Starting Afresh with your workout!

By Mandy Gibbons

....If there is one sure way to shoot your training plans down in flames it's starting with a program that is too advanced for your current state of fitness.

Sure you could perform this same program 2 years ago or even 6 months ago but remember you haven't participated in any "real" exercise since then and "oh boy" your body doesn't agree to this new harsh form of punishment. You can bet within 14 days your butt, abs, arms, back and anything else that has muscle is going "ouch, ooh, argh, no more"!

To ensure you don't mess things up before you even start, give yourself an honest chance to succeed and begin with a routine that is simple to follow that will still offer results without taking over your life.

This could be walking or performing cardio just 3 days per week. Or performing a couple of interval circuit training classes at home or at the gym every 3 or 4 days. Nothing too strenuous just enough to give you some incentive to try a little harder.

Using your calendar mark these workout days with a big GREEN tick (not a RED "x") - a TICK represents something positive!

In your diary write down the exercise that you are to perform and then take note of the exercise you actually carried out. Don't forget to put a encouraging comment next to it - such as "Well done Mandy, 30 mins of brisk walking. I feel great"... or "Wow, that pump class blew me away! 10/10, great work!"

Don't get me wrong if you want advanced results you need to put in the effort but you can't train using an advanced program unless you've prepared your body for it with some muscle conditioning and of course you need to increase your general fitness. Kinda like performing the backup and preparation work for your training goals.

You need to understand that starting somewhere is much better than nothing at all. Plus it helps kick start the metabolism so you can start burning more calories. All it takes is a small taste of a few exercise sessions per week to re-kindle your old enthusiasm for training.

Once you've hit the 6 week mark you should be starting to get back into the swing of training regularly. At this point you should upgrade your program, advancing it slowly, don't over do it, adding another one to two sessions to your week (eg couple of extra cardio sessions or extra resistance / interval circuits). Then in another 6 weeks upgrade it again. This time completely changing your workout to suit your new level of fitness and ability to train harder and more efficiently.

Obviously it's important at any stage of your program to seek advice from your doctor and of course be using a program that is designed by a trainer or a qualified instructor to suit your fitness requirements.

And remember everyone is different. The above is just a guideline to get you motivated for those who haven't exercised in quite a while. Some people will require a workout regime that is more advanced.

DON'T RUSH THE EATING PLAN...

Yes, I know you've heard me say that your results can rely on up to 75-80% on what you eat - however when
you are starting a-fresh I don't recommend you throwing yourself into the deep end, leaving yourself floundering.

Get started on your exercise routine first, for say 3-4 weeks, then slowly introduce your eating plan. Of course you should attempt to eat sensibly but don't be too harsh on yourself as you are trying to create a new lifestyle, so you'll need some balance - rather than turning your life upside down overwhelming yourself with too much all at once.

You've heard the saying "slow and steady wins the race" - well quite often this is very true and if you're the type of person who doesn't like to be obligated or feels distressed by being over committed then you will find the above steps much easier to follow. And may find that your training efforts are a whole lot more successful knowing that you can take gradual and sensible steps to make your results long-term.