Before I started working out, I had this scary image of the gym in my head that kept me far, far away. I pictured mean, muscley men rolling their eyes at me for my puny arms. I pictured myself lifting weights incorrectly and pulling my muscles. I thought I had no place in the gym if I didn’t look like a shredded “Gymshark” influencer.
When I decided to finally rip the band-aid off, I was completely unsure where to begin. I hardly even knew what a hamstring was. I was nervous, but I certainly wasn’t alone; being a beginner is never easy.
If you are also getting ready to start your gym journey, I believe it’s important to have at least a semi-understanding of what you’re getting into. Nothing will be perfect, but the exciting part is learning as you grow and watching yourself slowly become better and better. Here are my do’s and don’ts to make getting consistent in the gym a whole lot easier!
DO: Start with a goal
Creating a plan from scratch is nearly impossible with nothing to center your workouts around. Intentionally structuring plans and focusing on specific muscles will allow you to see your desired progress easier. A goal could be as simple as “tone up” or as complicated as “round out my glutes.”
Initially, my personal goal in the gym was simply to gain full-body strength. So, I approached my plan prioritizing a balance between muscle groups. Having even a simple goal gave my search for workouts a clear direction, rather than aimlessly scrolling through popular TikTok exercises.
DON’T: Under-fuel your workouts
Especially with women’s fitness, “wellness culture” seems to constantly tell us to eat less than our body requires. When you are working out, striving for muscle growth or not, your body expends energy, and it is important to fuel it properly.
Perhaps you’ve encountered “fasted cardio” or intermittent fasting, examples of wellness plans that often require exercise with no prior fuel. These plans may be beneficial for some, but it’s important to take it with a grain of salt when online creators claim them as “end-all-be-all” fitness routines. In reality, food, particularly carbohydrates, is our bodies’ most natural way of powering energy expenditure and supporting energetic, enjoyable workouts.
DO: Take it slow
In my experience, exercise won’t become a natural part of your daily or weekly routine overnight; it takes time to get into the habit and find what works for you. If you’re jumping into the fitness world craving quick results, it might seem like going to the gym as much as possible is the only option for success. However, unless you have superhuman discipline, this can be a recipe for burnout, and you’ll likely begin to view the gym as a chore rather than an enjoyable step in your routine.
Although it may not work for everyone, this is how I eased myself into fitting the gym in my weekly routine. I began going three days a week in no particular pattern, only selecting days I had ample free time. Once I got used to how the gym fit in my schedule, how long my workouts would take, and how comfortable I was, I created a more consistent plan that I knew I could stick to. For me, this is two days on, one day off, rotating through a different major muscle group each day (quads, triceps, hamstrings, then biceps).
DON’T: Copy an influencer’s EXACT routine expecting the same results
I can’t say I’m not guilty of this, but I don’t believe any fitness guru has the magical, fool-proof workout that will give everyone their perfect body. We’re all different, and we can’t always fully trust what we’re seeing on social media. Who knows who’s had BBLs and who’s on steroids?
Influencers can, in my opinion, though, be a helpful source of inspiration when building your own routine. Maybe you find a new movement you’d like to try, or maybe you find a tutorial for a machine you’ve never used. Whatever content they may put out there, it should only be a resource, not the basis of your journey; fitness is personal!
DO: Find workouts you actually like
Most importantly, fitness requires a lifestyle change, not just a temporary routine. So, it’s necessary that you chase your goals in ways that bring you joy. Consistency is difficult when your workout routine makes you dread going to the gym every day.
Finding these workouts took a bit of time for me. For one, I’m super tall, and doing squats makes me feel embarrassed. So, I found replacements! I also, no matter how hard I tried, hate running. Luckily, there’s a million other ways to get in cardio. The fitness world is just not as limited as it seems sometimes. The perfect routine is out there for everyone–it only takes patience, time, and motivation.