So you’ve decided you want to start a new fitness routine. That’s amazing! Now what?
When I worked as a personal trainer, this was the most common obstacle to overcome. A new client would come into the gym excited about starting a new fitness routine and achieving their goals, but didn’t know where to start.
In this article, I am going to share the same tips that I shared with my clients that helped them not only start a new fitness routine, but also learn how to stick with it long term.
TL;DR
Tip #1: Get super clear about your goals
There is so much content online that is there to help you set SMART goals for yourself. Heck, I’ve even written about setting SMART goals on this blog! As a framework, SMART goals are a great place to start. However, when I was working with clients in person, I actually had them go through a different exercise first.
Setting goals can be really fun. Thinking about where you could be if you stick to your new fitness routine, how it will feel, and what your life will look like in that moment is super motivating.
Enjoy that process of dreaming up what your life looks like when you achieve your fitness goals because it will help you figure out why your goals are important to you. If you set a goal to lose 10 pounds by summer, ask yourself why that’s important to you. And then ask yourself why at least 3 more times.
To give you an example of how this would play out, let’s say I have the goal of losing 10 pounds by the summer.
- I ask myself “why” and answer “for my sister’s wedding”.
- Okay well now why is it important to lose 10 pounds in time for my sister’s wedding? I answer “because I want to feel great in my dress.”
- Okay, that’s great and understandable. So I ask myself “why” again, and answer “because I don’t want to be fussing in pictures or feeling uncomfortable when I am standing in front of everyone”.
- That’s really beautiful vulnerability to be honest about that. Okay, now once more – why? I answer, “Because my sister is my best friend. And I just want to make the day as perfect for her as I possibly can. If I am focused on how I look, or how I look in pictures, I won’t be able to be fully present on the day. It’s important that I do whatever I can to make that day special for her.”
See where just 4 whys took us? We went from something externally motivating (looking good in a dress) to something that is more emotional, and intrinsic (making sure I can be present for my sister so her day can be perfect).
Getting super clear about your goals is a crucial step for you to be able to begin your fitness journey, but also to stick with the new routine and habits you’ll be building.
Tip #2: Figure out where you’re starting from physically
The next step to starting a new fitness routine is to figure out where you’re starting from.
Here are some great questions to ask yourself to better understand where you’re staring from:
- Are you brand new to exercise?
- Have you ever stepped foot into a gym before (besides your high school gym class)?
- Have you tried different workout classes before?
- Do you feel winded/tired from going up a flight of stairs or walking at a brisk pace?
- Do you find carrying groceries is tiring?
- What type of movement do you like? (swimming, walking, running, HIIT classes, cycling, etc.)
- How does it feel to squat?
- How does it feel to do a push-up?
- How does it feel to lift something heavy off of the ground?
- How does it feel to place something heavy above your head?
- Can you hold onto a bar above your head any length of time?
All of these questions will give you important answers to understand where you’re at with your current physical fitness level. If you feel like your answers all made you wince when you thought about climbing a flight of stairs or doing a push-up, then I’d guess you’re at the beginning stages of your fitness journey – which is a great place to be!
This article is really designed for folks who are starting their first fitness routine and want to know how other people are able to stick to it and make exercise enjoyable.
The above questions are also a reflection of the type of physical testing I would perform in the first session with a client. I want to see how you move, how you react to certain exercises, and to try and see if there’s a form of exercise that you enjoy or have enjoyed in the past.
With that information, I could tailor a program specifically designed to your goals, your timeline to achieve those goals, and start with a set of workout routines that will be challenging, but enjoyable for you.
Tip #3: Start testing different exercise routines
Once you have your goals clear in your mind, and you know where you’re starting from, it is time to dive in and start testing out different exercise routines.
Take advantage of workout class trials! Do an at-home workout with a workout buddy! Try a YouTube workout or one of the video workouts in your favourite training app! Sign-up for a personal training trial!
Try as much as you can in the early days to figure out what exactly you enjoy doing. This also helps you build movement and exercise into your weekly routine by scheduling classes, training sessions, and video workouts into your weekly schedule.
