How to start exercising

Whether you’re new to exercise, need to up your minutes of activity each week, or are coming back after a period away, follow our tips to get you on track.

Discover the best exercise for weight loss, how to workout at home and the benefits of exercise on mental health

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How to start working out

Often the biggest barrier to exercise is a mental one. It may help to write down all the factors that have prevented you from exercising in the past – and being honest with yourself. How motivated you are will be the key as to whether you manage to make change in the long term, so it’s important to identify barriers and find potential solutions early on.

Here are some tips to help you build an exercise routine into your lifestyle.

Find a doable workout plan

Feeling too busy to exercise is a common barrier. It’s important to be realistic and devise a workout plan that will be achievable for you in the long term, or you’ll set yourself up for failure from the outset. Shorter, more intense exercise sessions such as HIIT are excellent for the time-poor and they show results. Similarly, there are hundreds of free and subscription-based online exercise classes which eliminate the travel time getting to physical classes, and offer you the freedom to exercise when and where you choose.

Try to also incorporate more activity into your regular day. Walk instead of driving, take the stairs instead of the lift, and increase your pace to get to a point where your breathing and heart rate increase. It all counts.

Set goals but start slow

Consider your goals. It could be to run, swim or cycle a certain distance, or go to the gym a set number of times every week. It could be sustainable weight loss, or to get fitter so you can play football with your kids.

Depending on your choice of exercises and goal, select workouts aimed at your level of fitness and experience. Exercise classes typically feature beginner, intermediate and advanced groups, and running and cycling groups are often split similarly. Online programmes such as the Couch to 5K running programme are excellent at building your fitness progressively over a healthy period of time to enable your body to become used to the new demands you’re placing on it.

Be honest with yourself and choose the right level: going too intense too quickly will not only lead to a higher chance of injury, but may lead you to lose motivation too.

Make sure you’re eating enough

Food is fuel when it comes to exercise, and not all foods are created equal. A moderate level of physical activity each week can typically be fuelled with a balanced diet, filled with a balance of macro and micronutrients. If the amount and intensity of your exercise increases, you may need to consider adapting your diet to cope with the extra dietary demands. Carbohydrates and protein are the primary nutrients to fuel intense exercise, and they are required at different points in training.

Learn about carb loading and discover what to eat before a run, what to eat before a swim and what to eat before cycling.

Be kind to yourself

A positive, motivated mindset is important to be able to stick to an exercise schedule, so try to practise self-compassion. There will be days when you don’t feel like exercising, and that’s OK. There may be a big holiday which derails your routine for a few weeks, and that’s OK too. Sometimes it can feel like we’re moving backwards against a goal, but as long as you get back on track, you’ll be able to achieve long-term goals.

Track your progress

Mobile apps can be useful to track training sessions and monitor progress over time. From pace and distance tracking to virtual trophies and online communities, the numerous features on offer within exercise apps are designed to help you stay motivated. Some people find the level of data they can provide highly motivating, however some find them oppressive and addictive. Try out a few apps and see whether they work for you.

Get the right kit

Depending on the exercise you choose, make sure you have the right kit to exercise safely. A bike helmet if you cycle outdoors, for example, is paramount as it can prevent injury. Well-fitting and supportive trainers are often important too, and while they can be expensive, they are needed from the outset to help prevent injury.

When it comes to clothing, leggings/shorts and a T-shirt can be fine if you are just starting out and unsure what exercise you want to do. Longer term, you might want to invest in kit made from technical fabrics. These are designed to wick sweat away from the skin so you are more comfortable.

Later on, depending on your personal preferences and budget, you might also like to consider items such as fitness trackers or sports watches which can be motivating.

Doing exercise with others may help to prevent you getting bored with your routine, stay motivated, and can be a useful way to make new friends and maintain friendships when you’re busy. Join more structured social groups, such as running clubs in your area or spin or swim classes at your local gym. Alternatively, set up your own network, such as meeting a friend at the gym on a regular day each week, or enlisting family members to join you for a walk.

Mix up your workouts

Try to cross-train with a range of different activities which you enjoy to prevent boredom setting in. Mixing up workouts can also help to prevent over-working certain muscles or muscle groups, which can lead to injury.

So, should you start exercising?

With so many physical and mental health benefits of exercise, taking part in regular physical activity will be beneficial to everyone. It can be hard to initiate change, but by identifying barriers that may be limiting our success, choosing activities we enjoy, setting achievable goals, and building fitness steadily, we can factor exercise into our lives for the long term.

If you’re completely new to exercise, unfit, or have an underlying medical condition, seek advice from your GP before starting an exercise programme.

How to start exercising

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