Try as you might, you find it quite difficult to start your workout routine. Perhaps it’s the thought of physically pushing your body to its limit or changing your lifestyle and diet that gets to you and makes you lose your confidence.

It’s alright. Procrastination is in our blood. We always try to find an excuse to get out of something and our reasoning is, “Starting tomorrow…”

Did we hit the nail on the head?

So, what is it that you need to start your workout routine?

MOTIVATION

But first, let’s talk about your goals.

Why Do You Want to Exercise?

Exercise addresses a number of things, which include your weight, muscle mass, or simply a need to get into shape. There are different exercises that help you achieve these goals. This is why, first, you need to decide what you are trying to achieve.

For example, if you are trying to lose weight, you will have to change your diet and include cardio exercises in your workout routine. If it’s lean muscle mass you want, then you need to look into strength training.

After writing down your goals, you can begin planning your workout routine.

Step #1

Pick Out Your Exercises

The first step is to pick out the exercises according to your goal. Here are a couple of exercises for the categories that we mentioned above:

Weight Loss

• Jogging
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Yoga
• Lunges
• Burpee
• Squats
• Kettle Bell Swing
• Skipping Rope

Building Muscle Mass

• Pull Exercises: Pull Ups, Inverted Rows, and Chin Ups
• Push Exercises: Overhead Press, Bench Press, and Dips
• Leg Exercises: Deadlifts, Lunges, and Squats
• Core Exercises: Hanging Knee Raises, Reverse Crunches, and Planks

Getting Into Shape

• Pushups
• Planks
• Leg Lifts
• Knee-to-Elbow Plank
• Mountain Climbers
• Side Lunges
• Jump Squats

Step #2

The Name of the Game is Consistency

Make an Exercise Routine Chart

In order to get results, you need to be consistent with your routine. Meaning – come up with an exercise program, which is do-able. You need to have a 20/80 mixture of rest and activity. Here’s a chat that you can work with:

Day	Activity
Saturday	Workout/Recovery
Sunday	Rest
Monday	Rest
Tuesday	Workout
Wednesday	Workout
Thursday	Workout/Recovery
Friday	Workout

Step #3

Plan the Recovery Period

In the recovery period, you exercise and recover at the same time. Refrain from doing intense workouts that may cause you to be sore. Active recovery is something that you can do to promote healing and continue building your base.  You can do the following exercises in the recovery period:

• A walk in the park
• Light Yoga
• Foam rolling
• Light jog
• Light cycling

Check out our article on the benefits of active recovery

Benefits of Active Recovery

Step #4

Go for Variety

Doing the same exercises day after day can result in an injury due to overuse. You need to make sure that you are working out all the muscles in your body. Start your week with intense training, follow it with light exercises, and end it with the recovery period exercises. It’s important to do exercises that work in all planes of motion. This means that you should add one exercise that requires you to twist and one that requires a side to side movement.

One other reason to add variety is because it will help with boredom. When the workout becomes stale we are less likely to stick with the program. Something as simple as adding a medicine ball to your push ups or lunges can make all the difference.

Step #5

Challenge Yourself

Now that you have developed a workout routine and are comfortable in it, it’s time to challenge yourself. Try out some hardcore exercises and activities that will get your heart pumping. For example, do high intensity interval training (HIIT) an entire week straight and then follow your old routine.

To reward yourself, keep a record of your journey and include how much weight and inches you are losing week by week. This will allow you to tweak your routine and keep up with the exercises that work best for your body.

If you need a fitness coach to help you with your performance or weight loss exercises, then visit On the Go Fitness Pro. They also offer in-home personal training sessions. To know more about their services, call on 702-756-4444.