Top tips for starting back to exercise

Here are my top tips for starting back:

1. Don’t be in a rush and build up slowly.  If I have taken time off I can be impatient to get back to the weights and routine I was doing previously.  This can lead to injury, loss of motivation and lots of muscle pain.  Take time to build your body back up – there is no rush.  I split my workouts into upper and lower body.  So as much as I want to tone everything back up after a break, I will now stick to my plan coming back because that will mean only half my body has muscle pain the next day!!

2. Fix a routine, and more importantly, stick to it.  Setting routine helps build habits which leads to consistency which is what we are trying to get back.

3. Have a plan.  This will help you to effectively work all muscles throughout the week but also give your necessary recovery periods and rest days

4. It is OK not to finish all of your workout.  I find the hardest part of a workout is turning up.  So just go, make a start a see where you get.  You will likely find you finish it all.  But if you do not, something is better than nothing.

5. Remember why you want to get healthy.  Is it to keep active with your kids, is it to live a long a fruitful life illness free?  Whatever it is, keep it at the forefront.  Long term happiness is often better than a short term fix.

6. Consider a buddy to workout with or join a group class.  This gives you accountability and motivation and less likelihood of ditching.

7. Keep a holistic approach in mind.  Not just in exercise (making sure you do some cardio, resistance training and stretching) but also making sure you are eating well (you cannot out train a bad diet) and getting good quality sleep.