I know it can be hard for beginners to get into the "motion" of a healthy lifestyle and break out of a bad habit, therefore I thought I would put a post on my top ten tips for beginners! (and a few for regular gym-goers)
1. Go check out the gym you wish to go to.
Look at the equipment.
Do you like the atmosphere of the gym?
Are the staff friendly and seem to give good motivation?
Make sure you have a gym you look forward to go to, and not dread because of a bad atmosphere or specific people. You should go to the gym for you, but make sure you are comfortable there to work your best!
3. Look for healthy recipes.
One thing I get quite often is "I don't like healthy food", but I see that as narrow-minded. You have a number of spices, meats and vegetables to choose from to put together and try out! So look online for inspiration for healthy meals! Focus on chicken and fish recipes with vegetables, look for the different spices you can put in for flavour!
2. Write a shopping list.
Write down your old shopping list (where you may buy more unhealthy foods) and write a new one. Cut out the bad products (frozen and processed especially) and write down fresh ingredients. Replace potato with sweet potato, rice for brown rice and pasta for wholewheat pasta! And so on! Make sure you have a variety of fruit and vegetables! And replace soda's with green tea, water and fresh foods. Restrict how much juice you have, as juice is full of sugar! Buy the fruit and get the nutrients naturally! But limit yourself to one carton of juice per one week.
3. Go shopping!
Yes! You heard me, go to get some lovely gym-wear! Gym-wear is my favourite clothing! The colours, the comfort! Girls, make sure you get a sports bra too! They are vital for us, plus extremely comfortable, you will never want to go back to normal bras (I promise you that). Go get comfy gym-wear, so you get more motivated to go to the gym! Take a moment and look to the left... she's inspiration on her own... I bet people told her she "couldn't" and look at her! She's beating all of you who are sitting on your sofa (just like CT Fletcher says! He has a video where a over-weight lady wants to change, she dead-lifts and he states: "she got more balls then you punks sitting on the couch talking shit will ever have" Amen to her and to her making a change! Search I'm on YouTube! He's amazing - I will put a link at the bottom of this post!). Never, ever criticise someone who goes to the gym or hits the streets and tries. Because she will be and is the inspiration.
4. Research
Research on the web for tips on nutrition to suit what you wish to do (as in calorie in-takes and so on). Some guys who wish to bulk will need to consume a lot more calories then someone who wishes to lose weight! Plus they will be doing other exercises to do with their training. If you wish to lose weight, research the best equipment and exercises for you to do! I would advise to have a personal trainer, but I know they're expensive! So research! Research! Research!
5. Make sure your form is correct
Even if you go to the gym on your own, make sure your form is good! Ask someone who works there (preferably a personal trainer) just to make sure your form is good... I'm sure they would not mind! If your too "proud" to ask, I'm sorry but you're only hurting yourself and hurting your own results! Be open to be criticism as we all make mistakes and need improvements sometimes! So leave your ego at the door and be open to someone correcting you or showing you another exercise! We all are there to grow and get results, and with that comes learning!
6. Always have a plan of what you're going to do in the gym
Always make sure you know what you're doing at the gym on that day, or at least have an idea! This is so you won't be wandering around wondering what to do! I exercise certain muscle groups each time I'm at the gym. For example one day I'll do legs and the next I'll do back and biceps! Make sure you have a plan of what you're doing and what equipment you will be using on that day. Also make sure you know what cardio you are doing that day, what is your goal? Are you doing interval training? Are you running to a specific km/mile? Or specific calorie-loss? Have a plan, so you will not waste time in the gym! It's not how long you spend in the gym, it is what you do.
7. Eat before the gym & eat after!
This is something that is not said enough! Nutrition is important! So if you go to the gym early morning? Have a banana before you go! Kick-start your metabolism! And after have breakfast (e.g porridge, no added sugar! with berries). I also have protein, but for beginners you may want to train for two or so months to see what you feel comfortable with and make your own decisions on protein, however it does help me, but is not necessary! As Elliott Hulse states as well! The body is capable enough to repair muscles itself, so protein is not vital but it can help you! However, always make sure you eat. Keep your nutrition correct and your results will come!
8. Drink enough water
Drink constantly throughout the day! Water is essential in your diet! So make sure your hydrated throughout the day and it'll also help you with your workouts, as you won't be dehydrated! Always have a bottle of water with you!
9. Gym partner?
Some people say they find it better without a gym partner, some people like having a gym partner... me? I say, it depends what kind of gym partner you have. If you have a gym partner which tries as hard as you, I believe you will get along just fine! My gym partner has similar goals to mine and she works as hard as I do... therefore we have an amazing gym-relationship, plus she's one of my closest friends, so it does indeed help! However, make sure you do not become reliant on your gym partner, I see this too many times! Make sure your comfortable going to the gym, as your gym partner will not always be able to go with you at the same times due to lifestyles and so on! So make sure you do not become reliant and your just as comfortable and try as hard on your own!
10. Never give up
It's common that people give up when they do not see results straight away... I'm sorry, but fitness is a lifestyle! You can't expect to diet and then go back to eating how you used to! If you want to be healthier, and you want results, your lifestyle will have to change in some ways (it obviously differs for different people)! One way to lose weight is to cut out all the pre-produced rubbish, alcohol and processed foods! Focus on clean eating! Focus on yoga! Focus on breathing! Focus on living healthy! You will notice a difference in your moods due to filling your body with nutrients instead of crap! In all honesty, your results may happen relatively quickly, but they will slow down and then it becomes about your diet and your gym-routine (and changing it so it's not the same all the time!!). So do not expect all your weight to drop off! It will slow down! But then it becomes about your performance and consistency.
But never give up... You will never regret going to the gym. You will never regret healthy meals. You will never regret trying.
You will regret not going to the gym, not eating healthy and not trying!
A good video to watch is by Elliott Hulse, and he explains it better then I do why it's essential we look after ourselves! Elliott Hulse along with others such as Antoniette Pacheco (my idol), are incredible and are worth researching.
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