By the end of the month you’ll have built the habit of physical activity into your routine and you’ll know more about what types of exercise you like! Not everyone can be expected to enjoy reformer pilates or spinning classes. But if those are fun enough that you want to go back (and they fit your budget!), then lean into it.
The biggest thing with starting a new routine is that you find a form of physical activity that you enjoy enough to keep wanting to go back.
And if your favourite thing is going for a 45 minute walk after work with your favourite podcast or music – that’s great! A little more movement every day is better than no movement at all.
Starting simple is also great because you can always build from it. Maybe you start with 1 walk and increase to 2, or maybe you start with 1 walk and then mix in a walk that has a few more hills a couple times a week. The possibilities are endless, and it’s a fun process to realize that getting more physical activity can be as simple as walking, and that over time your body will naturally be curious to try more challenging physical activities.
Tip #4: Understand how food plays into your fitness routine
I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about how food fuels your fitness routine. Food is the gas in the car, the power that charges your phone, and the sun that helps plants grow! To get the most out of your fitness routine, you will need to take an interest in how food fuels you.
I’ve written a couple articles on macros that are designed to be a go-to resource for understanding how protein, fat, carbohydrates and water are used in the body. But here’s a crash course to help get you started:
- Protein is 4 Calories per gram and is made up of amino acids. When you eat protein, your body breaks down the protein into those amino acids and then they are sent around the body to support muscle recovery, healthy hair, skin and nails, and strengthening the connections between your bones (amongst many other jobs).
- Carbohydrates provide the body with 4 Calories per gram and come in either complex or simple carbohydrates. Complex carbs take more energy to break down and typically provide more nutritional benefits to your body than simple carbs. Simple carbs are great for quick bursts of energy. They are like a supercharger for an EV vs. regular EV charging is like complex carbs.
- Fats provide a whopping 9 Calories per gram and are an excellent source of slow-burning fuel. Fats help keep our brains healthy, support hormone production, and help to insulate vital organs. There are different types of fats that will provide more benefits than others, and you can learn more about fat’s role in the body here.
The key is to keep these nutrients in a good balance. Always aim for lots of colour on your plate, and know that when you start to exercise more, your body will become more hungry because it needs more fuel to support your workouts and support all of the recovery processes that happen after your workout.
Tip #5: Celebrate the Little Wins
The final tip on how to start a new fitness routine is something I have been practicing for years. You have to celebrate the little wins along the way to keep yourself motivated. This also creates a healthier mindset around your exercise routine.
Little wins will protect you from the all-or-nothing mindset that can be discouraging when your weight fluctuates or you miss a workout. Your little wins are a reminder that this is a process and you’re starting today so that you have healthy habits in 30, 40, 50 years from now!
When I went to the gym for the first time after the pandemic and 2 years of lockdowns, I still remembered my old gym routine and the weight I could lift before the pandemic. But when I went to do those same movements that were so easy before, they felt really hard.
For a moment, that challenge was tough for me to face. I had to restart. I had to feel weak again. I had to face the facts that my strength and cardio had regressed and I would have to put in the work again to get back to my former fitness level.
So I told myself to celebrate the little win of getting to the gym and getting started. And I reminded myself that I should remember how hard the exercises feel that day, because the next time I do them – they’ll be a little bit easier.
Our bodies adapt and they want to be prepared for the next workout, so if it feels tough at the start, remember to celebrate the little win of getting started. And then remember to celebrate the little win of it starting to feel easier every time you go back to the gym.
Find your little moments to celebrate little wins and you’ll find yourself 6 months down the line with a fitness routine you love and 6 months closer to your fitness goal.
So to recap how to start a new fitness routine:
- Get super clear on your goals. Ask yourself why the goal is important to you at least 4 times.
- Figure out where you are starting from physically. Are you beginner, intermediate, or advanced?
- Start testing different exercise routines. Test and learn what you like and don’t like so you can begin building a habit of movement
- Understand how food plays into your fitness routine. Food is fuel and how you fule your body will dictate how you feel.
- Celebrate the little wins. Make the journey more enjoyable by finding moments to celebrate the effort you’re putting into this.
I hope you’ve found this helpful! If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.
