How to get fit for total beginners. Consider your goal (the ‘why’). Why do you want to start exercising? You probably aren’t thrilled by the idea, but you’ve recently started getting tired more easily or your back hurts more often… all this sitting at a desk or using the computer takes its toll on all of us. However, these are external reasons; it’s important to have internal motivation, too. It’s like schoolwork — we all work harder if we care about the results ourselves, not just to satisfy our parents or teachers. That’s why you need to imagine your goal and how it will help you once you achieve it.

Consider what you have (the ‘how’). Going to the gym has two main disadvantages. First, it’s not free; second, it takes additional effort (and time!) to leave the house. But you don’t need to splurge on a gym membership — working out at home can be fun and effective, too, even without much equipment! Find a place in your house or room for a mat for a start. You can use what you have in your room as weights. Get creative!

Think about what you like doing. I know, if you’re reading this, you probably don’t like any physical activity much. It’s still possible to find something fun that will give good results. You don’t like boring exercise? Try aerobics! There’s a lot of tutorials online to choose from. You like something more calm, but with great results? Yoga is your go‑to choice, it’s relaxing and it’s a great way to stretch your body if you’re a beginner. Want to get out of the house? Try jogging! And it’s just a few ideas. If you consider your preferences, you can find the perfect workout for you.

Don’t focus on collecting the perfect gear before you start. It’s textbook procrastination — I’ll start exercising once I get new shoes and a fashionable outfit. If you exercise at home, it has absolutely no meaning what you wear. It only needs to be comfortable and safe; for example, it’s vital to wear shoes for a more intense, fast workout to prevent slipping and resulting accidents. So, take your favourite sweats out of your wardrobe, tie your hair and you’re ready to go!

Make a plan — but go easy on yourself. It’s another trap: in the planning phase, we are often overly ambitious. We plan too difficult tasks, too often and for too long. There really is nothing wrong with going easy on yourself. Start with 15 minutes of a light workout daily and stick to it! If your plan is too ambitious, you’ll lose motivation very quickly and go back to not exercising at all. 

Ask yourself this — how can I make it easier for myself? Well, one idea is, when you have planned to exercise in the morning, before school (because after you get home you’re too tired for it), prepare your outfit and shoes the day before and put them by your bed. You can also set a reminder on your phone half an hour before your planned exercise time. Another tip is finding a good soundtrack to motivate you to work out.

Think about nutrition and (small at first) changes to your diet. First of all, you probably don’t drink enough water, so start there! We all need at least 2 litres of water daily to keep our organs working properly (and no, coffee and tea don’t count!). Once you start exercising, you will need even more. Nutrition is important, too; you need a lot of proteins to give yourself energy. Reduce your sugar and simple fats intake to make it easier for yourself.

 It can be a good idea to find an exercise buddy. It could be your fit friend or one who needs to start exercising just like you. For one, you won’t be alone and, secondly, doing it together with someone will keep you accountable. If you make an arrangement to exercise with someone, it won’t be as easy to cancel as if you were exercising on your own. You will be able to motivate each other.

The hardest part — just start! Anything is better than nothing for a start. Once you see even small results, you’ll be glad you started when you did and things will get easier. With time, as you get stronger, you will be able to exercise longer and do more demanding exercise. After a rough start you will even begin to look forward to your daily workout. Good luck!