How to start exercising: A beginner’s guide to working out

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health.

You’ll see and feel the benefits of consistent physical activity on your body and well-being quickly.

However, working exercise into your routine takes a lot of determination, and sticking to it long-term requires discipline.

What is your main goal?

Lose weight

Gain muscles

Eat healthy

Explore new cuisines

If you’re considering starting to exercise but don’t know where to begin, this article is for you. Here’s all you need to know about starting and sticking to a routine.

Why exercise?

Regular exercise has been shown to improve your health significantly.

Its primary benefits include helping you achieve and maintain healthy body weight and muscle mass and reducing your risk for chronic diseases.

Additionally, research has shown that exercise can lift your mood, boost your mental health, help you sleep better, and even enhance your sex life.

And that’s not all. It can also help you maintain good energy levels.

In short, exercise is powerful and can help improve your life.

Summary: Exercise can help to improve mental function, reduce your risk for chronic disease and manage your weight.

Common types of exercise

There are various types of exercise, including:

Aerobic. The core of any fitness program should include some form of continuous movement. Examples include swimming, running, and dancing.
Strength. These exercises help increase muscle power and strength. Examples include resistance training, plyometrics, weightlifting, and sprinting.
Calisthenics. These moves are usually performed without gym equipment using large muscle groups. They’re done at a medium aerobic pace. Examples include lunges, situps, pushups, and pull-ups.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT). This type of exercise includes repetitions of short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by low-intensity exercises or rest periods.
Boot camps. These are timed-based, high-intensity circuits that combine aerobic and resistance exercises.
Balance or stability. These exercises are designed to strengthen muscles and improve body coordination. Examples include Pilates, tai chi poses, and core-strengthening exercises.
Flexibility. These exercises help muscle recovery, maintain range of motion, and prevent injuries. Examples include yoga or individual muscle-stretch movements.

The activities above can be done individually or combined. It is essential to do what works best for you and have fun with it.

Summary: Common types of exercise include aerobics, strength, calisthenics, HIIT, boot camps, flexibility, and stability. You can do them individually or combined.

How to get started with exercising

It’s essential to consider a few things before starting a new workout routine.

1. Check your health

It’s essential to consult your healthcare provider and get a physical medical examination before starting an exercise routine.

This is particularly important for those new to strenuous and vigorous physical activities.

An early checkup can detect any health problems or conditions that could put you at risk for an injury during exercise.

It can also help you optimize your workout, making it easier for you and your personal trainer, if you choose to work with one, to understand your limitations and create an exercise plan tailored to your particular needs.

2. Make a plan and set realistic goals

Once you start exercising regularly, create a plan that includes attainable steps and goals.

One way to do this is to start with a plan of easy steps. Then you can continue building on it as your fitness level improves.

For example, if your goal is to finish a 5-kilometer run, you can start by building a plan that includes shorter runs.

Once you finish those short runs, increase the distance until you can run the whole 5 kilometers in one session.

Starting with small achievable goals will increase your chances of success and keep you motivated every step of the way.

Summary: Before you start working out, get a health check-up and make a plan with realistic goals. Then, make exercise a habit by incorporating it into your daily routine.

3. Make it a habit

Another critical component of exercise success is to stick to your routine.

It seems more accessible for people to maintain an exercise routine long-term if they make it a habit and do it regularly.

A review of studies concluded that replacing an unhealthy behavior with a new healthier habit is an excellent approach to maintaining it in the long term.

Furthermore, making a schedule or exercising at the same time every day are good ways to sustain your routine and make it last.

For example, you can make exercise a habit by planning to work out right after work every day or first thing in the morning. It’s essential to choose a time that works best for you.

Summary: The minimum recommendation for exercise is at least 150 minutes per week. However, starting slowly and letting your body rest from time to time is essential.

1-week sample exercise program

Below is an easy-to-follow, 1-week exercise program that doesn’t require equipment and will only take you 30–45 minutes a day to complete.

This program can be adjusted to your fitness level and made as challenging as you want.

Monday: 40-minute moderate-pace jog or brisk walk.
Tuesday: Rest day.
Wednesday: Walk briskly for 10 minutes. Then, complete the following circuits, resting 1 minute after each set but not between exercises. Stretch afterward.
Thursday: Rest day.
Friday: 30-minute bike ride or moderate-pace jog.
Saturday: Rest day.
Sunday: Run, jog, or walk for 40 minutes.
Circuit #1: 3 sets alternating 10 lunges for each leg, 10 pushups, 10 situps
Circuit #2: 3 sets alternating 10 chair-dips, 10 jumping jacks, 10 air squats

Summary: There are various exercises you can do. The plan above is just one example to help get you started working out.

A few tips for beginners

1. Stay hydrated

Drinking fluids throughout the day is essential for maintaining healthy hydration levels.

Replenishing fluids during exercise is essential for optimal performance, especially in hot temperatures.

Moreover, hydrating after your workout can help you recover and get you ready for your next training session.

2. Optimize your nutrition

Be sure to consume a balanced diet to support your fitness program.

All food groups are necessary to sustain healthy energy levels and get the most out of your workout. Carbs are vital, as they can fuel your muscles before exercise.

Carbs are also necessary after exercise to replenish glycogen stores and assist with absorbing amino acids into your muscles during recovery.

Additionally, protein helps improve muscle recovery after exercise, repairs tissue damage, and builds muscle mass.

Lastly, regularly consuming healthy fats has been shown to help burn body fat and preserve muscle fuel during workouts, making your energy last longer.

Click these links for more info about pre-workout and post-workout nutrition.

3. Warm-up

It’s essential to warm up before your workout. Doing so can help prevent injuries and improve your athletic performance.

It can also help improve your flexibility and reduce soreness after your workout.

Simply start your workout with aerobic exercises like arm swings, leg kicks, and walking lunges.

Alternatively, you can warm up by doing easy movements of the exercise you plan to do. For example, walk before you run.

4. Cool down

Cooling down is also essential because it helps your body return to its normal state.

Taking a couple of minutes to cool down can help restore standard breathing patterns and even reduce the chance of muscle soreness.

Some cool-down ideas include light walking after aerobic exercise or stretching after resistance training.

5. Listen to your body

If you’re not used to working out every day, be mindful of your limits.

If you feel pain or discomfort while exercising, stop and rest before continuing. Pushing through the pain is not a good idea, as it can cause injuries.

Also, remember that working out more complex and faster is not necessarily better.

Taking time to progress through your fitness program can help you maintain your routine long-term and make the most of it.

Summary: Be sure to stay hydrated, eat a balanced diet, warm up before exercising, cool down afterward, and listen to your body.

How to stay motivated

The key to staying motivated and making exercise a habit is to have fun while doing it. This helps you to not dread exercising.

Like the sample exercise program shown above, you can mix up activities while keeping them fun.

If you’re able to and want to, join a gym or take a virtual fitness class like yoga or Pilates, hire a personal trainer, or do team sports are good ideas to help increase motivation and enjoyment.

Working out as a group or with a friend can also help maintain accountability and motivate you to keep up your exercise routine.

Furthermore, tracking your progress, such as logging your weightlifting levels or noting your running times, can help keep you motivated to improve your personal records.

Summary: To maintain motivation, try mixing up your workouts, joining a gym, or participating in a team sport. And be sure to track your progress.