Tips to Begin an Exercise Routine

A new year is just about here.  Everyone is in full swing planning out their resolutions.  Some are wanting to be more organized, keep up on household chores, save money, and be healthier.  I actually have chosen all of them for my new years resolutions.  When you think about it, they kind of go hand in hand with other.  If I'm organized, chances are I'm going to be able to keep with my house cleaning.  Being organized also helps me save money.  I use my weekends to plan out the next week's agenda and meals.  Planning out my meals saves me money so I'm not having to go through the drive-thru or go out for dinner because we have nothing planned for the night-this also helps me eat healthy!  If I have everything planned out, my chances of staying on track are much better!

Getting on a regular schedule and keeping organized has been a challenge for me.  My exercise routine didn't come easy to me.  For starters-I'm anything but a morning person!  While I don't like to sleep my day away, I also don't like having to get up and start my day-especially Monday-Friday when I have to go to work!  If I could stay home in my yoga pants and sport bra all day I would!  I'd go to bed and tell myself tomorrow is the day!  I'm going to get up early and workout and start my day before anyone is up!  I'd set 5 alarms to go off.  Morning would come, and there I would lay talking myself out of getting up.  I'll start the next day I'd tell myself, or I'll just sleep an extra hour now and work out after work...which would never happen.  I was too exhausted by the time I got home from work!  It was a vicious cycle!  I had an elliptical and a weight bench at home, there were no excuses, but I kept making them over and over.  Then I started strength training about 3 days a week, but wasn't consistent about it after a few weeks.  When I found my Beachbody coach.  It was like she light a fire beneath me!  And so it began....

Here are some tips on how to start your health & exercise routine:

• Don't dive right into it.  Take it slow.  If you're completely new to exercising just take a few days to start and work your way up.  Maybe workout 3 days a week for the first week and then gradually build up to 5-6 times a week.  Or instead of working out for 1-2 hours everyday, just start with 30 minutes.  Even just going for a walk to get started! When I first found Beachbody, I borrowed Insanity from a friend and did a couple workouts one week to test it out.  It was tough and I waited until after work to do them, but I knew I needed to change my habits.  I was told it would take 6 weeks to create a habit-so I kept telling myself that!  When I ordered my T25 workout, I took the first week to really WATCH the videos and figure out the moves then the following week I started the actually Day 1 program.  It still took me about 2 more weeks until I didn't look like a complete lunatic doing the moves haha.
• Accountability.  This was huge for me!  Find yourself a friend to workout with or even just to share your workouts with each day.  This is where Beachbody saved me.  I was added into a group with so many motivating people all in the same boat as me!  We checked in daily with our food and workouts-rating from 1-5.  Everyone was so uplifting and encouraging that it made me want to continue.  I would text and call my mom a lot to see if she was doing her workouts and how her eating plan was going.  She's 62 and exercises 5 days a week most of the time!  If she can do this so can I! We share our meals with each other and I love hearing how much will power she has!  Seriously she amazes me!  
• Plan your week.  Make a meal plan for your entire week.  Write down all your meals for each day-including snacks and add the exercise you're doing for that day as well. Being able to see what each day has planned really helps to manage your time and get it done!  
• Have fun!  Make exercising about having fun.  Do something you'll enjoy.  I chose T25 because it looked like it was something I would enjoy and it's only 25 minutes so it fits my schedule best.  I also have Hip Hop Abs...I like the upbeat stuff!  Once and a while I'll switch things up and do kickboxing, run, or go to the gym and ride the stationary bike.  Some day I'd like to try Zumba!  If you're doing something you enjoy, your chances of sticking to it are much better.
• Use an app or fitness site.  I like to use My Fitness Pal.  I've also downloaded several apps on my phone, but my fitness pal is my favorite, plus it's free!  This allows you to track your exercise and food intake; making it easier to stay on track.  For Christmas I received a Fitbit...I absolutely love this!  It's really helped motivate me to move and workout harder. 
• Hybrid your workouts.  I get bored easily...I was fine the first 4 weeks of my T25 workout, but was getting burnt out in the 5th week; luckily after 5 weeks it starts a new phase!  Once I complete this and move on, I plan to hybrid with another program so I'm going back and forth between the two. Another option I like is to add in kickboxing or other classes at the local gym just to spice things up a bit!

Once you start getting into the routine it does get easier I promise!  You just have to take the first step and make it happen.  I really do have my challenge group to thank for getting me going with my fitness journey.  I can't believe how much that accountability helped me.  After 4 weeks it really just became a habit for me.  I like to get my workouts in first thing in the morning so I have it done for the day!  I'll touch on some tips on how to become a morning person soon!