1) Ask yourself WHY
Fully understanding the reason why you want to begin your fitness journey should be the single most powerful internal motivation you have.
Think about the reasons why you want to start. The fitness lifestyle is a massive commitment when first starting, so you MUST be certain that your mindset is right going in.
If you don’t do this, you’re just setting yourself up to fail.
Think specifically about the benefits you will gain from being fit and healthier Think about how it would improve your life.
Then, think about what your life would be like WITHOUT those benefits. The common motivations people usually must start are to:
‘lose weight (fat)’, ‘feel better’, or ‘look better’.
These are okay – but it is much more useful to think more about more specific, emotionally charged reasons. For example:
· ‘I want to be confident enough to take my shirt off on the beach’
· ‘I wanna lose X lbs by X date (which could be a holiday/wedding etc’.
The more specific, life-related, emotional-charge and accountability- the better.
Everyone feels motivated at some point to become fit and healthy; to go to the gym.. but there is a difference between the people who talk about going, and the people who actually go regularly.
Having one clear. powerful, internal motivation will help carry you through when times are hard- when you are not motivated to go to the gym. This is what will make you go even when you don’t feel like it.
And that is where the battle is won or lost.
2) Educate yourself
Prior to entering the gym make sure you know educate yourself about what you are doing, whether it be to build muscle, increase strength, or enhance endurance.
You don’t have to know much – just understand the basics.
If you want to build muscle you want to be doing reps of around 8-12 for 3-4 sets, at a weight that lets you perform clean, meaningful reps that stimulates the active muscle. If you are building strength, go for a higher weight but for less reps (1-5) for more sets (5+).
If you want train endurance, or cardiovascular, it is useful to have a time and pace in mind before you start your session. Compete with yourself.
Also – this is important:
before you even step into the gym, make sure you have a plan for what exercises/machines you’re going to do.
Ideally, have the entire workout planned out, whether on your phone, or even better – a journal.
This will prevent from having that awkward initial stroll when stepping into the gym, like a lost soul searching for purpose.
Don’t do that. Prepare. Plan your workout.
3) Progress not perfection
At the beginning of your training don’t be getting worried about whether you are doing everything perfectly. Nobody can pull off perfect form and immaculate technique right off the bat. It takes time.
Realise that if you keep turning up,
you WILL progress; you just have to be patient.
The important thing to begin with is making sure you turn up regularly. The rest will take care of itself. Bear in mind though that one of the biggest mistakes people make when starting out in the gym is trying to lift more than they can handle. It’s just painful to watch, and it does nobody any good.
Yes, lift a weight that challenges you – because if it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you – but use common sense as well.
Understand that in order to progress, particularly with muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth), the weight must be light enough for you to perform the complete and full movement..
By lifting more than you can handle you are not only doing nothing for your fitness gains but are risking injury too.
Remember, patience. Start small, gradually build up. Play the long game if you want to keep your gains.
4) Diet
Diet is half the deal (many would argue more than half).
If you don’t like that, then don’t bother going to the gym.
You may know the kind of person that goes to the gym regularly but has never noticeably improved their physique. Well, that’s because they are eating too much SHITE consistently.
There’s nothing wrong with having a mixed diet- nothing at all. But realistically, If you want results you have to earn them not only in the gym, but in the kitchen too.
I’m not saying you need to be eating steamed broccoli and chicken for every meal, but to just prescribe some common sense. Eat a balanced diet, get your PROTEIN in (1g of protein per pound of bodyfat – so aim for 170-200g a day, and you’ll be fine)..
But also.. and don’t use going to the gym as an excuse to eat unhealthily.
Of course, you have got to eat more comprehensively, but in order to reap the benefits of your hard work in the gym you need to eat quality food. Protein is your new best friend, try to get it in most meals you have, particularly post-workout.
Studies have conclusively shown that people who consume protein immediately (within 20-30 minutes) after resistance training gain more muscle than those who do not- see study.
Carbohydrates are also beneficial to consume post-workout, as it spikes your insulin (an anabolic, ‘building-up’ hormone) levels at a time where you want to be in an anabolic state, i.e. to build muscle.
Basically.. consuming protein and carbs straight after training will help you build muscle quicker. You don’t need to over-complicate this – just eat your lunch or whatever after you go to the gym.
It will benefit you massively.
5) Consistency
If you take nothing else from this article, remember this:
if you are not CONSISTENT with your training and your diet,
you will not make progress.
Turning up is more than half the battle, it’s about 85% of it. And if you keep consistent in turning up, the other 15% will work itself out over time.
Anyone can go to the gym when they are feeling motivated, but what separates those who go regularly and those who go sporadically is DISCIPLINE.
Motivation is temporary,
but the ability to exercise discipline is permanent and far more useful.
Enjoy being disciplined, enjoy grinding out actions that you don’t feel like doing. If you master this, it will start translating into other areas of your life. Discipline is the key to consistency, and consistency is what makes discipline.
And finally, remember not to take all this stuff too seriously.
Keep your intentions quiet and don’t try and force your friends into your new fitness world. What you are doing is for you, not anyone else. Just make sure you enjoy the journey, because that’s what it’s all about.
If you enjoy the journey, the results will come naturally. It’s not about effort, it’s about habits, it’s about consistency.. it’s about enjoying the progress, not the results.
Harry Wilkinson Copywriting 