Reader’s Request: Getting Started
Hey everyone! Happy Indian Food Wednesday! Who’s celebrating tonight?? *Raises Baigan Bhartha-covered fork in the air* I am! 😀
First things first…. the winner of the amazing yoga giveaway from YogaDowload.com.
According to the pilot random number generator (I yelled out “pick a number between 1 and 455), the winner of a YEAR of free yoga podcasts is:
#376
Congrats! Please send me an email (fitnessista at gmail dot com) so we can get you hooked up!
All my other yoga-loving bloggies, don’t you fret, you still get 30% off all podcasts at YogaDownload.com until the end of the month. Just enter “Fitnessista” as the coupon code.
It’s Reader’s Request Time:
During one of my last posts, I got an awesome reminder that while many of you are already Fitnessistas and have got gym and nutrition stuff down pat there are still quite a few bloggies who are just getting into it. Also, I know that many of you are on injury hiatus (like me) or returning from a surgery or injury recovery.
(Source)
Either way, it can sometimes be daunting to get started (or start back up).
Here are my favorite steps:
1. Start small, but think big. Make small changes where you can and set mini-goals that are reasonable to attain and easy to measure. For example: this week I’m going to aim for whole-grain instead of white flour and walk every day after work. Each week, add in a new goal. Keep your *big* goal in mind while you set these goals and use it as motivation.
More examples of mini-goals:
-Opt for grilled, baked, steamed or poached in lieu of fried
-Try greek yogurt or mustard instead of mayo
-Sip seltzer or fruit-infused water (water with cucumber slices, mint and lemon is delicious) to get in your 8 glasses each day.. skip the soda and sugary juices
-Try a new fruit or vegetable each week
-Aim to eat all fresh food for a week (no pre-packaged snacks… and eggs, milk, fish/meat, other necessities don’t count. I’m talking about the poptart and crackers type stuff)
-Add in jogging or running intervals into your walking routine (walk 1 minute, jog/run 30 seconds)
-Aim for 3 weight training sessions a week in addition to 2 miles of cardio (any method of choice) almost every day. When this gets easy, up the intensity of cardio and weights (add hills, speed, or intervals to cardio and higher weights to your weight routine).
Don’t feel pressured to jump in and go balls to the wall with fitness or eating changes. If you do it slowly, you’ll be less likely to feel overwhelmed and burn out. For example, every time I hear someone say “I’m going all raw tomorrow”, it makes me cover my face with sadness. Your body needs time to adapt to new things and it’s better to start with re-vamping one meal (then one meal and one snack, then two meals, and so on), or one aspect of your fitness routine than trying to do a bunch of crazy things at once.
2. Create a vision board. Make a visual representation of what you want to achieve (this can be in all aspects of your life) and keep it in a spot where you can see it on a daily basis. You can see mine here– they work!!!
3. Have a plan. Whether it’s a daily plan, weekly plan, or hourly plan (that’s how I roll!), know ahead what you’re going to do and if you can make any preparations in advance (like chopping veggies for a healthy dinner or setting out your gym gear the night before), do it. For a sample eating plan, check out my Summer Shape Up plan and for a great newbie strength training program, here’s the Intro to Iron Pumping plan.
4. Be patient with yourself. There’s no way you’re going to run 10 miles if you’re never ran, or break your 5k PR your first run back in the game (unless you’re a super running ninja). Understand that it’s going to take a little time to get where you want to be (or get back to where you were). If you’re coming back from injury or surgery, remember that the body is an amazing and intelligent machine. It will remember what it’s supposed to do. And newbies, it will adapt and eventually do the things you want it to do.
5. Focus on a balance of eating well, cardio and weights but don’t forget to cut yourself some slack. There are nights for all of us when we need to eat chocolate fondue or lay by the pool reading trashy gossip mags instead of working out. Listen to your body and give it what it wants. Before you know it (if this is a new thing for ya), it will be craving exercise and healthy eats for the most part.
6. Try new things and stick with what you love. Don’t force yourself to run if you really hate and dread it, you won’t do it on a regular basis. Find out what it is that makes you excited to stick with your plan- whether it’s buying a new healthy cookbook (my everyday cookbooks are Eat, Drink and Be Vegan and the Canyon Ranch cookbook) or taking a new fitness class.
7. Reward yourself. Find non-food sources to reward yourself and provide motivation to keep doing yo thang. Book a massage, get a pedicure, a new shirt or pair of shoes, yoga mat, what have you. It doesn’t even have to cost dinero— set aside time to gab with a friend over a glass of vino or plan a picnic with your man (or puppies).
So there you have it 😀 Anything I’m missing?? What’s the single piece of advice you’d give to a healthy living newbie or someone bouncing back from an injury??
