Hi guys!
How to start a workout routine and not quit within the first month.
This is the topic of the video.
Why within the first month?
Because it takes 30 days to build a habit and if you stick to exercising for a month,
then you'll probably continue doing it.
Not only because it's going to be a habit and a part of your life, but also because
after a month it's going to be so much more enjoyable, so much more fun, and instead of
motivation, you'll need just.. you know, you won't need motivation anymore because it's
going to be fun or sort of like a challenge and you'll really want to keep exercising.
Plus, if you stop, your body will let you know that it's stiff, that it's unhappy, and
you just won't be able to stop.
But that first month is a very, very trick time when most people give up, and I gave
up a few times as well before I finally got into this routine.
So why am I making this video?
Well, because I've been exercising now for a couple of months after a very, very long
break of two years.
I was really fit a couple of years ago, but then I stopped and that's when all of my crazy
health issues started, and I've just recently come back to exercising, and the first month
was tough, let me tell you that.
It was really tough!
But I persevered and then the second month was amazing and extremely motivating when
you see your muscles getting stronger and you have more and more energy every day and
you feel so much better about yourself, and you feel like you can do anything.
That's priceless!
So let's jump into the video.
So my first tip is find something that your really love doing.
It doesn't have to be some kind of gym class or weight lifting if you don't like that kind
of stuff.
It doesn't have to be running if you don't like that kind of stuff.
For example, I really don't like running and I don't do that.
There are so many other things you can enjoy like basketball, swimming, yoga, pilates,
dancing, riding a horse - there are so many different things you can do.
The thing is if you do something that you like, you have much more chances to continue
doing that, so find something that you really love.
Tip number two is don't sign up for the gym.
You might think that if you pay money for the gym membership, then it will kind of motivate
you to continue exercising, but in reality it's not like that.
I've seen myself do that, I've seen so many friends do that - they sigh up, they pay money,
and then they stop going, and then they feel guilty that they spent the money and it's
just such a horrible ride to be on, so don't do that.
Every time you go to the gym, it's going to take so much time because you have to go there,
come back, and once you get there, you kind of can't go there just for 10 or 15 minutes,
so you'll be forced to do more, and you'll burn out, and then you''ll get tired, you'll
get bored, and you have so many chances to stop.
So just don't do that, just invest in a really good quality yoga mat and a couple of dumbbells
- that's all you need really.
I bought these from Decathlon, it's a sort of local, European fitness store.
They were a bargain, just 24 euros and it's 10 kg on each side, and it's going to be enough
for me for probably forever.
And then I got a really nice yoga mat from the same Decathlon store as well for around
30 euros and it's amazing quality, gives you so much grip, so for literally 54 euros I'm
totally equipped for life.
Now my tip number three is be consistent.
You don't have to do super long and intense workout every single day, especially when
you're starting out and you haven't exercised for a while.
There's no way you're going to be able to do long workouts.
So just commit to doing let's say 10 minutes of workouts every single day and it's going
to be so easy for you because come on, anyone can do 10 minutes, it's not hard!
But sticking to the programme every single day is going to build such a strong habit.
The next tip is kind of related, but in addition to promising to yourself that you're going
to stick to exercising every day, even if it's just 5 or 10 minutes, also promise yourself
that you're going to exercise for 30 days, so a month.
And then once those 30 days are up, then you're going to reconsider and decide what you're
going to do in the nature.
Just say that to yourself and somehow making a commitment for a temporary amount of time
is so much easier than making a commitment for life.
We people are wired to be afraid of commitments for life, but a temporary commitment just
for 30 days we'll look at it as if it was a game or a challenge, so it will be so much
easier for us.
The thing is after those 30 days you won't be able to stop because you'll be enjoying
yourself so much.
But for now just say 30 days, nothing to lose, let's give it a try and let's see what comes
out of it.
Tip number five is promise yourself that you will treat yourself somehow once those 30
days are up and your habit is built.
So it can be anything that rocks your boat really, it can be going to a special concert
or taking your special person or yourself to a very special restaurant or going on a
very special weekend trip, or doing whatever you really wanted to do.
I'm not a big fan of treating yourself with junk food, but maybe it's that special cake
that you really wanted to make.
Whatever it is that really makes you happy, just do that, and it's going to be another
extra thing to motivate yourself with.
Tip number six is probably the most important for me out of all of these and it's do something
different every single day because boredom is the main killer of motivation in anything:
in a job, in your hobby, in your relationship, in working out, in anything.
Boredom is the main killer of motivation.
