Your fitness journey is a lot more than just making sure you go to the gym. It is a mindset and is highly personal to people. With many reasons why people start taking an interest in health and fitness. If you have ever wondered how you can stick to your fitness routine when starting, here are a few things to consider. 
Set realistic goals
When you start your fitness journey, it is crucial to set a few realistic goals. Ones you can achieve. Remember, it might be something simple, such as hitting the gym at least three times a week and go for a 20-minute walk at least twice a week, for a month. By the time you have achieved your first goals, you will better understand what you can achieve and adjust your goals accordingly.
You run the risk of quitting if you set unrealistic goals for yourself, Usain Bolt trains for each marathon. All athletes started small with achievable goals and worked their way up. You don’t need to be a gold medal Olympic athlete to get fit.
Commit: hire a personal trainer.
Starting and staying on the road to fitness takes commitment; you need to set aside time each week to break a sweat. Try blocking off a few hours a week in your calendar, dedicated time to workout and train. This will help you stay on track, knowing that you have already set aside time and committed to getting healthy.
If you have spare funds, invest in a set amount of sessions with a personal trainer, their job is to keep you motivated and on track to staying fit. If you are likely to cancel your training sessions, tell your trainer to be stern with you. If you can train with a friend or a gym buddy, they will help keep you committed. Gym buddies keep each other committed to set time slots.
Start your fitness journey, small.
Start small; this is to make sure that you stick to your goals. Going all out on the first three sessions until you are physically in pain is not conducive to staying motivated. The same goes for creating realistic expectations. Everyone feels a little silly in their first Zumba class; the trick is to stick it out and go easy on yourself; no one expects you to get every move right, veteran fitness fundis still get things wrong now and then.
Starting small keeps your head in the game, especially when it comes to working out. For example, you will achieve better results by learning the correct form and technique first with lighter weights than jumping straight into the heaviest weights and not activating the right muscle groups.
Take pictures!
Possibly the most critical part of any fitness journey is taking photographs. Get your selfie-timer on, in a well-lit room, and take pictures of your body, the front, back, and sides, in your undies. Just do it! Store the photos somewhere on your phone, in a new album. Don’t forget to take your measurements as well and note them down somewhere safe.
In a few weeks, take new pictures and measurements. Compare the first set and the latest set; you might be surprised at the difference. You might weigh the same, or you might be lighter; the difference will be your confidence and shape. You will see the difference and feel great!
Throw the scale away
Take your scale and put it in the trash. Anyone starting a fitness journey and healthy lifestyle will understand that the numbers on the scale are not an accurate reflection of your health. Many people focus on weight loss and forget to take measurements of their bodies. Muscle weighs more than fat, and anyone that works out and lifts weights will be able to tell you they are heavier than they seem.
A scale is a number that is not an accurate representation of your health. You might gain a few pounds when starting in the gym as you retain water and build muscle, it might plateau after a few weeks, and the weight might drop off after that. If you want a better picture of your health, get in touch with a personal trainer or a professional that can help you measure your body fat percentage and work with you to achieve your goals.
Invest in your goals
Investing in a pair of gym trainers and minor equipment such as Victorem pull-up bands or a few sets of dumbells is another way to stay on track with your goals. For most people, a monetary investment, no matter how small, might be the trick to keeping them on the go and committed to working out.
You are also more likely to work out if you walk past your equipment at home; the visual reminder is a nifty way to keep you on track. You can also use a reward system to keep yourself on the go. For example, if you complete your goals, you can go ahead and splash a little extra money on a new gym outfit or a great pair of trainers.
Celebrate!
Let’s face it, staying healthy and getting fit are not always fun or easy tasks, making it even more important to celebrate your successes! Have you achieved your goals? Celebrate. Have you made it to the gym five times a week for a month? That’s right! Celebrate it!
Treat yourself to a reward. Not only does it feel good to celebrate, but it also creates a subconscious feel-good-vibe around achieving your goal set. When you have a great mental space around your goals, you will be more likely to get up and achieve bigger and better goals than ever!
It’s inside that counts!
Physical exercise is not enough to stay healthy. Proper health starts from within and from what you put into your body. Try consulting a dietician or a holistic food coach that can help map out your diet and tailor something to your needs without disrupting your entire daily routine.
Not all healthy food tastes like cardboard; if properly planned, you can create excellent meals that nourish your body through a workout and keep you healthier for longer. Science says that exercise without a proper diet will see that you don’t reach your goals on time and discourage you. Diets rich in saturated fats and loaded refined carbohydrates can leave you sluggish and slowed down – a large contributor to feelings of depression.
Don’t forget to go to the gym.
Most importantly, hit the gym a few times a week; you will feel better and more powerful. The first few weeks are a little tough and downright scary when starting. It does get better and a lot more fun as you discover the power you have hiding in your own body.