Knowing that you WANT IT is the most important thing. It can also be the hardest part. Once you’re mentally committed to achieving fitness, weight loss and/or healthy eating goals, you will make it happen.
You know I’m cheering for you 😀
xoxo,
Gina
You might also like:
81 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
The first thing I tell my clients is to “get real.” I get quite a few people at the gym who come in severely obese and then proclaim that they “really don’t eat that much.” After I nicely explain that there is no way they can maintain their current weight without overeating, I tell them to start writing down their food intake. I call this “getting real.”
I have been there myself and know how easy it is to live in food denial. It may be tedious to some, but if you can’t see the writing on the wall then it can be hard to go forward.
I thinkt the most important thing is to start something realistic, and don’t expect to be the best, or work out for hours the first few weeks. It is a gradual process, and if it isn’t realistic, you will never stick to it!
I really like the visualization board- it’s so important to remember why you started your healthy-living choices in the first place… I don’t even do the non-packaged foods- would things like yogurt and cottage cheese count as “bad” because they are packaged or are the in the exception category?
they’re in the exception category– unless you want to make your own yogurt, haha. not realistic for most people 🙂
hehehe. I love your random pilot generator. 🙂
For a newbie, my advice goes along with your #6. I would say to try lots of different activities and find out what you like. You can’t get bored if you are always trying new classes, new running routes, new machiens. 🙂 Also, if you lack motivation as a newbie, get a friend to workout with you!
I need to make a visual board for myself, they really work. used one years ago. Reminded and encouraged me to keep going. Great info Gina.
“7. Reward yourself. Find non-food sources to reward yourself and provide motivation to keep doing yo thang. Book a massage, get a pedicure, a new shirt or pair of shoes, yoga mat, what have you. It doesn’t even have to cost dinero— set aside time to gab with a friend over a glass of vino or plan a picnic with your man (or puppies).”
This is KEY for me! I tend to do great with eating, and then punish myself if I mess up, and then forget to reward myself when I do well… I’ve been rocking with the food lately, and have to remember to “pat myself on the back” every once in a while!
p.s. don’t freak out if you get a random package from amazon.com this week… it’s from me 🙂
what?! you silly girl. thank you!
The first thing I’d say is to be realistic. You shouldn’t try to get back out there too quick or you might do more damage. Don’t think this is a fast process. It may take some time for an injury to heal, but that should be priority No. 1. It’s taken me many years of injured knees to realize I need to be patient, work my physical therapy and not rush into exercises. Doing that got me where I am now.
I’d tell a newbie to take it one day at a time, not to get frustrated and learn the facts when it comes to getting in shape and how your body might respond. I think way too many people sabotage themeselves with excuses when the fact is they’re eating too much or not moving enough.
I made chana masala last night (that’s Indian, right?) and am having leftovers for lunch today.
yes that’s indian! thanks for celebrating with me 🙂
I agree with the start small thing. A lot times people try to overthrow their entire eating and workout routine all at once, and they get overwhelmed and just give up.
I have made tremendous changes in my life over the last year (including losing over 50 pounds!). I started running last April and couldn’t go for 30 seconds.. just this past weekend I ran 9.8 miles for the first time! I also started watching what I ate heavily but ate a lot of processed stuff, and now have transitioned into a whole foods diet and only eat fish (no red or white meat). I feel awesome, but there’s no way I would have gotten here if I hadn’t made the changes gradually.
I LOVE these tips and #1 resonated most with me – small substitutions really add up. This is probably a poor example, but I really remember having to consciously cut down beer to lose weight. I didn’t eliminate it, I just switched to vodka and had fewer beers and, overall, drank less! That switch helped, as did others like fat-free mayo!
i would definitely say be patient is the best advice…it’s so easy to get sucked into the mind frame that weight loss and healthy living can happen overnight, but true lifestyle changes take time. just be patient and kind and then celebrate the changes!
Great tips, Gina! I think number one is so important– it’s so tempting to attempt a “major life overhaul,” but I really do think that you’re setting yourself up for failure when you do that. Making smaller steps that will all create something big is a much smarter way to go!
Love your “official” random number generator 🙂
The listen to your body comment is so true. There are days when I’m exhausted and although it’s not a planned rest day, I take it. There’s no need to push yourself to the brink of exhaustion. And don’t beat yourself up when you take a rest day or have that piece of cake.
