A fitness journey, especially a new one can be intimidating. There are workouts to learn, diets to follow, willpower to conjure, and self-consciousness to overcome. But making the decision to start a fitness regimen and making strides toward improving your health are the absolute best things you can do for yourself — mind and body.
With that said, here are some things that gym goers should understand. These are some of the things that I have learned since stepping foot in the gym more than two decades ago, and which have benefited me tremendously.
Working out is fun – Non-gym goers think that working out is a burden but nothing could be further from the truth. Working out is extremely fun and something quite a lot of people look forward to every single day.
Don’t workout to impress people – A good physique might get you noticed and might convey a sense of hard work and dedication but that’s pretty much it. A good personality is necessary for all aspects of your life. If you’re thinking of starting to work out just to impress some girl, or guy, think again.
Spot reduction – This is a myth. Side bends will not get rid of your love handles and crunches will absolutely not burn fat in your midsection.
Eating fat doesn’t make you fat – Calories are what determine if you gain or lose fat. You can gain fat on a completely clean diet if you overeat and you can even lose fat on a ‘junk food’ diet if you eat less. It’s all calories in vs calories out. Diet is the most important factor in determining your body composition.
Sleep is extremely important – Six to eight hours of sleep is necessary for optimum recovery and hormone functioning among other things.
Compound lifts are key for building muscle – Squats, deadlifts, bench press, pullups, overhead press, rows, and dips should form the crux of your workouts. They give the most bang for your buck as they hit multiple muscles and are capable of heavy loading. Progressive overload is the only way to build muscle. It can be weight, reps, sets, technique, rest times, etc improvements.
Get a life – Finally, have a life and personality outside the gym. This is extremely important as many tend to get consumed and obsessed with working out. I confess that I am ridiculously obsessed with not skipping workout sessions but I still make time to go out with friends and have fun. You should do the same.
