Before you start exercising regularly, you have to know why you’re working out. You may be working out since regular exercise will significantly improve your health. Or maybe you know that achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight + muscle mass will reduce your risk of chronic disease. Maybe you’re focusing on the fact that exercise improves your mood, helps boost your mental health, and even helps you sleep better! There are so many reasons to exercise, but you have to decide for yourself, “What does exercise do for me?” 

There are so many different types of exercise, and you don’t have to do it all! It’s important that you decide what you like to do, that way you’ll be more likely to enjoy yourself doing it. Maybe you like aerobic exercises, like swimming, running, or dancing. If you like strength training, you could look into resistance training, plyometrics, or weight lifting. Do you love doing movements without gym equipment and at a medium aerobic pace? Then work calisthenics into your regular workout, like lunges, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups. Maybe you’re a power house and would love doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises! No matter what your cup of tea, find things you enjoy. Exercising isn’t easy, so it’s important to like what you’re doing. The important thing is to do what suits you best and to have as much fun as possible! 

A common mistake people make is to just jump into regular exercise without some kind of plan and goal in place. Once you decide to start working out more often, try to create a plan that has steps and goals you can actually reach! For example, if your goal is to run a marathon, start a plan that includes running six miles at a certain pace. Making your goals specific with plans and steps to back it up means you’ll know exactly what to do, how and when. You’re a lot more likely to have meaningful workouts if you plan it all out ahead of time. Start small and build yourself up! 

Once you have a plan in place, stick to your routine! We cannot stress this enough. Many people give up on exercising regularly because they get discouraged right away. Consistency will make it easier for you to maintain an exercise routine for the long haul! Make a schedule for your exercise time. The same way we would never be miss or ignore a hair or lash appointment, make appointments with yourself to work out regularly and don’t miss those appointments! For example, make exercise a habit by planning to work out right after work every day, or for half an hour every morning before work. We recommend 30 minutes of exercise for 5 days a week as a good starting point. Find what works for you and make it last!  

You are not alone in your efforts to workout regularly and there are tools to help you be successful! Not only can you buy weights, resistance bands, and gym memberships, but you can also follow influencers who have workout classes, apps, blogs, etc. These are incredible tools for working out since these are the experts who are sharing what they know with us! Some of our favorite fitness + health influencers are @meg_miles , @stylefitfatty, and @jesspugmire.

If you’re new to working out regularly, get yourself a water bottle and stay hydrated! Drinking fluids throughout your busy day is so important for healthy hydration. Without water, you can easily become dehydrated, which will cause your muscles to feel tired and loss of coordination. Plus, our runners know that without water your body will just not have enough energy and make your muscles cramp more. We recommend drinking water before, during and after a workout. So get out there and buy yourself a new workout water bottle. You deserve it! 

Sometimes we gear up to start working out everyday, but we don’t change up our eating routines. As you make plans to exercise regularly, take steps to make sure you are eating a healthy balanced diet that will support your fitness goals. All food groups are necessary in order to hold up your energy levels and get the most out of your workouts. Carbs are important as they can fuel your muscles before exercise and replenish them during recovery. Also important is protein, which helps to repair tissue damage and build muscle mass. It might be healthy to look up what diets best support the workouts you’re interested in as to ensure you are eating enough to be successful. 

We cannot stress enough how important it is to take the time to warm up before working out, and making sure you take a moment to cool down afterwards. Warming up helps to make sure you don’t injure yourself during your exercise and even improves your performance. For our dancers and runners, warming up can also help you improve flexibility and reduce soreness after you exercise. Cooling down is just as important because it really helps your body return back to its normal state. If you’re not sure how to warm up or cool down, look up youtube videos or influencer tips for ideas. 

Many people may not know this, but if you’re not used to working out every day (and even if you are), it’s important to listen to your body + be mindful of your limits. If you are feeling any pain or discomfort during a workout, stop and rest before you keep going. Pushing through that pain is never a good idea! You don’t want to injure yourself so it’s important that you take time to progress through your workout plans. Remember, working out harder and faster is not always better. Don’t let yourself feel bad if you need to go slower than those around you or those in your workout videos. The beautiful thing about life is that everyone is different, starts at their own level, and makes progress at their own pace. Find your pace, always challenge yourself, but listen to what your body is telling you. Body knows best! 

We saved the best for last. And we’ve totally been there. You get all hyped up, make plans and goals to workout regularly, buy the new workout outfit and gear, and then you completely lose motivation after a week or so {sometimes even after a day}. It happens! The key to staying motivated is… HAVE FUN! If you’re not having fun while exercising, you’ll dread it every single time. If you dread it, chances are you won’t do it. To make exercise more fun, you can join a gym, sign up for fitness classes, hire a personal trainer, workout with your best friend, mix up your favorite activities, or even create an awesome reward system! Competing with yourself can be fun too! Track your progress, such as logging your weight lifting or noting your running times so you can be motivated by your past victories.