Dear Gina,
You are such a doll!..thanks for accepting my request, taking the time and doing a post on it. Everything in life is a process or a journey. It’s taken me a while to get used to a workout routine…now that i’ve got that down, I now need to focus on maintaining and improving on it. 🙂 Healthy eating is a whole ‘nother world. 🙂 This coming week is Spring Break for us. I’m gonna try and create an vision board. I am like u- I need a plan, daily, weekly, hourly…that’s when i am at my productive best…i think the spring break will give me some time to reflect on all this…assimilate and come up with a practical routine i can stick to. 🙂
Love u dear! (if u were close by, I’d cook u your favorite bhaingan bhartha)
no problem! i thought it was a great request and applicable to so many people
GAH!!! i would LOVE fresh homemade baigan bhartha 🙂
good advice already! i think i’d tell someone coming back from an injury to not expect to be at the top of the game immediately. it’s important to not rush back into the activity as well as use the first weeks back to rebuild so you don’t get injured again
These are great tips! I’m not a newbie, just an exercise commitment-phobe. 😉 With regard to working out, the best advice I have is to find something you love. I do not enjoy the treadmill, so if I tried to make myself use it every day, I would never see the inside of the gym. If you don’t like gym equipment, take a dance class or go to the pool or find something else that keeps you moving. Food-wise, I second making healthy substitutions. Also make sure to keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand. When I want to eat out of boredom in the late afternoon, I eat a couple of oranges and drink hot tea. And the biggest thing for me is, as you said, eating actual food, not processed stuff that comes wrapped in three layers of plastic. If you start thinking of meals in terms of using fresh ingredients, it’ll totally transform how you eat.
I just started reading your blog recently, and I think these are all really great tips. Although I know it’s not the healthiest question, but what would you suggest for alcoholic beverages? I find myself torn when I go out with my friend about whether to stick with a vodka and soda, or go for the cheaper, light beer. Just curious as to what to suggest that won’t hurt my body or wallet too much.
i’d say vodka and club soda…and try to stick with one drink.
I think just realizing that whether its weight, bad health, being out of shape, etc…it probably took you a long time (possibly your whole life) to get to that point and it is going to take a long time to get it back off or back into shape. Celebrate the small accomplishments and try to appreciate each day that you feel better than the one before.
I think the “start small” advice is great. Change can be overwhelming, so the smaller the changes the easier!
I love this post! awesome advice! I think the most important thing for a newbie is to just make sure that you take it one step at a time. I have the exercise thing down, and eat healthy food, but right now I am aiming to eat more raw foods. There are days when all i crave is raw foods, but other days i crave oatmeal, so i just go with it right now. I try to make snacks and at least 1 meal per day raw, but if I can’t – i can’t. The most important thing is that i am trying, and giving my body what it wants.
Also, celebrate! i love to buy myself something or do something fun when I have reached a big accomplishment, like getting a PR in my half marathon last sunday!! I marched myself right to One Lucky Duck for snacks. 🙂
one lucky duck???!! me = jealous
These are all great tips. The more time passes the more I realize the little things really add up. And I’m a firm believer in starting slowly. As a non-runner, I’m using couch to 5k to train for a 5k and its amazing how much can be accomplished when you gradually build up to the next level instead of trying to do everything from the very beginning.
One of the best things I ever did for myself was this…
I let go of the pressure! I stopped making eating healthy and exercising about what I HAD to do and what it HAD to LOOK like. Instead…I started making small, daily changes that felt right. And then, the next day I made another change. And so on! Letting go of that pressure to eat, live, or look a certain way has not only made me healthier physically but mentally as well! 🙂
I followed ALL of the points you made to lose the 90lbs I have lost so far (just a few more to go!!!). I’d also had a big, fat “PATIENCE” in with that. I think too many people think that any change should happen NOW and it’s just not the case. We are not perfect people and we need to be kind to ourselves, when the program we’ve decided on goes awry due to life issues, it’s OKAY if we slip up. Take it one day at a time and when things go wrong, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep at it. Don’t give up over one bad day, week or month. It’s taken my three years to lose 90lbs but it’s been staying off and my habits now are completely different from what they were back then. Little changes make BIG differences!
Great blog!
90 lbs?! YOU GO GIRL. keep taking care of yourself <3
GREAT post!!!
I’d second all of your advice. I’d also add my favorite dictum: add first, then subtract. Add healthy food to each meal in the form of veggies and grains and nuts/seeds: think about what to remove later on!
GREAT Tips!!!
I love this post! I would say one of the greatest shifts people need to make is thinking about healthy food and exercising as GIVING themselves something instead of TAKING AWAY something. Instead of thinking you’re “taking away”, like ice cream/pizza/deep fried butter, you can think about what you’re giving yourself, like healthy, delicious fruits, a longer life, etc. And exercise is the same way – you are giving yourself a gift, don’t think about it as “taking away” from your relaxation/TV/napping schedule.
that is an EXCELLENT point. 🙂
I think starting small is key, and of course patience. For me I was always so used to seeing quick changes, and of course never sticking with it. Once I changed my whole mind set to making it about lifestyle change it became much easier. Love the tips, thanks you!
I think it helps to surround yourself with postive and energetic people who support your healthy lifestyle. They “rub off” on you. Get a friend to join you in some exercise.
ohh that’s a good one, too!
