When you’re a beginner or overweight and want to start exercising, it can be intimidating to head out to the gym or try the latest fitness trends. Plus: A lot of what’s on offer on the good ol’ internet can be off-putting – I mean, who does a burpee on their very first day of exercising?
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In addition, doing moves that you’re not ready for can end up doing more harm than good. So, it’s vital that you start off nice and easy, and work your way up to doing the more intense moves. Give your body some time to adjust to the new movements, be consistent, and don’t ever, ever, ever give up. You’ve got this.
Here are four activities that will ease you into the wonderful (yes!) world of exercise and help you achieve your fitness goals.
Walking
Walking is great as it can be done anywhere and doesn’t require any equipment. It’s low-impact and can be done at whatever pace you feel is comfortable. Aim for 10 to 15 minutes a day, and increase the time as your stamina builds. You goal doesn’t have to revolve around speed or time – just aim to be consistent. As you get stronger, your speed will naturally increase. And with a little hard work and dedication, you’ll be completing a 10k in no time!
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Strength Training
Strength training has so many benefits – it’s great for helping to correct posture, build and strengthen muscles, and it fires up your metabolism, which helps you burn more fat. But it’s important that you learn how to lift properly to avoid injury. If you can’t afford a personal trainer, do as much research as possible, watch a few tutorials or ask a friend to help you out. Don’t overdo it by trying to life too heavy – start out light with more reps, then work your way up to heavier weights.
Swimming
Swimming is a great total-body workout, it burns max kilojoules in min time, and you don’t have to work up a sweat. Nice. Water can also support up to 90 percent of your weight, which makes it the perfect exercise if you’re plus size. It’s also excellent for total newbies, and those who suffer with pain or injuries.
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Dance
Calling all dancing queens! Dancing can be as low- or high-impact as you want – just put on some bangin’ tunes and get moving. You can join a hip-pop class, try a YouTube tutorial or simply let your inner J-Lo free. The bonus: while you’re busy having fun, you’re also improving your cardiovascular health, elevating your mood, strengthening your muscles and incinerating fat.
