5 Tips for Starting Your Fitness Journey

After having each of my babies I've had to completely start over.  Its often the most incredibly difficult thing to do when you've been out of the lifestyle for what feels like such a long time.  Maybe you used to have those healthy habits down to a tee but somewhere a long the line you just lost them. It often happens when you're in the midst of big life transitions (having a baby, moving, death in the family, etc) and its totally normal and okay!

Each time I've re-started on my journey I've had to re-think things and how I can get motivated again.  Here's a few things that have helped me and my clients...


1. Start at an appropriate level

If you've literally not worked out in a year, don't choose to re-start with an incredibly advanced high impact program.  Choose a program that is at the beginner level so that you can re-gain confidence and slowly but surely work your way up!  Even if you simply start by walking around the block, keep challenging yourself to do more once you've mastered the 1st mile.  Once you complete that program you'll feel more excited to keep the journey moving in an upward direction.  I love seeing people challenge themselves but not to the extent that it becomes defeating when you can't even complete the first rep. Start small and work your way up!

2. Lose the All or Nothing Mentality

I think especially when it comes to nutrition and dieting (ugh I hate that word) we have been brainwashed into thinking we're either ON the diet or OFF the diet.  Lose the dieters mentality and start simply making healthier day to day choices.  Even things like drinking more water, giving up soda and swapping white pastas for whole wheat is a step in the right direction.  You don't have to be ALL or nothing in the first week, first month or even the first year to see progress toward your goals.

3. Count the small wins

We make it a daily practice in my bootcamps to share the small daily wins we have.  I believe those wins are what fuel us to keep going.  Even on hard days sharing something positive, even as simple as walking past the M&M bowl at work instead of grabbing a handful is a BIG DEAL and a small win that starts forming future habits.

4. Be patient

Trust the process and keep moving forward no matter what!  I had a conversation with my mom recently in which she was griping (sorry mom) about how she had been on this new nutrition plan for 1 week and STILL hadn't lost any weight and her sugar levels (she's a diabetic) still hadn't changed.  I remember telling her, be patient mom, its been a whole week.  It took WAY longer than a week for you to gain the weight and its going to take WAY longer to lose it too.  Well, it took her all of 2 days later to call me back EXCITED that her jeans were loose - 2 days!!  Sometimes we are so caught up in what we're doing that we forget to trust the process.  Nothing worth doing is going to happen quickly and nothing worth doing is going to be a quick fix.  Trust the process and know that consistent effort over TIME is what equals results!  You only FAIL when you give up!


5.  Just Start

Motivation is a myth.  It honestly just doesn't exist. It can truly only come from within and generally its only going to come once you actually take ACTION toward your goal.  The more you simply force yourself into action, the habits start to form, changes start to happen, discipline kicks in and you realize YOU had the power all along!

And most importantly...Believe in yourself friend, I know you can DO THIS!

xoxo

Jackie


Are you a mom looking to get re-started on your goals? Join my Free Fit Mama #BODSQUAD community with other moms JUST like you who are working on re-gaining healthy habits and reaching goals, one small win at a time!

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