Top Tips for Fitness 2023
Do you want to improve your fitness, but don’t know where to start? What If I can help? Here are some fitness goal examples for beginners.
Let’s go-
As your Vintage Fitness Lifestyle Blogger I can share with you I’ve been around the gym for several decades and have been active my entire life, so I think I can offer some value on this topic on how to set fitness goals. It does not have to be complicated. Keep it simple is the key. Achievable baby steps, that you are controlling.
Where to begin your beginner fitness journey? It starts with you, what fitness activities you like to do and/or consider if you have any physical restrictions? You have to begin where you are, period. Let’s face it, if you dream of running a marathon some day and you have knee problems, well, that might not be a good end goal, but you can certainly set a smaller goal and achieve it.
Let’s set fitness goals as a beginner, the example I’ll stick with the running marathon fitness goal throughout the blog to set the stage of an example for a beginner..
For example, say you want to run a marathon, say in your youth you ran track, and loved running, getting that runners high, yet you long for that feeling, but your body is at a different place now. Do not fret.
Disclaimer, I’m not a doctor, nor have a medical background, so I’m just providing some theoretical options to think about and share with your physician that might help you reach your goal to, let’s say walk one mile. If running is no longer in your future but you have a desire to move, and you have clearance to walk, then walk.
Tip #1- Set a goal
Goals are set to keep you accountable. But a goal set has to be reasonable, if you set it too high you’re setting yourself up for failure right away. In keeping with my theory, let’s say you want to set a goal to walk one mile. (End goal marathon if you’re 100% able to achieve that goal) Step one, get clearance if you have a medical condition, step two, start. That’s right start. Set a goal like starting today, I’m going to walk and see how far you get. It could be walking outside your front door and down the street or on a treadmill at a gym or inside a mall. Just set the goal, commit to it for 7 days.
Example- Week One- I will commit to walking 2 times for 15 minutes each. Track it. (In your phone notes or on pen and paper in a notebook solely for your fitness goal journey) Try this-.https://amzn.to/3YY8idP
Week Two- I will commit to walking 2 times for 15 minutes each. Track it.
Week Three- I will commit to walking 3 times for 15 minutes each. Track it.
Week Four- I will commit to walking 2-3 times for 15 minutes each. Track it.
Check in with yourself on how you feel. Are you enjoying it? Are you able to keep this schedule? If not adjust it so you can keep it going. There is no race, you are learning a new fitness lifestyle habit.
Tip #2- Reward Yourself for Achieving Your Goal
Here is where you reap the rewards of your goals. Make your reward fitness lifestyle oriented. For example, buy yourself a good pair of walking shoes. See the connection? If you have the right equipment, in this example shoes are your equipment, then you are more likely to continue on your fitness path.
Next, rinse and repeat Tip #1 and Tip #2 and build upon those goals. Add time to your walks if available or increase the number of days or just commit to the same routine. Reward yourself goal two achieved with a new fitness bra, Goal three achieved with Stanley 1913 mug https://amzn.to/3ItkxJM Keep going.
Let’s say you need to split your goal to fit your day to day. If 30 minutes a week is the goal, but some days you walk during lunch 10 minutes, and in the evening 5, that is still a win. Make it work and be creative to keep your fitness goals while adjusting to other commitments. Again, you’re in the driver’s seat, so you will be able to manage however it suits you best.
Tip #3 – Take notice of your food intake. You may already be eating a healthy lifestyle, but what about adding more fruits or vegetables to your weekly food intake? Notice your protein, maybe try adding a protein shake to your routine. Notice how you feel. Is the protein shake helping you feel strong? Is it helping with your strength and energy to continue with Tip#1?
Consider juicing as an option. You can buy ready made juices in the grocery store and you can also juice yourself. (Insider spoiler-future blog, stay tuned). What about adding a protein bar to your walking days? My favorite are Atkins chocolate bars and Atkins Protein Chia latte shakes. They are low in sugar, carbs and do not have an aftertaste. Another great choice is Arbonne plant based shakes. (Spoiler two, future blog, stay tuned) and their green drinks! Great ways to get more nutrients from proteins and veggies into your body.
