Everyone has a first time of stepping through the doors. Take that first step through the doors, make a commitment, make small steps and consistently exercise and the results will happen. The main thing is to be consistent and make exercise a part of your day. Just like brushing your teeth.
The hardest part is walking through the door. So matter how tired you are or how much you have to do at home you need to make a commitment to your self and just do it. Write it down on your to do list everyday. Once you get in the habit you won’t want to miss your workout. Your body/mind will crave it. A one-hour workout is 4% of your day. You can do it!
Overcoming your fitness fears of going to a fitness center.
Schedule a session with a Personal Trainer or Employee. Have the expert teach you how to use all of the equipment and map out a routine that is best for you.
Map out what you will be doing before you get there, so you won’t have to wander around and waste time on what you should be doing and what you need to do next.
Avoid peak hours and bring your own music. Many would agree that an empty gym is much less stress inducing than a crowed one. Ask your fitness facility when the busiest times are and try to avoid that time. When you bring your own music it helps you to zone in on your music and if it is motivational and faster paced it will give you that extra push to keep going.
You may want to conduct some research online so you know exactly what you should be doing at the facility and how to do it without causing injury.
Bringing a friend to the fitness center will put you at ease even if it is the first few workout sessions. Plus exercising with a workout buddy is a good way to stay motivated. Even if you choose to do different workouts, just meeting a friend helps you to stay committed.
Being confident is everything, and before long you will trick yourself into actually feeling self assured even before you realize it.
The important thing to remember about the fitness center is the people are not paying attention to you. They are paying attention to their own workouts and are simply trying to get through their own routines so they can go home. Remember everyone has been a newbie and had to walk through those doors. So like I said before... what you need to do is make that commitment to yourself and walk through those doors and realize that everyone there is in their own world, and you will see that there was nothing to be afraid about in the first place.
The benefits of working out at a fitness center.
Working out at a fitness center provides you a greater variety of equipment. So you will not get bored working on the same piece of equipment/workout day in and day out and it is more beneficial for the body because you can do cross training, so you are not working the same muscles everyday.
Working out at a fitness center provides you less distractions. No children interruptions or laundry. It gives you alone time for you.
When you work out at the fitness center the atmosphere is all fitness related so it is a motivating environment. While you see others around you exercising you are more likely to give it your all and work harder.
It can be a social connection even if you don’t know anyone around. There are people there. You can talk with them, or not, but you are not alone. You may even make friends with them.
At a fitness center you have guidance from employees or personal trainers, ask if you have questions and they will be glad to help. Or at some facilities they have personal trainers who you can hire if you desire.
The benefits of exercise are endless but here are a few.
Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Then exercising is for you. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing.... Read below.
Exercise helps control weight. When you engage in physical activity you burn calories. The more intense the activity the more calories you burn. If you can’t fit in your workout for the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk up and down the stairs a few more times that day. Even throw in 100 jumping jacks. Keep the body moving.
Exercise combats health conditions and diseases. Regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health conditions and diseases.
Reduce stress. Have a rough day at the office or are the kids stressing you out? Hit up the fitness center for a quick 30-minute workout. One of the most common mental benefits of exercise is stress relief. So go ahead and get sweaty and boost the body’s ability to deal with existing mental tension.
Boost your mood - Exercise helps release endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. Studies have shown that exercise can even alleviate symptoms among the clinically depressed.
Exercise improves self confidence. Regardless of weight, size, gender, or age, exercise can quickly elevate a person’s perception of his or her attractiveness.
Prevent cognitive decline. It’s true as we get older, our brains get a little hazy. Exercising boosts chemicals in the brain and can even create new brain cells.
Lacking energy? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently you have more energy to go about your daily chores.
The bottom line... exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun.
Let’s be honest here!! You will need patience. You won’t drop 2 jean sizes in one day, you won’t lose 50 lbs in one month, you will miss occasional workouts, you are going to have bad days, your weight will fluctuate up and down, you are human. Nothing worth achieving is ever going to be easy or happen overnight. JUST KEEP GOING. Make exercise a part of your lifestyle. You won’t regret it and when you feel like quitting think about why you started. You must push yourself because no one else is going to do it for you. If it’s important, you will find a way; if it isn’t, you will find an excuse. Challenge yourself! You got to want it for yourself, and ask and tell yourself how bad do you want it. If you want it badly enough you will do it. It’s you against you! No excuses.... We can’t use the excuse I don’t have enough time. We all make time for what we want to do. Someone busier than you is working out right now.
The basic recommendations for cardiovascular and resistance training are as follows.
Cardiovascular - accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity on most days of the week. Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk.
Resistance/Strength Training - Aim to target each major muscle group two or three times per week using a variety of exercises and equipment on non-consecutive 3 days. Light intensity is best for older persons or previously sedentary adults starting exercise. Two - Four sets of each exercise will help adults improve strength and power. For each exercise 8-12 repetitions improve strength and power, 10-15 repetitions improve strength in middle-age and older persons starting exercise, and 15-20 repetitions improve muscular endurance.
A repetition is one full run through of an exercise including both the lifting and lowering phases. A set is a group of consecutive reps typically followed by a brief rest period (typically 60-90 seconds).
