New to fitness? Find out what to avoid and how to create the best plan for you!
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If you’re new to working out, you’ve come to the right place! There are so many options for beginner workout routines that leave you feeling tired and dry. I want to help you lay a foundation for a better beginner workout routine. You already have everything you need to get started, namely, your body and your joy!
My background is in personal training and teaching group fitness classes, but more recently, I’ve been diving into joyful movement. Joyful movement is essentially focusing less on how you want exercise to make you look, and more on how you want to feel. This post will walk through workouts from this framework.
You’ve most likely already experienced joyful movement with physical activity from childhood, whether in PE class, sports, or just playing around with friends. Working out as an adult isn’t much different, except now you get to choose what works for you.
Now, let’s do it Revelation Wellness style, and get set free.
Don't do this:
Earning your calories with a workout
The best thing you can do to begin your fitness journey is to separate your exercise from your food. Exercising only to burn calories will only blur the lines for what you actually like, and cause you to choose an exercise you don’t enjoy based on how many calories it burns. This is the quickest way to work out burnout. Start disconnecting the two in your brain.
Earning your value with a workout
The righteous shall live by faith. The righteous shall live by faith. And again for the people in the back: “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).
Obsessing over others opinions, trackers, and measurements
Experts are valuable. Trackers have their place. Measurements (of the right kind) can be helpful information. But for now, rest from all of these. Until you get settled into a workout rhythm that feels right with the Lord, turn off your watch rings, don’t worry about the scale, and maybe even take a break from social media accounts focused on fitness.
Joyful movement is essentially focusing less on how you want exercise to make you look, and more on how you want to feel.
Building a better beginner workout routine
Define your core values
Defining what is meaningful to you will help anchor your movement habits in an unshakeable way. Your workouts will simply become an overflow of who you already are. You can print out joyful movement habit worksheets here and start with a firm foundation.
Identify your current daily physical activity
Lean into that. A successful workout routine is directly related to your activities of daily living. You don’t want to start a heavy routine that impairs your ability to do life on a daily basis. Start noticing what activities feel challenging for you during the day, and this will be the activity you can supplement with a more specific exercise.
Reflect on past exercise you enjoyed
Think about activities that felt like fun but you ended up sweaty. This feeling of enjoyment is a good place to start for figuring out how you want to fit in more physical activity.
Balance your workout routine
Think of your everyday activities as your movement meal, and the workout as your supplement. How do you need to supplement your movement? Take what you’re already doing, what you enjoy, and add strength, cardio, and/or mobility.
Get a support team
Not sure what you’re doing? How to add strength? Cardio? Mobility? Get a coach you can trust to start you off and check your form before you get injured. Search for a Revelation Wellness class. Find the people that make you feel safe and can challenge you in appropriate ways.
Start slow and small
If you are new to working out, you’ll need a longer warm-up, at least 10-15 minutes. Be kind to your body. Working out is a literal physical transition, and the warm-up is a crucial way to gently move you into a higher heart rate zone, body temperature, mobilize your joints, etc. Start with two non-consecutive days of a supplemental workout, then add another day after you’ve been faithful to that routine for a few weeks.
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.
Progress gently
Find your comfort zone. Got it? Okay, now take a small step outside your comfort zone. Walk an extra block. Lift a half pound more. Achieving a goal, no matter how small, releases dopamine, and that will keep the encouragement going to help you progress naturally and safely.
Be flexible
Once you have a routine down, life circumstances will change. Your body will change. This is a part of life, and part of sticking with a workout routine means being able to change directions quickly. Repeat steps 1-6 and you’ll find a new normal in no time. And remember, God is holding you this whole way through. You’re not alone, especially in the transitions of life!
The best kind of workout gains
Where do you go from here? Check for the signs so you can stay free! Here is what you can look forward to, signs you’re “on the right track” when it comes to joyful movement:
Greater attunement to your body
Once you practice moving and noticing what feels great and what doesn’t, your brain-body connection will grow stronger. You’ll recognize physical cues that you need more rest or you need to move, and you respond with an appropriate exercise or workout.
Less guilt and shame
You’ll experience less body bashing, and feel more right about needing to rest or modify an exercise to fit your needs.
A community of trust and encouragement
You have workout buddies who are mutually encouraging. You have established a professional health team like physical therapists and trainers you trust, or at least know what to look for when seeking out help.
You experience more joy in workouts
Joy is the ultimate indicator that you’re on the right track. Joy draws you out into greater purpose, and meaning, and folds your workout into your life in a way that is life-giving both for you and others, and glorifying to Your Maker.
I hope this little post has been a helpful start for you. If you ever start experiencing a lot of “shoulds” in your inner narrative when it comes to working out, or get frustrated with outcomes and opinions, come on back to grace.
Grace is the Good News that all workouts, no matter how big or small, start with God. God gave you the body you have (this is grace). God gives you desires to draw you near to Him (this is grace). He ultimately is the One who will finish what He started in you (this is grace).
You can lay down your worries, your fears, your “what ifs” in the hands of grace. Let the Lord lead you out in the strength of His joy, and everything will work out.
Kasey Shuler is an author, Bible teacher, and co-founder of the Joyful Health Collective. Her mission is to help women find lasting health by starting with grace and finding joy walking by faith. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Athens, Georgia, and would love to connect with you at joyfulhealth.co, or on Instagram.
The Beginners Fitness Guide is HERE
If you’re new to fitness or just getting back into an exercise routine after a long hiatus, The Ultimate Guide to Fitness for Beginners will have everything you need to get started, Revelation Wellness style!
We answer all your questions, from: Why does exercise matter to how to burn calories without working out.
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2 Responses
I’m 74 years old and appreciate your tips on working out and treating my wonderfully, God-created body to honor Him! Thanks for all the advice and encouragement!
Amen! We’re so glad you’re encouraged here. Thanks for reading the blog and keep moving in love!