The Newbie's Starter Guide For Success!
Congratulations! You’ve taken that first, most important step: you are ready to start exercising and taking better care of yourself!
….Now what?!
There’s SO much information and opinions that can clutter the process when creating a new exercise routine:
….Exercise this many days/week!
…..Do this type of workout!
…..Eat these foods only!
….Take that supplement!
AHH, how overwhelming!
As a newbie to the wonderful world of health and fitness, how the heck do you navigate:
…Finding the best workout program for you?
…Avoiding injuries?
…Exercising with existing injuries?
…Getting actual results?
If you are new to exercise, this blog is for you! If you aren’t new to exercise but feeling stuck and not seeing much progress or results, keep reading as you may unknowingly be making some of the most common fitness mistakes!
Today’s blog is teaching you:
The top 3 fitness mistakes to AVOID
3 tips to find the perfect gym for YOU!
4 strategies to make starting easy peasy!
3 FITNESS MISTAKES TO AVOID!
You’ve made the decision to start exercising so the next step is finding a gym that provides exactly what you need to succeed!
Of course, easier said than done. Finding the right gym involves lots of deciding factors like:
Budget: how much do you want to invest in yourself to live the best possible life?
Type of exercise: what type of exercise is best for your fitness level and goals?
Coaching: do you need help understanding what to do and how to do it?
Accountability: do you need to be held accountable, so you stick with it?
Schedule: what kind of flexibility do you need given life: work, kids, etc. etc.
Mindset: what are you willing to do to make exercise fit your life?
It’s important I let you in on a little secret: not all gyms and exercise programs are created equal.
In fact, when meeting RF newbies for the first time, they’re often coming to us after trying some other gym and having a super disappointing experience. What happened?
They made 1 (or more) of the 3 biggest mistakes you always want to avoid when first starting out:
#1. Going at it ALONE: When you opt to for a cheap, $10/month gym, you get what you pay for: access to some machines and equipment. There is zero coaching, guidance, support, or accountability. If you have no idea what to do or how to exercise properly, you will either get hurt, get bored and/or make zero changes and progress.
#2. Doing the Wrong Exercises: Certain types of workouts deliver specific results so, if you have a certain goal, the type of exercise matters. For example, if you want to get stronger, move better, lose belly fat or be ‘toned’, cardio won’t cut it.
How exercise programs are designed also matter. Gyms / coaches / classes that just string together random exercises for the sake of making you feel tried and sweaty doesn’t = a safe or effective workout!
Plus, when thrown into workout classes doing random exercises, while going as fast as you can, you’re going to get hurt and you won’t make actual progress or get results.
#3. Bad Vibes: It’s hard to start exercising because hello, gyms can feel scary and intimidating! If you walk into a gym and feel out of place, uncomfortable, unsafe, and like nobody cares, leave immediately!
3 TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECT GYM!
Now that you understand exactly what to avoid, here are my 3 tips for finding the most perfect gym for YOU:
1. Coaches: Access to coaches is a total game changer!
First of all, a coach tells you exactly what to do and how to do it so you exercise safely, effectively and maximize results! At Results Fitness, every workout is led by certified coaches and our entire job is to focus on YOU so you get exactly what you personally need to succeed!
Next, a coach eliminates the guesswork and does all the thinking for you! The best coaches design exercise programs conducive to your starting point and goals, provides cues and feedback in real time, create modifications for injuries / limitations, and keeps your motivated, focused and challenged!
At Results Fitness, exercise programs are expertly designed to meet your individual needs and are backed by science-based research so you get the most out of every workout!
Finally, you want a certified coach with experience and training. Social media ‘fitness influencers’ and self-proclaimed ‘health coaches’ may have a large following, but that does not translate into breadth of knowledge, experience or expertise. Exercise is a form of science, backed by studies and research. You want someone who genuinely knows what they’re talking about.
What makes a ‘quality coach’?
At Results Fitness, we are known as the experts when it comes to working with all ages and fitness levels, especially folks with existing injuries and chronic pain. Our team of coaches are nationally certified, hold multiple certifications and are extensively trained.
Beyond certifications and experience, also ask yourself “Do I genuinely like this person training me?”. Finding coaches with an upbeat and warm personality make exercise FUN so you feel motivated to show up and heyoo have some FUN! At Results Fitness, we work hard and play harder (buuut don’t take our word for it - come see for yourself!).
2. Exercise Programs that Deliver RESULTS: Any gym / coach can easily string together random movements to make you tired and sweaty. However, neither the level of your body’s sweat or fatigue are indicators of an effective workout.
Like coaches, exercise programs are NOT created equal. At the end of the day, you want an exercise program that’s aligned with your goals. At Results Fitness, our core focus = strength training because it delivers the most bang for your time, effort and exercise buck!
Builds muscle + makes you stronger
Decrease body fat, reshapes your body + makes you leaner / ‘toned’
Improves mobility, flexibility, coordination + balance
Alleviates chronic aches and pains
Decrease risk of chronic disease
Extends life expectancy
Boosts energy + confidence levels
Decreases anxiety + depression
Makes life easy + enjoyable!
You HAVE TO BE STRONG to function in every day life: walking the dog, standing up, using the stairs, pushing grocery carts, carrying kids/grandkids/laundry baskets, playing catch with kids/grandkids, gardening, mowing the lawn, pushing that suitcase through the airport, hiking, biking, swimming, recovering from unexpected injuries.
