Exercise Tips to Kick-Start Your Fitness Journey

Exercising is one of the best things you can do for both your physical and your mental health. However, we know that finding the motivation to get on with the fitness hype is half the battle! So, if you’re ready to make a change let’s get started on some easy level exercises and tips to get you moving (and there isn’t a gym membership in sight!)

How to Start Moving...

Sorry, The Lift is Out of Order… Time to Walk!

Just by being mindful of the movement you may throughout the day is a great path to success. Movements made throughout the day as you go about your daily grind is known as ‘incidental exercise’ and will contributes to your fitness over time. Every step counts towards a fitter lifestyle, so why not consider some of these common incidental exercises?

Taking the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
Walking or cycling to your end destination instead of driving
Parking the car further away if you do have to drive
Short bursts of gardening
Cleaning the house

Dance Like No One is Watching

If one of the reasons you have put off exercising is due to not wanting to join a gym or exercise outside, then there are plenty of things you can do at home that will get your heart racing and one of those is dancing! Dancing is not only fun but it’s also a great way to stay in shape.

The level of intensity, how much you move and the steps you take will all contribute to your workout so put on something up-tempo, turn up the volume and dance like no one is watching!

Netflix and Lunge?

How often do you get home from work, plonk yourself on the sofa or get into bed and watch 4-hours of Netflix without batting an eyelid? Yes, we’re sooo guilty of that too! So, why not incorporate exercise into this time?

Exercises such as star jumps, sit ups, squats, wall sits, and lunges can all be completed without any need for equipment and you don’t need a lot of space. It’s recommended that we’re active for at least 30 minutes, 5-days a week, so your daily exercise could be done before one episode of your programme even finishes!

Young woman practicing iyengar yoga at home in her living room.

5 Things to Remember…

Start slow: Do not jump into an intense exercise programme at the very beginning, this could only lead to becoming frustrated that your body can’t keep up (yet). Start slow and build up the intensity over time.
Set realistic goals: Start with small goals, then up your intensity as you conquer them. For example, if you want to be able to run 5k a realistic goal would be to start out walking, then upping some of those walks to a jog, then incorporating gentle runs into your plan until you’re able to confidently fun the full 5k.
Find a buddy: Exercising with someone else that has similar goals to you is a great way to stay motivated to achieve your goals. You can cheer each other on, celebrate achieving your milestones together and help each other through the harder times.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is essential to staying healthy and will also help you recover quicker throughout and after a training session, especially in warmer temperatures.
Listen to your body: You and only you know when your body needs a rest, so listen to it! If you’re taking longer to recover, are feeling particularly tired or overworked - then take a break. Rest days are vital in achieving your fitness goals, so ensure you build in some down time around your exercise plans.