Take it one day at a time! For example, if you decide to start running and you think, “I’m going to have to do this 5x/week until the day that I die”, it’s easy to give up. Or if you’re going to eat lunch, and you think, “I will never eat fried chicken again” it feels overwhelming and isn’t a healthy outlook to have.
But if you don’t think too hard, just do what you can, living in the moment, I find that you can do amazing things!
Thank you so much for this post Gina! I’ve been through months of doctors and different answers and solutions to a stress fracture that I recieved back in December and I’m just NOW being put on crutches for 4-6 weeks. I can’t wait to get back into the game and this list really helped me, it gave me some hope. So thank you dear!
Having a workout schedule keeps me motivated. I’m reluctant to skip a workout knowing it’s going to throw my whole week off.
Andddd of course reading fun, interesting, wellness focused blogs like The Fitnessista.
Be Prepared! I go to the farmers market on Sunday and come home and chop and dice and package about 3-4 days of food. I just have to grab and go. I will never be able to say “I do not have time” I BBQ, Bake, Broil or whatever a few chicken breasts and package those up also. I pretty much know the first three to four days and set.
Great post my dear! 🙂 This really does help newbies, as I am one myself, toward becoming a more happy healthy person! I really like tip # 4, because sometimes I just wanna give up if I cant run a mile under a certain amount of time, but I just have to keep telling myself I will get their one day I just have to keep on pushing!:)
Actually realizing that my want to live a healthy lifestyle was what I wanted (and needed) was the hardest part. Making the decision that this is TRULY something you want, for YOURSELF, makes it very easy to commit to.
Thanks, love this post. I should make a vision board!
When I got started a year ago it really helped me to write down my planned workouts and check them off when I did them in my planner. I also made it a priority to never skip grocery shopping on the weekend so I always had the food thing covered.
when can we expect that new iron pumping challenge you mentioned?
Great timing on this post. I just got back from very relaxing vacation and my husband and I both are having trouble getting back into working out.
Another problem I have is that I am so motivated when I am unable to work out (at work, etc) but by the time I come home my motivation is gone and the rest of life gets in the way. Any suggestions?
Great tips, Gina. Way to turn an injury into a way to help others. Love you!
great advice! i think you got it covered 🙂
Great tips, Gina!
I think being patient with oneself is SO key. So many times we get so excited and just jump with both feet, full force, into training, and it ends up in either injury or burn out.
I think having a mental commitment is the most important part when making a change, big or small. Get tips for starting out!
Hi Gina,
I would like to do Zumba at home…what dvd would you recommend for a beginner?
Thanks in advance!
Pam
check out the zumba fitness dvds- they’re awesome!
Alright…thanks so much Gina!
Enjoy your night!
xoxo
I agree that you have to want it for yourself if you want to get healthy. That’s an excellent list you have there.
I’m celebrating tonight for other reasons. I just released by raw cupcake e-book today. At least I can indulge in a semi-healthy way 🙂
WOW this post speaks volumes to me at this point in my life! I’ve been struggling with balancing my busy schedule with my eating and exercise habits, and well, I’ve let myself go a little and need to get back on track. Thank you so much for posting this!
I hope your knee heals quickly!
My advice might come off as kind of harsh, but I truly don’t mean it that way.
My advice is “Stop asking ME how to motivate YOU”
Motivation comes from within — me telling you what motivates me to eat well and exercise, will not make YOU motivated to eat well and exercise.
You need to find your own motivation. 🙂
I love all these tips!! I have a question for you-something I’ve been trying to figure out for a while.
A lot of blogs talk about not counting calories and just listening to your body and honoring your hunger. That’s easy for me, but I AM trying to lose weight. Shouldn’t I be ignoring hunger sometimes? If I’m eating every time I’m hungry (and I eat really healthy) aren’t I not giving myself a chance to lose weight?
Also, is it wise to count calories when trying to lose weight? Sometimes it makes me a little too obsessive.
Sorry, this was like a novel haha. I’m not sure if I explained it very well-if I didn’t, let me know and I’ll email ya. Thank you!<3
Great post! Definitely broke it all down perfectly 🙂
Great advice, I couldn’t have said it better myself!
xo
K
Great post, as usual!
You mentioned yesterday you were going to work on your abs…I’d love to see a readers request post about that.
I always find it takes so long to see results I usually give up on it and just go for a run instead. Ha ha!
Thank you!
I like your suggestions! I’ve been working on my own weightloss journey for about 8 months now and I’ve lost 25lbs and 11 inches so far. Reading your list was a great refresher and helps to keep myself in check! I remembered when you made your vision board just recently and I finally set time aside to work on mine. I’ll post my board soon on my blog. You should drop by sometime.
Thank you for posting your helpful tips. You inpire me to keep pushing myself!