The amount of information surrounding us daily on fitness and nutrition can be overwhelming – I get it! I felt like a fish out of water when I started trying to change my lifestyle for the goal I had in mind and general health/well-being. I did tons of research and while it was useful it became my downfall many times. You see, we want things fast. At this stage, we're willing to try anything - you're determined- but not consistent. Finding a plan to stick to with so many other options- we want to try them all for short periods of time and it just doesn't work that way. Give things time to work for you. (I guess that’s already my first tip!)
If you're completely clueless or have little knowledge of fitness and want to start your journey here are a few of my best tips for you- trust me, it saves you the hassle.
Stop Making Excuses
Our main go-to excuse for not starting our journey is - “I don't know how to” - “I don't have (this) - “Maybe next month when I'm better equipped” These are just ridiculous excuses that we spend so much time making when we could use that same time in doing at least ONE thing to get us closer to where we want to be.
Quit the NEED to start perfectly - Use what you have right now
We want to start training like the Instagram girls immediately which usually means we're waiting on the new pair of Nikes, gloves, waist trainers and a fridge full only healthy options that just look photo worthy. So, stop right there- that's your first mistake. My fitness journey started in whatever nameless sneaker I had (and it still isn't important or beneficial in any way) gloves that I misplaced and no longer use, never had a waist trainer for years and I was still in school so it was whatever I had in the household fridge at the time– but still made it work based on the research I did. Stick to the healthy basics when it comes to filling your plate.
Even if you don't have a gym, look up an at-home routine – The KMF 6 Week Guide is available for purchase and takes all the guessing out of the equation when it comes to nutrition and working out.
You do not need to have everything to start. Use what you have and give it the best you can. Start where you are.
Nutrition as a Beginner
This is the tricky part-or we make it seem that way! Do not fall for the fad diets, the 7 day fast, or bad tasting fluids to “cleanse” you overnight. While I am not discrediting the fact that it may work for some, as a beginner it isn't for you-at least not yet. What IS for you is making minor changes to your eating habits that are going to be sustainable for a lifetime. So many food labels trick us into thinking that they are healthy-you know the ones-them sugar free-gluten free-fat free-but not free very expensive ones-yeah-that's a no from me. Switching to whole foods is your best bet. This means one ingredient only or easy to read labels- ingredients that we understand-the least processed the better. Here is a preview glimpse of my grocery guide so you can see exactly where my clients and I get our nutrients and fuel from for optimum results.
Training- Getting Over the newbie Gym Fear
We know how intimidating walking into the gym for the first time is-we can smell the ego, kind of gross. I've had clients that entered almost shaking, ones who faked it till they made it and I was somewhere in between there my first time too. I suggest maybe not going alone the first few times- find a friend that shares the same interest or goal. Someone more social than you and you're comfortable with. Having a partner takes a bit of the awkwardness away from the situation. If that fails-do you have headphones? Use them. Easier said than done but shutting out all distractions and staying in your zone really works. The less people you hear the better it is for you to focus and get out of there. Quickly! However, most of our fears stem from not knowing what to do when we get to the gym in the first place and well- that feels really weird-we end up doing nothing beneficial that makes sense so we can just leave. This brings me to my next tip!
Plan Ahead-Get a planner journal
Knowing exactly what muscle you're going to train and what exercises you're going to do before you go to the gym is holy grail. When you're there, now is not the time to try to figure it out. Don't be shy to ask a trainer for guidance but if you're bad at that too-I suggest you watch videos on properly performing the exercises beforehand. Also, keeping track of your fitness journey as a beginner (advanced levels too) is a must! It really changed the game for me where progress comes into play. If you don't study and keep track of your days, it's hard to figure out what's working in your favor or working against you. Trust me, setting the entire tone for the week ahead when it comes to your nutrition (diet, meal prep, healthy recipes), working out (muscle split, weight training, home workouts) and just necessary self-care is the way to go.
Check out my 12-week fitness planner if you need a safe space – just for you, your thoughts, and your fitness and mental goals!
I hope you enjoyed these tips because I know they are your best bet. Don't worry I'll be back with more- I got you and you got this!
Xoxo
Kaylah M