The Secret To Getting Your Body Swimsuit-Ready

With warm weather and sunny skies just around the corner, most of us are trying to figure out how we’re going to fit into a swimsuit by summer.

For many, that means hitting the gym hard for the next few months and praying that all the hard work pays off in time.

But what about those of us who never really go to the gym…or exercise at all? How are we supposed to figure out where to start and what to expect?

Even if you’ve never lifted a weight in your life, now is absolutely the perfect time to start working toward healthy goals and achieve the dream body you’ve always wanted.

Here are 4 helpful fitness tips for beginners you need to know before you get started:

1. Don’t Overdo It: No matter what your fitness level was last year, you’re starting from scratch right now. After a long hiatus, your first workout might actually feel amazing—so amazing, in fact, that you totally overdo it. The key to exercise is consistency, and you’ll never keep any regime going by wasting all your energy on one workout. The problem is the next day—or even the day after that—when you realize you can’t last as long as you did in that very first workout. For most beginners, this is such a big deterrent that you might give up altogether. When you get started, try moderate exercise for about 30 minutes, and build from that every week.
2. Pick the Right Plan: Do you hate running? Then, don’t force yourself to do it! Maybe you would prefer to try spinning twice a week or a dance class to get your heart rate going. The key to working out consistently is to do something you truly enjoy. Never jump into something just because it’s the new fad for the most in-shape gymgoers. Once you figure out your favorite way to move, take about 30 minutes to 1 hour out of your day to dedicate to your fitness goals. The best way to go about this is to exercise at the same time every day. Go before work to get your day started or end your day with a great workout to get rid of all the stress you’ve been building up—the choice is up to you!
3. Set Realistic Goals: So you’ve been working out every day this week, leading up to the much-anticipated moment when you finally weigh yourself. Finally, you step on that scale and come face-to-face with that number, and…it’s exactly the same as before. This is generally when beginners start feeling like working out is just useless. What’s the point of exercising if you’re not going to see results? Of course, there are people who start losing weight the moment they decide to exercise. But not everybody is quite so lucky. Working out takes weeks of dedication before most people start seeing noticeable results. Your hard work will pay off, but you have to keep reminding yourself that you’re doing something incredibly healthy for your body—and that’s all that really matters.
4. Adopt an 80/20 Principle Mindset: The Pareto principle ("80/20 rule") is a term used in the business world that essentially means 20 per cent of your customers represent 80 per cent of your sales. You can use this idea in any aspect of your life, but especially when it comes to keeping up your fitness routine. If 20 per cent of your time leads to 80 per cent of your results, then how do you make the most out of that fraction of time? Getting in shape requires a lot more than just going to the gym and dieting. There are plenty of things that need to work together in order to keep you healthy. Food, exercise, down time, sleep—you need to find a way to balance these basic needs in a way that helps you achieve the healthiest lifestyle.

Which of these tips do you think is the most helpful? Let us know in the comments!

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