The gym is a very confusing and exhausting place, ESPECIALLY if you are beginner. It can be very hard for beginner gym goers to get used to the fitness lifestyle, yes the gym is a LIFESTYLE. If you wanna stay fit then you best believe that you have to make the gym a lifestyle, it's NOT A PHASE!
You're probably here because you are looking for some tips to start the gym as a beginner, well you're in luck, because I think I can give you some amazing advice to start your fitness journey!
Just remember, every winner, every legend, and every influencer was a beginner, it's okay to not be used to this lifestyle change. It is a huge change in someone's life, but it is WORTH IT!
Let's dive into some advice and tips for gym beginners!
Nutrition Advice for Beginners
If you are starting a fitness lifestyle you might have already noticed that you have to make changes to your diet. Most likely, if you are a beginner in the gym, your diet before the gym might not have been that great, some people start in better or worse positions than others.
That is completely okay!
The advice I am about to give won't be too extreme, this is because I want you to start with smaller changes in your lifestyle, and then progress to bigger changes later on.
Most diets fail because people rush into them and drastically change their lifestyle to the point at which it is unbearable. Remember, patience (especially at the start) is key to succeeding in the gym, I have failed the first 3 times I attempted a diet simply because I changed my lifestyle too much at the start, which led me to fail. It wasn't until my 4th attempt which was when I started to actually stick to the diet, because I took it slow at the start.
Here are some nutritional tips that I would give someone who has recently started or is about to start their fitness journey.
Low Calorie Options: Try to substitute your favorite foods with lower calorie options, this can be chips, cheese, meat, or any other food you enjoy that has lower calorie options. You can even try making your favorite unhealthy meals at home, with healthier ingredients. This is a little bit more work but can spark a passion in cooking lower calorie and healthier meals which will help you a LOT in your diet.
Eat More Protein: Every single goal set in the gym, will be benefited by eating more protein. Protein will keep you strong, grow muscle and will keep you full with your meals. I know a lot of people are scared of putting on muscle because they don't want to look muscular (mostly in women), but trust me, you won't regret becoming stronger.
Progressively Lower Junk Food Intake: If you are just starting a diet, it is likely that you eat a lot of unhealthy food (which is probably why you started the diet). It is okay to eat junk food, we are all human, it is okay, but make sure it is in moderation. Especially if you are in a diet, it is a good idea to progressively lower your overall consumption of junk food.
Cardio: Cardio will let you eat more food! Do your cardio, and be able to eat more and BURN SOME CALORIES!
Gym Advice
Now let's move onto the advice I would give beginners in the gym, there are loads of things I would tell people to do in the gym, but I have deduced it down to a couple of key points that I think will help a beginner.
Record Your Stats: Make sure you are recording the weight and reps for each exercise you do. This will allow you to progressive overload (lifting more weight or reps than last time) because you will have an idea of what you did last time which will push you to do more this time.
Exercise at least 4 Times a Week: Make sure you have at least 4 workouts in the week, they do not all have to be in the gym. A run, weight lifting session or a long bike are all considered a workout. Prioritize your workouts regarding your goals. For example, if you want to gain muscle, then I would advise you to lift weights more often than doing cardio.
Pick a Split: Find workout splits according to how many times you can go for a workout during the week. There are hundreds of them online, but try to choose simple workout splits such as PPL, Bro Split or even Upper and Lower body Split.
Work the Entire Muscle Group: Make sure you pick exercises that work the ENTIRE muscle group, you wouldn't want to only hit quads on your leg day, you would also want to hit calves and hamstrings. I have in depth guides on how to work each muscle group in my "Exercise and Workouts" posts section , go check it out!
Seek Help from Experienced Individuals: Do NOT be embarrassed to ask for help or advice from people who are experienced gym goers. They know a lot too! I have learned some of my most valuable information from people who are more experienced than me!
Rest and Recovery
There are a lot of beginner gym goers that neglect the importance of rest and recovery in the gym, this is due to them not having enough knowledge about how important it is.
Rest and recovery is the basis of muscle growth, it is key that you rest your body in order for it to function properly and perform well!
Here are some tips I would have given myself 1 year ago (when I was a beginner) about rest and recovery.
Muscle Recovery: Make sure to wait 48-72 hours before working the same muscle group again, this will ensure the muscle is fully rested before the workout and is good to be exercised again.
Sleep: Make sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night in order for your muscles to grow and rest.
Eat Good: Make sure you eat quality and somewhat healthy meals after your workouts in order for your body to replenish it's energy.
Overall, these are the tips I would have given myself when I first started going to the gym, I genuinely think these are high quality tips for beginners that are feasible to do. The gym will become a big part of your life if you wish to pursue fitness as a lifestyle, so know what you are signing yourself up for! Make sure to believe in yourself, because being able to believe in yourself is what is going to allow you to succeed.
Until next time,
Thanks for reading and GOOD LUCK in your journey!
Just a young man trying to bring fitness to the world!
Comments