I have said it before here, and I will say it again. The hardest part of anyone’s fitness journey is the beginning. I know this has been true for me, and it is true for so many other women out there. It is hard (and scary at times) to jump into a new fitness routine. Here are my thoughts on the beginning of your fitness journey (or any new journey for that matter), tips to get you started and serious about your fitness game.

1. Reach out to your support system. Reach out to your friends and family and let them know you are going to be making a big change in your life, and you will need their support. Be open and honest with what will serve you best as you are starting your fitness routine. If you need someone to check in on you every once in a while, but want them to be uplifting and your personal cheerleader, tell that that. If you are a person who thrives on tough love, you can let them know they can give you some of that special motivation, too. Whatever works keep you engaged and focused on living your healthy lifestyle.
2. Surround yourself with like minded individuals. Hang out with friends that won’t judge you for having a salad and talking about the proper form on lifts over lunch. Follow popular fitness gurus on social media. But pick them because they really speak to your personality and style – don’t feel like you need to follow them simply because they have a nice bod. Read blogs on fitness if you like to do that, or watch documentaries on the subject. And don’t be afraid to cut people out of your life who are a drain on your mental and physical health. In the end, the people who love you will support your new healthy lifestyle.
3. Get accountable. Tell people about what you are doing. Ask others to join you. But don’t forget, just talking about it is one thing – this means you actually need to start doing it!
4. Treat yourself. Have you been eyeing a new pair of Lulu leggings lately? Or maybe you want to treat yourself to a massage? Heck, you probably deserve it anyway, but why don’t you use it as a little bit of fitness motivation? That massage will feel even better when you have sore muscles to show for it!
5. Put it on the schedule. The most common excuse for not going to the gym is that you just don’t have the time. Well guess what, sister. Even Beyonce has the same number of hours in a day as you. You need to actually make it a priority if you want to get serious about your health. Look at your schedule every Sunday, and set 2-5 times a week that you are going to make it to the gym. Ideally, carving out a specific amount of time every day to do it, but just getting there is what is important!
6. Don’t try to do too much. I used to commit to new goals frequently. But they never stuck. Now I focus on one goal at a time until it is an engrained part of my life. One of my favorite sayings is that if you have more than three priorities, you have no priorities at all. If you are trying to turn your whole life around in one foul swoop, I guarantee you will feel overwhelmed, helpless and stressed out. No one wants that.
7. Have fun. Try new physical activities that get you excited to go to the gym. These may change from year to year, or from season to season. Although my work outs are mainly compromised of weight lifting, I mix things up once a week by doing something different that keeps me fresh and gets me excited. Soccer, swimming and running are generally what I turn to when I need a change of pace.
8. Push yourself. Now I want you to answer this next question truthfully. Are you phrasing your goals in a way that gives you an “out” in case you don’t succeed? When it comes to making a commitment, stay away from phrases like “I will try to get to the gym 4 times every week.” Stay strong and firm in your commitments! As our best pal Yoda says, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
9. Be realistic. Don’t over commit yourself by making goals you know deep down aren’t attainable. Is going to the gym 5 times a week too much for you? Okay. Then commit to 2 days. Our goal is to get consistent. We want this to be a lifelong fitness journey, not a burn out phase, when you try to do too much, over extend yourself and start hating your work outs.

I hope these help you on your fitness journey. They are tips I still use to keep me motivated and having fun! So what do you think? Are there any tips you wish I would have included? Something that has worked for you that you think I should add? Or maybe something that hasn’t work for you that you wish I would take down? 🙂 As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers to new beginnings!

Zoe