Be mindful of your commitment to a new fitness lifestyle, The commitment to the physical aspect and how your body feels as a result. Pay attention. Do you need more energy to stay the course or are you getting enough based on your current lifestyle? You’re the only one who can assess and adjust, remember baby steps. We’re not trying to build Rome here. You are taking action and waiting for your body to respond.
Tip #4- Do you need an accountability buddy? This person is someone who will support you and show up for you. Be careful here and who you choose as this individual. Some folks NEED an accountability partner. They need someone to go on a walk with them or they need this person to help them stay committed as they’re learning a new routine. They want this person to join them on the journey. If you’re this person, then pick your buddy, but remember it’s your fitness goal not theirs. So have a plan B ALWAYS. If they cannot walk with you, go, and then tell them you went for accountability. Or if this person is going to drink protein shakes with you, then set the time and prepare to drink them together. (Get where I’m going with this tip? Make it work for you first, they’re along for the ride.
If you do not need a fitness buddy in the beginning count on yourself. Sometimes it is best to keep your new fitness lifestyle journey to yourself. Let’s face it we’ve all heard someone close to us try to derail us based on the past, IGNORE them and or keep you little secret to yourself. Again, this is all about you.
I’m just being honest, there are people who love us, but again, hold us back when we want to try something new. We rely on those people for guidance, but they’re not in your body, they do not have the same outward lens as you do for yourself. So kindly change the subject if they try to discourage you, walk away or “gotta go now” if you’re on the phone. #truth
Tip#5- Document your journey. Take photos of yourself. (You may be cringing right now, but the truth of where you began and your journey is always in the photos). Take them and keep them to yourself. Then set recurring photo shoot on your calendar, once a month, once every six weeks (max). Take the photos and move on.
Eventually, you will reach a point when you think something has changed with your body. Now, this could just be from a perspective of distance and length of your walks. Fitness does not always show up in measurement and size. There are many levels of fitness, so do not fall into the trap of only one measurement of success. Especially, as we age the challenge to see a difference physically can take longer. The log (goals, Tip #1) and photos will help you see your progress.
Now let’s say we fast forward and you’ve followed the fitness goals for a few weeks, months and you’ve begun running. Let’s keep with the tips here. Rinse and Repeat. You may notice yourself surfing for marathon schedules one day. Think about your fitness goal setting, starting as a beginner, but never quitting until you reach the goal. Can you imagine what the feels like? Picture yourself there. If physical limitations place you outside of a marathon, but what if you found walking events? Could you enter an event to finish? What if your only goals is to walk daily, it’s a win if you stick with it for days, weeks, months, years. Not a race to an accomplishment for yourself? You have potential to achieve anything you want, but you must start somewhere. Health and Fitness goals are available to everyone! You’re in charge of your fitness lifestyle.
Give yourself grace, know you’re on a journey and keep going. Do not quit on yourself. (I can’t say this enough) There will be times when the weather will prevent you from going on your walk (the mall is closed due to snow and or 5ft of snow outside), or just life itself. You go on vacation, work demands, family. It’s okay. (Do I need to repeat this?). IT IS OKAY if you fall off of your routine, the KEY is to get right back to it. Resume your fitness lifestyle that you created for yourself. Our minds like to default to the old norm, but you have the power to override that thought and push through to what makes you happy and feel better.
We only have one body and it is quite extraordinary when you think about it. Every function it performs day in and day out, decades, without us ever telling it how to do it, it just does. So think of physical fitness as way of thanking your body for all it does without your input. It is essential for your joints and muscles to be active in some capacity daily. Even if walking in circles in your own home, around your house outdoors or up and down the stairs in your house. (My mother did this until her last days at age 82)
Move.
I want to hear about your journey. Follow me on social media and tag me in your photos, please! You can do this and 2023 is a great time to start a fitness lifestyle!
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