)%20without%20excessive%20fatigue.
https://www.healthstatus.com/health_blog/wellness/seven-fitness-tips-for-improved-physical-health/
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/sep/12/how-to-stay-fit-for-ever-25-tips-keep-exercising-expert-advice
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-we-should-exercise-and-why-we-dont