Introduction
Like everybody else on the planet today, I, too, realized the importance of eating healthy and being fit. This one aspect of your life spills onto the other ones more than anything else.
It affects your work, relationship, mindset, day-to-day living, ambition, ethics, and everything else you can think of. Our health is something that controls all the other parts of our lives, whether we realize it or not. One of the easiest ways to live happier is simply by living a healthier life.
As soon as I realized this big truth, I made healthy changes in my life. I started working out, eating home-cooked meals, and eating out a lot less frequently. I could feel the difference soon but since I was an amateur, I also made the process difficult for myself.
If I could go back in time, I would do things a bit differently this time around. Over time I’ve come to realize that these are common among those who just started working out on an Exercise Bench in the gym.
So, here are 5 mistakes I made when I first started exercising and the changes I would make this around to get better results:
1) Taking on too much:
Like most amateurs, I was ready to jump the gun when it came to working out when I had just started. From picking up heavier weights than I needed to work out the whole week, I was going all out. Although the enthusiasm of a beginner is always applaudable, there is a big reason why things need to progress slowly. After years of not working out, my body and mind, as well, needed time and space to adjust to the new lifestyle. Taking things slow would have maintained my enthusiasm as well as made working out sustainable for a long time for me.
2) Not taking care of my nutrition:
Although I was aware of the part diets play in a healthy lifestyle, I was not aware of how big it is. Shockingly, working out makes up only 20 percent of a healthy body. Yes, that’s the truth. The whole functioning of the body (80%) depends on your diet and how nourishing it is. If you keep eating out and stuffing your face with fast food, no matter how much you work out, your body and life would not be as healthy as you expect them to be. From the best time to take multivitamins to find healthy sources of all kinds of nutrients, all played a big part in my healthy journey and are something everyone should focus on, regardless of their goal.
3) Not choosing the right exercises:
When I first started working out, I had a bit of an idea of what exercises are generally, you know, like pushups, lunges, crunches, and whatnot. The mistake I made was thinking that these general exercises would help me achieve my goals. These exercises are great in and by themselves but also were not aligned with the results I wanted. If I could just go back, I would first define my goal as clearly as possible. Then, I would approach a trainer who would help me achieve those goals with their expert guidance. This would save so much time and also would help me achieve my goals that much quicker.
4) High Expectations:
I am not going to lie, when I first started working out, I expected to see results immediately. I am talking about standing in front of the mirror the next day after my first workout and expecting to see a shred of 6 pounds! Talk about high expectations! This is a mistake almost everyone makes because frankly, none of us have any idea about the time it takes to see results. For some people, not seeing immediate results can be disheartening and some stop working out altogether. Don’t exercise with this mindset, otherwise, you would need to start from scratch again and again. With the help of an expert, you can create an expected timeline for your desired results and then, work towards it healthily.
5) Not taking my lifestyle into account:
As I started working out, I did not think too much about my lifestyle and how exercising would fit into it. It was a big mistake. Like most city people, my time was bound by office meetings, social meetings, seminars and so much more. Even more so, my food habits and daily routine were pretty tied up. I somehow expected exercising to fit in there automatically. It was only in due time that I realized that only exercising would not lead to a healthy lifestyle. What I eat, when I eat, when I sleep, when I wake up, how active I am throughout the day – all these things count towards making a healthy lifestyle. Ordering my supplements from an online supplement store, organizing my sleep schedule and other such habits helped me overall.
Conclusion
Choosing to live a healthier lifestyle is an excellent and necessary decision. It is important, though, to give yourself time to assimilate into such a lifestyle. Through a little preparation, you can ensure that no effort of yours goes wasted on this thing. With the help of an expert or through meticulous learning, you can achieve your best life in no time.
