So, you’re overweight, and you’ve never done a workout in your life. At this point, you might have perhaps thought that there might be a connection between your weight and your lack of workout experience.
If you are overweight though, then you have to start to exercise to get healthier. By now, you probably know just how dangerous it can be for you when you enter the obesity stage. That can be downright fatal.
You have to exercise, as dieting won’t be enough. Exercise burns off more calories. And you have to put in some cardio work for your heart and lungs. Even strength training is a good idea, as that also burns off fat even as it develops bigger muscles.
Undoubtedly, as a newbie to working out, things won’t be easy for you. It doesn’t help that you’re overweight as well, and some types of exercises might not be all that doable. Still, here are some tips that can help you out:
Find a Supportive Gym
Yes, it’s true that some gyms are hardcore hangouts for truly buff dudes (and dudettes), and you might not feel all that comfortable working out in such an environment. Still, there are some places where the staff and even the other members are truly supportive of newbies and overweight members. Or, you can try 24-hour gyms like Anytime Fitness or 24 Hour Fitness and you can get your workout in during the least busy hours.
Get Help
As you’re a newbie, you need help for many things involved with your workout. In this particular case, it makes perfect sense to get the help of a personal trainer. That personal trainer can do lots of things for you that you might not even think about.
First off, they can get a complete health plan for you. The trainer can work with you to come up with reasonable health goals, such as losing maybe 5 to 8 pounds a month, instead of losing 20 pounds in a couple of days.
You get a plan with a workout that matches your newbie skills and knowledge, and a time-frame that fits your schedule. You can even get a diet plan as well.
The trainer makes sure you use all the equipment efficiently and safely. And they can give you words of encouragement (among other words they can use) to keep you motivated.
Start Slow
You might be dreading the very idea of working out, especially if you watch the movies. They all seem to be moving frenetically at an impossible pace, and even watching that sort of thing might just discourage you.
But you don’t have to go full blast right away. In fact, the recommended mode is to go slow if you’re a newbie to workouts. And you do have to acknowledge that some exercises such as chin-ups or even pushups might be currently beyond your skill level.
Still there are some things you can do, and they’re not complicated at all. You can start with brisk walking, at a moderate pace and for a reasonable distance. The right pace lets you talk to someone as you move, but you still should be exerting enough effort that singing while walking (or jogging) might not be possible. If you’re able to sing, then you have to go harder and faster.
You have to ramp up slowly as well. Maybe you can start with a 5-mile walk every other day. Once that feels too easy, you might do it every day. Then you can do more minutes per day, as you gradually increase the load. The goal is to get to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.
Good luck with your workout, and hopefully you’ll lose the weight gradually but surely.