We all want to be healthy. At least most of us. [If you don’t really care about that, then you might as well just stop reading here. ;)]
This post goes to everyone who has a goal. Any health/fitness-related goal. Whether you want to lose weight, gain it, run a marathon, change your eating habits, or become a gym shark… It all starts with the first step. What should you do to make sure you’re walking in the right direction? Here are some tips from me, both a fitness enthusiast and a fitness coach.
First of all, make sure you start where you’re supposed to. Don’t compare yourself to your friends, family, or colleagues from work. Don’t compare yourself to your gym buddies (if you already have some) or your fitness coaches. Don’t compare your 1st chapter to someone else’s 21st.
Being humble and deciding where to start is a crucial point. Very often a difficult one too. With all the judgment surrounding us on daily basis is hard to admit that we are not fit enough to run 5km or to lift as heavy as our peers. This is where the first mistake is usually made.
Remember that all of us, including fitness professionals, marathon runners, CrossFit coaches, Instagram models, all of us STARTED taking that first step. We were not born on a treadmill. We were not born with a "six-pack" (although sometimes it seems like some of us were), and we were definitely not born knowing-it-all.
I came up with these 10 questions to help you decide and realize, where you actually stand at the moment and how your training routine should look like. Try to be as honest as possible, there are no right or wrong answers. The more honest you are the more certain you can be that your first step will be in the direction which is the best for you. Now grab a piece of paper and think... 1. What is my fitness/exercise history?
Have you ever followed any training program? Do you know any basic exercises, fitness equipment? Have you tried any types of physical activity? Swimming? Running? Tennis? Dance? Have you been a member of a fitness center before? Etc….
2. Do I have any medical conditions that can prevent me from reaching my goals?
Any past or present illnesses, injuries, conditions. If you are uncertain, I recommend seeing a physician and getting a proper medical check-up to assess your current health status.
3. How much time do I really have? How much can I commit?
We are all busy people, so don’t start with lying to yourself and planning on working out an hour every day, five days a week. Be realistic. Even 5 minutes, 2-3 times a week will be sufficient if it can be sustainable. Remember, this is step number one. There are hundreds more to come.
4. What is the one most important goal I would like to reach? How much time will I give myself to get there?
It is good to have one big goal (and be realistic about the deadline), but also smaller ones that will help you to stay motivated, on track, and eventually get your desired results.
5. Why? How is this going to change my life?
When times get tough, it's good to look back at this answer to remind yourself why you started in the first place and why this goal is important to you.
6. What will happen if I don’t succeed?
Some people get motivated by the fear of failure, write down a thing or few to see what might happen if you will not reach your goal. It is also helpful in preparing yourself for the worst. Sometimes life gets in the way and throws us off track what might affect the training program and the result. Knowing that you might fail and being ready to dust yourself off and pick yourself up, it's an important factor to know.
7. What will happen if I do succeed?
The best-case scenario. On the contrary to the previous point, you might just be the person who gets motivated by the positive outcome. Imagining yourself as a healthy, lean, super-fit person might be the thing you need. Keeping that image in mind or sharing it with your close friends and family might boost your motivation and the will to work hard.
8. What is the most important thing I would like to focus on within the next 30 days?
Here we go back to the short-term goals. As explained before, this will help you stay on track, as it is easier to measure and you might see your results faster.
9. What are the activities I enjoy the most?
Finding joy in your training is one of the most (if not the most) important factors. If you keep doing things you don’t like (whether is your choice or your fitness trainer’s choice) will only help you to burn out fast, lose motivation, and eventually start hating workouts. So think… Are you an “indoor” or “outdoor” person? Group exercise or individual? Fitness classes or gym? Lifting weights or running, cycling, swimming? Less intensity like yoga, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT)? What kind of fitness equipment you’ve tried? Like? Don’t like? Would like to try? Etc...
10. Am I able to commit and to work on all the above alone or do I need some guidance?
Sometimes at the beginning (not only), you might have a lot of questions. Yes, we do have Google and millions of fitness websites, but sometimes they are very confusing, and simply... There are just too many. So don’t be shy to ask for help.
There are hundreds of options when it comes to fitness training. You can find coaching online, which is usually much cheaper than hiring a personal trainer. You can ask fitness instructors at your current club for a piece of advice. (If they don’t want to share, just walk away, it means they probably don’t like their jobs very much.) You can join group fitness classes, which are good for making new friends and gym buddies.
If you really don’t like the gym yet you think you need some guidance you can hire a Personal Trainer. (Don’t believe in their selling tricks while they’re telling you that you MUST buy 30 sessions minimum. You can buy as many as your time and budget allow you to. You can even see your trainer once a week, or once a month. You can buy one or three introductory sessions. At some places, you can even inquire about 30mins sessions, if you’re a very busy person.)
As I said, options are many, the only thing you need is your willingness to change and to make that first step.
After you’ve answered all the questions above you should have a better understanding of what you actually want to do and what you need to do to get your desired results. Now it’s the time to explore your options.
Step 1 - Come up with a task that you can complete in the next five minutes. (If it’s not doable, it means it’s probably too big, find something smaller.)
E.g. You’ve realized that you’re a Pilates lover? Open your browser and look up 2-3 studios that are the closest to your location. Make a commitment to give them a call (you can do it right away), or set a reminder in your calendar.
Step 2 - Find a task to complete by the end of the day tomorrow.
E.g. Was it too late to call the Pilates studio last night? Luckily you’ve set a reminder on your phone! Call them now!
Step 3 - Find a task to complete by the end of this week.
E.g. Three days later you’ve arrived at the closest (or most favorite) Pilates studio! Yey! You’re currently talking to the coach, planning your training program, and scheduling your, both mixed and private sessions.
Congratulations! You are now one BIG STEP closer to being happier and healthier than yesterday!
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