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15 Ways to get started with fitness.

“I would never go for a run”

“I can’t believe people go to the gym for fun”

Those are direct quotes from me a couple years ago.  So today we need to talk about something that many people dread…

Working out.

I have an incredible email list that I really cherish. And I always ask my new subscribers what are some things that are holding them back from becoming classy and elegant. 

Many people tell me that they have body image issues.

  • They feel fat and unattractive
  • They want to work out but struggle with laziness
  • They feel like they can’t be elegant because of their size

This honestly breaks my heart because I want my readers to love themselves and feel confident, powerful, beautiful, and strong.

The truth is, elegance doesn’t come in a specific size. Your weight and body type has nothing to do with how you treat others and how you carry yourself. 

I understand if you are struggling with body image. And I hate to tell you, that the only way to overcome this is through hard work (physically) and mindset shifts (mentally).

If you aren’t comfortable in your own skin, you won’t have the motivation and desire to become classy. And let’s be honest, many people we define as classy are thin.

It’s the craziest thing that people have such a hard time building up the will power to start a fitness routine and stick to it, but for some reason, it is difficult for many women.

If you aren’t willing to give it your all, you will not see results.

I started a fitness journey almost 2 years ago and I’ll admit that it is still sometimes a struggle for me to get off the clutch and do workouts.

I have seen results in my body and in my mindset. Also, I have noticed that working out gives you a natural high, which I often experience when I workout in the morning. It’s a great feeling and pretty addicting.

Getting started with fitness is the hardest part. This is because working out and pushing your body is hard. And people often like to avoid hard work. 

I can assure you though, that once you get started, you will feel really good and it will motivate you to keep going.

Remember my quote about running at the beginning of this post?

Well, I actually went for a run this morning.

It’s amazing how much a person can change in such a short period of time.

A couple things to know before I give you 15 tips for getting fit.

  • I am not a fitness expert. I’m not a personal trainer and I am not a professional in any way. I am not claiming to be either. All of the tips I share are from things that I have learned from trying them myself or from friends who are also on fitness journeys.
  • Sometimes it is hard to keep going when you are seeing very little or no results. You must not give up because progress takes time.
  • Diet plays a significant role in how your body looks and also how you feel. Changing your diet and portion control are two very important steps that you will have to take to lose weight. 

I just wanted to give a couple of disclaimers before I start listing off the things that have helped me get started with this journey.

Now, let’s get into my tips on getting fit

  1. Do research. If you are completely new to working out like I was, chances are you probably won’t know much about it. Before you start working out I urge you to watch some videos on weight loss, how to lose weight in a healthy way, etc.
  2. Buy at least 2 good workout outfits. Old Navy has great sets and if you want to go higher end I recommend gym shark. Make sure you find clothes that fit your needs. If you like to listen to music, make sure the bottoms that you get have a picked for your phone. 
  3. Take your measurements and purchase a scale. Look on YouTube to find a video that shows you how to take your body measurements. You will need a scale to track your progress properly.
  4. Create playlists. Music is so motivating and you don’t want to get started on a workout and realize you don’t have a playlist made. I have several playlists, one for cardio, one for booty, and one for when I’m warming up or doing something slow like yoga or stretches.
  5. Keep a food journal for 2 weeks. Use your phone if you have to. Each time you finish a meal, write what you ate, how it made you feel, and what you could have eaten if you made a better decision. Once two weeks passes, evaluate your diet. You’ll be surprised what you can cut out of your diet. 
  6. Follow people on social media that have also completed a weight loss journey. You should also follow people who are still working towards their goals. This will be very motivating to you. It’s important to surround yourself with people who are doing what you want to do, even if they aren’t your real life friends.
  7. Set up a reward chart. If you are doing a dramatic weight loss you can do this every time you lose 5 pounds. It might look a little something like this. • 5 pounds-Gel manicure •10 pounds-New workout outfit • 15 pounds- new pair of shoes etc. or if you aren’t doing a drastic weight loss and only need to lose a few pounds you can do it like this •4 out of 7 day workout -Gel manicure •ate healthy meals for 5 days straight •New workout outfit etc.
  8. Consider weight watchers or other weight loss programs as a last resort if you are having trouble seeing results on your own. I know many people who are seeing extraordinary results with Weight Watchers.
  9. Spend time on YouTube finding videos for workouts that you want to try. Save them to a playlist so you can access them later.
  10. Take baby steps. When I first started working out, the first workouts that so did were 10 minute workouts. If I tried something longer I would have probably felt overwhelmed and wanted to give up. 
  11. Leave triggers for you to workout. People often associate the word triggers with negativity, but triggers can be used to motivate you to work out. The best trigger I have used is to get my workout clothes out and put everything by my bed in the morning so that when I wake up, the first thing I do is put my workout clothes on and that motivates me to workout.
  12. Set alarms and reminders on your phone. If you have trouble, make constant reminders and alarms on your phone so that you never forget that you have a goal you are working towards and it’s time to put in work.
  13. Learn how to make healthier food choices. Try looking up some eat this, not that ideas online, because they show you healthier options for foods you may be craving.
  14. Track your progress. Keep a journal to track all of your progress and all of your wins. This will be nice to look back on and will also be motivating.
  15. Join a gym or find friends to workout with if you can. It’s much more fun to work out with someone and it is also twice as motivating.

Conclusion

Being elegant does not require you to be small. It does however require you to have good self esteem and it requires you to love and respect yourself. By working on your body you are showing that you are making yourself a priority and that is an incredible thing.

It will be hard at first and you will be very sore sometimes. I’m sore as I’m writing this because I tried a new workout and it was pretty intense for me. But it feels good knowing that I am taking care of my body.

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