Beginners Guide to Starting a Fitness "Journey"

Social media has made the fitness world overwhelming.  This tool that could easily be an incredible asset/tool has made it a nightmare. 

I primarily blame influencers.  They have all these new/improved/best workout plans but yet when looking at half of them, they are straight junk.  They aren't maximizing movements or the range of motion for the muscle.  

Half of these influencers talk about spending two to three hours per day in the gym.  Who has time for that?

So many clients come to me overwhelmed not knowing where to begin.  I always take a simplistic approach until they get the basics down, then we scale workouts.

So, what is a simplistic approach? Keeping with the basic movements or what I call "old trusty workouts."

Here's a quick example basic three day per week strength training split that I like to start most beginners performing.

Push (4 sets, 8-12 reps; when you can do 10-12, it's time to move up in weight)

• Flat Bench Press (Barbell or Dumbbell)
• Flat Bench Chest Flys
• Seated Shoulder Press (Barbell or Dumbbell)
• Side Lateral Raises
• Triceps Kickbacks
• Overhead Triceps Extensions

Pull (4 sets, 8-12 reps; when you can do 10-12, it's time to move up in weight)

• Pull Ups (can be assisted but goal is to do unassisted)
• Lat Pull Downs
• Rear Delt Flys
• Bicep Curls
• Hammer Curls

Legs (4 sets, 8-12 reps; when you can do 10-12, it's time to move up in weight)

• Barbell Squats
• Leg Press
• Lunges
• Seated Leg Extensions
• Lying or Seated Hamstring Curls

Need help getting started? Let us know! Are you a veteran at this whole thing? Leave your favorite tips in the comments!

Crash and Fad Diets

 

image source

While you may not know the exact definition to a crash or fad diet, I bet you can name a few. 

Let's start with the definition:  a simple diet that are often short-term, weight loss intensive and potentially dangerous when extended (source).  Note the phrase potentially dangerous here.  

Why are they potentially dangerous? Because most of them involve starving yourself of basic daily caloric needs or a sufficient amount of necessary nutrients.  That's in addition to the yo-yo dieting effect.  This is when you diet for a short term, drop weight/fat, and then start eating like you used to which results in even MORE weight/fat added.  Your body doesn't know what is going on (to put it simply).

They even cause you to lose muscle! Why? Because your body has nothing to use for fuel so it goes to whatever sources it can find - which is often muscle.  Who wants to destroy their hard earned muscle gains?

A few popular crash/fad diets include:

• Beverly Hills Diet
• Blood Type Diet
• Cabbage Soup Diet
• Grapefruit Diet
• Israeli Army Diet
• Junk Food Diet
• Master Cleanse Diet
• Subway Diet
• Zone Diet

Just google a few of these and I am sure you will think of other diets that are similar in nature.  

The best way to lose weight/fat is by a lifestyle change.  We teach our clients how to still enjoy the foods they love while changing their mindset about food.  

What crash/fad diets have you tried successfully or unsuccessfully?

"I Can't Afford a Coach"

 

Another thing I hear/see a lot of when discussing coaching opportunities is "I can't afford a trainer/coach/gym membership."

A lot of things are more expensive right now due to inflation, we get it.  Expenses are definitely up.

That's the key phrase - expenses are up.

That's the mindset problem.  People want to view a coach as an expense rather than an investment.

Before we get too far into this limiting belief, let's take a look at the definitions of each term first.

Expense: (source)

• Cost or charge.
• A cause or occasion of spending.
• The act of expending or expenditure.

Investment: (source)

• The investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
• A particular instance or mode of investing.
• A thing invested in, as a business, a quantity of shares of stock, etc.
• Something that is invested; sum invested.
• The act or fact of investing or state of being invested, as with a garment.
• A devoting, using, or giving of time, talent, emotional energy, etc., as for a purpose or to achieve something.

The last part of the last definition of investment is key here:  as for a purpose to achieve something.

When you look at a coach as an investment rather than an expense, then your perspective changes.

Why not invest in your current AND future health?

Can you afford not to make this investment? Can you afford future possible medical expenses after making poor health choices and/or neglecting your health (both mentally and physically)?

"I Have Bad Genetics"

 

I get it.  Genetics do play a factor in overall health/wellness.  Sometimes.

Hormones play a HUGE role of course but those can be addressed with your doctor so not going to discuss that here.

