Are you intimidated by beginning a fitness program? Do you feel like you have such a long journey ahead of you because of your starting point and sometimes doubt your abilities to complete it? Well, this post is for you then.
I have been doing this for a long time, and I can tell you that I have seen so many warriors join this community who started out as ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS! There are too many success stories for me to believe that anyone is disqualified. There are a few key aspects to seeing success as a beginner, though.
- Be Willing To Build New Habits.
- Stay Humble, Be Patient, and Embrace the Process.
- Surround Yourself with Like-Minded Community.
Be Willing To Build New Habits
Your brain is wired for habits. If you’ve reinforced unhealthy habits for years, it can seem very daunting to even try to undo those, right? The beauty of the brain, however, is that what can be wired in can also be wired out. It takes 60 days to build a new habit, thus why many of my programs are 60 days long. If you set your mind to building the important habits of removing all processed food and sodas, replacing them with whole foods, and moving every day – for 60 days – you are going to see that it will become a lifestyle for you that gets easier and easier to incorporate because you are more adjusted to it. Don’t let the idea of starting something new intimidate you. You CAN do this!
Stay Humble, Be Patient, and Embrace the Process
Acknowledge from the beginning that you are signing up for a JOURNEY. This is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes humility to start something that you feel pretty terrible at in the beginning, but know that showing up every day and making the right decisions is success for you. You will improve with practice in both terms of eating well and movement. Time and again, I’ve seen warriors who couldn’t even do one push up over time able to do many push ups – and with great form, too!
Be patient with yourself, especially when it comes to seeing physical results. I always encourage progress photos instead of the scale because the scale truly does not tell the whole story. If you are expecting to see overnight results, you will be disappointed, but if you are consistently making the right choices, you will see change over time. With my programs, some start to see change in as soon as a week, while others it may take 3-4 weeks. Every person’s body will respond differently, so it’s important to not compare yourself to others. Celebrate other’s progress and keep working.
Surround Yourself with Like-Minded Community
You may not have the support you wish for at home or in your local circle. Unfortunately, this is rather common. If you do, that’s amazing! As a society, we are rather unhealthy (though we have come a long way in recent years!), so when you decide to step out of line and transition to a healthy lifestyle, others may not understand your decision. Sarcastic remarks and disinterest from those you love can threaten to demotivate you, but remember this: sometimes you have to be the pioneer – the trailblazer – for your family and community. While that may feel lonely for a time, you will influence those around you, even if they don’t show it. The very fact that you’re doing something different is making them think and evaluate their choices. Overall, don’t let their lack of support stop you. How sad would it be to not reach your potential and better your life and health because someone else wasn’t on board?
It is important to have community, though, so if you are unable to find that locally, my MA Warrior Community is made up of women and men from all around the world who will support, encourage, and help motivate you to your goals. This community has birthed many friendships and the camaraderie feels like family. You have a great resource to answer your questions, and you learn so much from each other along the way!
So, if you’re a beginner, know that you can do this. Be patient with yourself and your process. You’re going to look back and be amazed at how far you’ve come if you don’t give up. Put one foot in front of the other every day, and over time all of that progress is going to add up, but you have to start with step one. Let’s get it.
