Where to start with a workout plan
Working out doesn’t have to be complex, complicated nor time-consuming. You just have to establish a workout plan that you can stick to consistently even when you aren’t feeling motivated. A good way to carry out this easy workout plan for beginners is to follow these simple tips:
- Establish a good time of day to workout that fits with your schedule and when your energy level is at its highest – If you are like me and aren’t a morning person pick a time in the afternoon or evening after work. If your schedule gets more chaotic as the day progresses an earlier time in the day may be best for you. A lunch hour workout may be good if you like the idea of breaking up your work day with some self-care.
- Figure out what your goals are so you can follow a fitness program that will help you target them – If your goal is to lose weight your workout will look different then if your goal is to put on muscle. Maybe your goal is simply to move more and that is okay too.
- Find someone to hold you accountable – When you’re feeling like the couch is looking more appealing than the gym you need that person who is going to call you out and remind you about your fitness goals. This person could be a friend, your partner or even a co-worker. You can even have this person workout with you so you have a buddy to help push you to work harder.
- Upgrade your workout attire – If it’s been awhile since you worked out chances are your gym clothes could use some updating. Make sure you’re not wearing the best clothes to the office and scrubs to the gym. When you look good in what you’re wearing to the gym your confidence gets a nice boost and you’re more motivated to workout harder.
Workout routine for beginners
You can establish and try a workout routine for a week with a few easy yet effective exercises that don’t require any machines or equipment. These exercises can be consistently incorporated into any workout routine at home.
For strength training try these exercises:
- Planks are a great exercise to include in your workout routine at home because they target your total body including your core and you can do lots of variations.
- Lunges are a good lower body exercise to do because it is a compound movement, which means multiple muscles are engaged at once. You can also mix it up when you get bored by trying different variations including curtsy lunges.
- Squats are another great lower body compound movement with lots of variations.
- Push-ups everyone is familiar with and this exercise is great for your upper body workout.
If your focus is on cardio try these calisthenics moves:
- mountain climbers
- step-ups
- jumping jacks
- jump squats
For either goal you should aim to complete at least 10-15 reps of each exercise and then recover for up to one minute before then repeating the circuit again. If you have the time, repeat the circuit 3x. If it’s your first time, see if you can complete the circuit once fully and gradually over time work yourself up to three sets.
A good way to combine these exercises into a workout routine for beginners is to choose 2-3 lower body exercises, 2-3 upper body exercises and 2-3 core exercises and perform them in a circuit. As mentioned above you can go for 10-15 reps or if you have a stopwatch you can go for time instead. If you’re going for time push yourself for 30-45 seconds followed by a 15-30 second rest or recovery period. Then repeat with the next exercise.
This way you get a solid total body workout in as little as 15-30 minutes.
Workout routine at home when you're short on time
If you have small children at home or if you work from home you may find it hard to designate a certain time to exercise. A good way to workout with a busy schedule is to incorporate exercise into your normal everyday activities. For example:
- You can be doing squats while you’re putting the laundry or dishes away. Squat before each time you pick-up the clothes or dishes.
- Practice lunging while you’re running the vacuum.
- If you are on mommy or daddy duty you can do shoulder overhead raises with your child in your arms or squats and lunges while holding them. Older children love to partake in exercise with mommy and daddy. You can do a yoga routine while teaching them how to do it with you so it becomes a family activity.
- When you’re sitting at your desk for long periods of times incorporate a few sit and stands from your desk chair. You can also do a plank or triceps dips on your desk chair while you’re reading your emails.
There are lots of creative ways like these to incorporate exercise in the home each day.
How often should beginners workout
When you’re new to exercise any bit counts. Don’t put pressure on yourself right away to workout a certain amount of times each week. Start with what is manageable for you and your schedule. Also, listen to your body and don’t overdo it.
As you get into a regular routine it’s most optimal to workout a minimum of twice per week and three times per week is even better! Your sessions don’t have to be an hour long each time. A very effective workout can be done in as little as 30 minutes. The key is to limit the amount of rest you take in between exercises.
It is NOT advised that you do strenuous exercise everyday. Your body needs time to recover in between workouts. However, getting in the habit of moving everyday is recommended. This could mean going for a walk or taking the stairs more often. It means instead of sitting at your desk for 8 hours straight you take breaks periodically to get up and walk around and stretch.
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