Let's focus on the whole wanting to blame your "genetics" or say "it's a thing my family has" as a crutch.

Too many times people will just accept having to take a bag of medication with them or take ten pills a day as normal.

Sometimes things do happen to people randomly - such as my former healthy eater coworker who loved to run and workout but yet he had a heart attack in his 40's.  I get it.  Things can happen.

THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

What gets me is watching someone eat something like two jumbo sized honey buns while saying "my family all has diabetes which is why I do too." Or watching someone eat food with grease dripping off of their food (and their chin) saying "My heart problems come from my family.  Everyone has heart issues." Said person may or may not be sitting on the couch for six of more hours per day and can barely walk across the room without complaining of pain (just to add for dramatic effect).

Call me a jerk, but at times, it's hard not to roll my eyes.

Why do people not look at lifestyles of their family members with these conditions to see if there is a common denominator?  I cringe whenever I have to give my family's health history. I swear I've seen doctors cringe.

Random fact to interject - I started thinking about my own health after my paternal grandfather (in his 70's), my father's sister (60's), and my father (52) all died from Colon cancer. Oh, let me add my maternal grandmother is a colon cancer survivor. 

Maybe I'm too proactive or too much into research.  I look at the conditions that are "common" in my family and ask myself "What can I do to change this?" "What can I teach my children from this?"

Break the family "curses." Look up risk factors and how you can mitigate those. The body is a machine and it's a pretty cool machine when you really start to look into how it works.

"I Can't Stick to a Plan"

 

It's hard to create new habits.  

It's hard at first to push yourself to do physical activity when you really just want to go back to bed or home for the day.  

It's hard at first to plan ahead and ensure you have nutritious meals on hand.  It's easier to go to a restaurant or a drive-thru.

Both of these habits require a new mindset. Both of these habits require change on your part.

It's even harder if you have a history of crash or fad diets.  Those mess with your mindset as they are usually VERY restrictive.

It's harder if you have tried X celebrity or X social media influencer's cookie cutter workout program and found it too advanced.

Have you tried hiring a coach to help guide you through the process? Have you tried hiring a coach for accountability and to get all of your questions answered?

What's your history of "not sticking to the plan?" Tell us in the comments!

"I Don't Have Time To Workout/Go to The Gym/Cook"

 

The most common thing we hear anymore! No one has "time." Time is an interesting thing.  It's finite and can't be replenished.  Once it's gone, then it's gone. 

It's also one of the most mismanaged things.

Take a look at how you spend your time each day.  Are you maximizing it? Are you wasting it?

Challenge yourself for one week.  Log how you spend your time every hour (or half hour) of the day.  Review at the end of the week and evaluate. 

Did you spend two or three hours watching TV every night?

Did you stay up too late each night?

Did you sleep until the last possible minute every morning which resulted in being "rushed" out the door?

Did you hit snooze every morning when the alarm went off?

If you answer yes to any of these, then you may have a bad habit or two.

If you answer no to all of these - then you may need to look at priorities or if you have overextended yourself into burnout - which is a possibility. 

Can you wake up thirty minutes earlier each day to "give yourself" a few extra hours in the week?

It's all about how you use your time.

A few time management strategies to try:

1. Prioritize
2. Have a daily plan - use a planner or a calendar app
3. Block out distractions
4. Focus
5. Set goals
6. Set boundaries
7. Create routines

Do you struggle with time management or time to fit in positive and healthy habits?

Limiting Beliefs

 

This is kicking off our limiting beliefs when it comes to health, fitness, and wellness series.  We are going to go through six common beliefs throughout this series and how to overcome them. So check back daily!

What is a limiting belief?

A belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. 

Think about that last part for a minute.

RESTRICTS you in some way.  No one likes to be restricted.  Well, most people do not like to be restricted is a safer thing to say.  

What this is saying is YOU are RESTRICTING yourself through your MINDSET.

This can also be referred to as SELF SABOTAGE. Which brings to mind the phrase we use a lot - "Get out of your own way."

These beliefs come from a piece of negativity we have experienced from somewhere/someone AND out of fear.

Six Common Limiting Beliefs

1. I do not have time to (workout, go to the gym, cook, etc.)
2. I can't stick to a plan
3. I have bad genetics/hormonal issues
4. I do not have money for a gym membership/coach
5. I have never worked out and do not know how
6. I hate working out

Any of these sound familiar? Have you said any of these things before? Comment below to share your limiting beliefs!