Sometimes the hardest part about sticking with your goals is knowing where to start. You guys know I love fitness and working out is a huge part of my life. But to be honest, that has not always been the case for me! I remember when I was a freshman in college and thought “I should probably start working out” lol and had no clue where to start. I cheered / tumbled in high school so that was my workout / way of staying active. And after that was over I knew I needed to find a way to stay active. I remember being at Baylor and walking into the fitness center feeling so clueless so I just hopped on an elliptical machine for about half an hour and called it a day haha. [I didn’t really start running until late into my sophomore year of college actually!]. So I figured there might be some of you out there that want to make fitness more of a priority in your life, but don’t know where to start. Today’s post is for you!
I’m sharing a few simple tips that have helped me incorporate fitness into my life, specifically when I was first starting out. But keep in mind, I am not a personal trainer or an expert by any means! These are just some simple tips to help you start making fitness a part of your life!
Tip #1: Look at your schedule + availability
Maybe you are a stay-at-home mom with almost no help with the baby. Or maybe you work 60hrs a week or travel all the time. Or maybe you’re a college student and have a ton of free time. I want you to take a look at your weekly schedule and realistically decide how much time you can dedicate to a “workout” each week. If you are starting from ground zero, I would make your goal 3 days a week, at least. Then look at your schedule for the week and decide where you’re going to fit in those 3 “workouts” (3 times a week when you can move your body). Maybe it has to be at 6am in order for you to fit it in. Maybe it has to be after work so you bring your gym bag to the office. Maybe it’s a 30minute workout at home while baby naps. Everyone’s lives / schedules are so different so I want to encourage you to find a number of times per week that works for YOU. Something that is realistic but also takes care of your body!
Tip #2: Look at your resources
What fitness things do you have available to you? Do you have a gym membership? Do they have childcare? Will all your workouts be at home? If a gym is really intimidating to you or you don’t want to pay the money, don’t let that stop you from finding a fitness routine that works for you. There are SO many great workouts you can do from home and other ways to stay active that don’t require a gym! Once you evaluate the resources you have available…you can make your fitness plan from there.
For example – if you do not have a gym membership and don’t want to join any kind of fitness studio…that means all of your workouts will be done at home or outside. Some of my favorite resources for at-home workouts are below!
- Obe fitness – this is a fitness platform that has HUNDREDS of classes that you can do from your living room, a hotel room, anywhere. And you don’t need any equipment! Most of the classes are 28mins long but super effective! This is perfect for a SAHM to do during naptime! You can use my code LAUREN to get 30% off your first month + a free 7 day trial.
- SWEAT app – This app is incredible and has a ton of workouts (from beginner to really challenging) that you can do at home. You’ve probably heard of Kayla Itsines and this is essentially her app with all of her BBG programs on there (and post-partum programs too)!
We also have a few other more ‘equipment’ type pieces in our house that I love being able to use at home, when I don’t have time to get to the gym. We have a Flywheel bike and the Mirror – both of which I love and highly recommend, if you are interested in working out at home more!
Tip #3: Move your body
When you are first starting to get into fitness / make it a part of your life…don’t overcomplicate it! You’re not trying to go run a marathon tomorrow or be in a weight lifting competition next week. I think the goal should be “I want to move my body more, get my heart rate up, and get my body stronger.” So what does that look like? Maybe that means you try and walk for 30 minutes every single day – on a treadmill or around your neighborhood or walk with a friend. I love having a goal to move my body for 30minutes everyday. Some days that could look like an Obe or Kayla Itsines workout (linked above), some days I go for a run, some days it means I go for a walk with Michael and Shiloh or do a spin class on my Flywheel bike. Don’t overthink it or overcomplicate it, or sticking with your goal will be tough. Just make a goal for yourself to find time, each day (or however many times per week is your goal at first) to move your body for 30 minutes.
Look at your week – find what your day 3 days are…and then pick what your “movement” of choice will be! Maybe you’ll hit the stairmaster at the gym or go for a walk with a friend or do an at-home workout with Obe. Doesn’t matter what it is as long as you stick with your goal of x number or days per week, dedicating at least 30minutes to moving your body. Don’t overthink it…just get yourself to the gym and hop on the treadmill and move for 30 minutes or pull up your laptop and turn on an Obe class. Just get your body moving, get your heart rate up, or get sweaty!
I think if you can start with these simple 3 steps…it’s alot easier to build a workout routine from there! Once you get into the habit of moving your body for 30 minutes, 3-5 days a week…you can start to get more specific. You can start to plan “yoga on monday, run on wednesday” etc. First thing’s first though…just get in the habit of 1) setting aside time in your schedule to move your body and then 2) DOING it! I think half the battle of working out can be finding the time. We say “I should workout more” but don’t plan out WHEN that will actually happen. Literally, put it on your phone calendar if you have it. Prioritize fitness because you and your body are worth that!
These tips might seem really simple but I hope they help get you started in your fitness journey! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below or if there’s any other way I could be more helpful to you guys! Let’s get movin this week!
xo Lauren