Your RF workouts help you train for the life you want to live and enjoy outside the gym.
In a perfect world, your exercise routine focuses on strength training (2-3x/week) and from there, you can sprinkle in other forms of activity you enjoy for added variety and recovery: yoga, spinning, Pilates, running, Zumba, HIIT, bootcamp, etc.
This is why we also offer HIIT Classes in addition to strength. HIIT = high intensity interval classes which is a fancy expression for cardio workouts. Cardio is important to improve cardiovascular health and endurance; a wonderful compliment to strength training!
3. Good Vibes Only: How do you feel when you walk inside the gym? Work with the coaches? Talk to the people?
If you fear you don’t ‘belong’ in a gym, worry you won’t ‘fit in’ or just hate the gym scene all together, gym culture is especially important! When finding the right gym, feeling like you belong is crucial.
Think of the WORST customer experience you’ve ever had.
Now, do you feel inclined or excited to do business with that company/person/business again?
Probably not.
When working alongside like-minded people with similar goals, under the direction of coaches who know you and genuinely care, you become more comfortable, confident and successful! You look forward to showing up, stop doubting yourself, push through barriers, and experience life-changing results!
At Results Fitness, it’s about more than just a workout. Your coaches know and care about you. You can expect ongoing support from your coaches and community both in/outside the gym! Your fellow RF Warriors are there to welcome you, keep you motivated, help you step outside your comfort zone and most importantly, keep you showing up/ wanting to come back!
Oh, and that part about work hard, play harder? We LOVE celebrating your milestones - personal records when exercising, birthdays, new jobs, promotions, weddings, engagements, babies!
And, you can always lean on RF for support when life hands you lemons and the unexpected happens. This is a family and together, we celebrate and support you!
4 Strategies for Getting Started
Moving right along, you now know what to avoid and look for when finding the perfect gym for YOU! Now it’s time to hit the gym and start exercising so that you can live healthy, happy and strong for life!
Here are 4 strategies for getting started:
#1. Grab a gym buddy: Consistency and accountability are so important when you start exercising plus, it’s a lot less intimidating to start a new gym / exercise program with a buddy!
Accountability plays a major factor in sticking with exercise and achieving fitness goals. You won’t always feel motivated to so creating that support system with a gym buddy helps you build consistent habits, make better choices and stay on track when motivation tapers.
At Results Fitness, there is an entire community in place that serves this role: RF Warriors and coaches!
Regardless of your starting point and goals, every single person who walks through our doors needs / wants to be held accountable. As an RF Warrior, you not only show up for yourself, but your fellow RF Warriors and coaches. Afterall, when your workout buddy and coach are expecting to see you, you are 10x more likely to show up!
#2. Make exercise ‘fit’ into your life: Exercise takes time and effort and this can be hard - job, work, kids, spouse, etc. - so at Results Fitness, we help busy adults like you make exercise fit into your life so it sticks!
How do we do that?
By allowing you to schedule workouts up to 1 month in advance PLUS tons of flexibility to cancel / adjust as needed so that you can plan ahead, prioritize this time for yourself and actually show up.
Scheduling time to exercise = the same as scheduling a work meeting, doctor’s appointment, parent-teacher conferences, hair appointment, etc. It’s a set day and time and though you won’t always want to go to the gym, work meeting, or other appointments, if it’s scheduled, you’re showing up!
There are 2 steps for making exercising fit and stick in your life. If you follow these steps, you will succeed:
Identify free time: Literally sit down at the kitchen table, look at all your calendars and identify pockets of times you are free. Your goal is doing what you can, with the time you have.
Don’t overextend yourself but at the same time, you have to be willing to make some changes and sacrifice. If nothing changes, then nothing changes!
For example, 5:30am is optimal buuut you hate getting up early buuut no other times work. You decide what you are willing to do to improve your health and hit your goals.
Remember, exercise takes time and effort and won’t always be what you want to do but, you will NEVER regret exercising and feeling your best. Never, ever, ever!
Book workouts in advance: You’ve identified best days and times to exercise, now book ‘em, add ‘em to your calendars and viola - now you’ve created a new exercise routine!
If you don’t treat your workouts like a standing appointment, you aren’t going to show up. As coaches, we know the most effective way to keep you accountable and consistent, is booking workouts in advance.
3. Write down your goals: Something that is so simple yet so overlooked!
Writing down your goal(s) creates a vision of what you want your future to look like and serves as a reminder why this is important to you.
Once recorded, put your goal where you can see it every day. Next, share your goal(s) with your friends, family and coworkers and why it’s important to you so they, too can be supportive!
#4. Find a QUALITY gym = certified coaches + effective exercise programs!
You have successfully found a gym buddy, identified when you are free to exercise and have written down your goal…time to find a the perfect gym! ANd, you know what to look for: quality coaches, effective exercise programs and feel-good vibes - Results Fitness!
If you’re reading this and want to get started or, exercising but feeling stuck, come meet us and decide if we’re YOUR perfect fit!
Book a FREE intro session with our team today - this is a super casual meet and greet so that you can get to know us and learn exactly how we will work together!
Book your FREE intro now - we can’t wait to meet you!