Don't ever forget that.
So if you try to do the same monotonous routine a few times in a row, you have so many chances
to give up.
Trust me, I've been there, it just doesn't work.
But if you do a different thing every single day, not only you will keep your muscles guessing
and getting stronger so much quicker, but you'll also keep your brain guessing and you
won't be bored and you'll keep the excitement alive.
It's going to be super easy to be motivated because it's going to be like a game more
than exercising routine.
The next point is very closely related to this one and it's how not to do the same workout
a few times in a row.
So I'm using this amazing app called Skimble Workout Trainer.
I've been using it for 6 years.
I had it on my first smartphone and I still have it on my current one because it's the
best app I've ever found.
It basically has hundreds of free workouts that are available to anyone and they are
categorised by sort of style, like yoga or pilates or weightlifting, whatever, but they
are also categorised by certain muscle groups, like arms, legs or abs.
There is also a paid version which is the one I'm doing and it's only I think 5.99 euros
a month or something like that.
It's really not that expensive compared to how much you would pay for a gym membership.
But it's priceless because you get access to all the workout routines, so it's kind
of like having a personal trainer with you for a fraction of the price because you get
all of these detailed instructions from the trainer, the voice of the trainer, and you
get all of these workouts with all the schedules of what you need every single day, and there
is a video that shows you how exactly to perform each exercise, and it's just unbelievable.
So I did Detox Yoga, which is amazing.
I did a really nice kind of kickboxing inspired routine.
I did Functional Fitness.
I did HIIT kind of routine.
I've done so many workout routines and they're all amazing and I highly recommend this app,
especially if you get the paid version because I think it's priceless.
You can also buy each of the programmes individually, but it's so much more expensive than just
paying monthly and getting access to all of them.
They have workouts of all kinds of levels, from casual to intense, and they can be anywhere
from 6 or 8 minutes all the way to an hour, so you really choose whatever rocks your boat,
and I could never do without this programme.
I really attribute the whole success of my working out just to this app.
It's life changing.
My tip number eight is a really quick one, but make sure you make some magnesium oil.
I made a video about it a month or two ago, so I'll link it down in the description and
somewhere around here.
But make some magnesium oil for yourself and apply it on your skin 2 or 3 times a week
after exercising, and it's going to help your recovery so much, and your muscles won't be
sore, and if your muscles aren't sore, you'll be much more into exercising the next day.
The next tip is kind of nutrient or food related and that's iron stores.
Make sure you check your ferritin levels before embarking on your fitness routine because
if your ferritin is low, it means that your body doesn't have enough iron stores, and
if your iron stores are low, then your body doesn't get enough oxygen, and if muscles
don't get enough oxygen, they're weaker and then you're more prone to getting out of breath
and cardio becomes quite difficult, and so you won't really enjoy exercising so much.
So if that's the case, you just need to eat more iron in your foods or take good quality
liquid iron and you will see your strength go through the roof.
I'm talking about this from my own experience because my ferritin was really low and I started
taking liquid iron, and now I'm becoming like a superwoman.
And my last tip is get comfortable but beautiful clothing.
Something that really inspires you to exercise because if you wear some kind of frumpy horrible
clothing, if you don't like the way you look, you're not going to stick to exercising that
much.
it's just another way to motivate yourself.
If you look good, you're going to feel good, and then you'll just be more willing to go
and exercise, especially if you exercise in the open air, in the park or something, you'll
be much more willing to go out and do something if you know that you look cute.
You don't have to waste lots of money.
There are lots of great places like H&M, they do really great leggings and nice sports clothes,
also Primark, they do also quite good quality things, you know, you don't have to spend
lots of money on branded stuff.
Just get something nice and comfortable, something that doesn't make you hot, and it will be
much easier for you to exercise.
So for example I have this beloved sports bra from Primark that I really like and it's
so comfortable.
I always feel very special in it, I don't know why, and then I also have these super
cute leggings in this kind of Aztec print from Primark as well.
That's like my go-to workout outfit.
Yeah, I guess this is all I wanted to talk about today.
I really hope that I inspired some of you to start exercising because yes, it's hard,
but once you start, and once it becomes a routine, and once you become so much stronger,
you're going to feel amazing.
Seriously, if you have depression, low energy, it's going to be life-changing for you, so
start exercising now and in a month's time you'll come back to thank me because it's
amazing.
So I really hope that these tips will help you.
Good luck starting to exercise.
Let me know how it goes for you, and I'll see you in my next video.
Thanks for watching.
Bye!