This article is for the people that the mere thought of stepping into a commercial gym, or any fitness center for that matter, causes them anxiety, fear, and straight-up shit-my-pants nervousness.

After reading this article, I want you to feel comfortable with attacking your fitness plan, this amazing new lifestyle, with a scalable baby-step attitude to success with regards to physical fitness and eventually going to the gym.

Let’s Get Going To A Gym!

The exercises chosen are very simple and practical. I’m going to make it so crazy simple that you have no excuse or reason to quit. Let’s be honest, anything that you’ve used in the past has stopped you from moving forward to a future healthy self. When I say “healthy” I mean mentally, physically, and spiritually. 

Obviously with any exercise program or attempted exercise I need to do the typical disclaimer so nobody comes back and starts bitching and complaining that they hurt themselves. I need you to listen to your body, do what you can, don’t push it, and don’t do an exercise that will cause you permanent harm. So please contact a doctor before attempting any fitness program! 

Don’t Compare Your Fitness Journey to Someone Else’s

Naturally, you are going to look on the Internet for motivation, inspiration, and fitness ideas. May I please offer a suggestion, a warning rather, that when you look at these pictures, reels, videos, and blogs that you remember it’s not a competition. All of the above are great, however, many people start to berate themselves and beat themselves up because they feel they will never obtain that level of fitness. Here’s the bottom line, you’re not supposed to. 

Your body is different than others so please remember that health comes first – that’s the reason you are getting in shape. Yes, it’s to look great in the mirror naked and I pray and hope that you will eventually love who you’re looking at in the mirror but health must be your first priority.

So when you see those men and women with their six-pack abs and their 3% body fat and their fantastic ability to do these incredible fitness movements, just remember that they had to start somewhere, aka the bottom. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. 

A mantra I’d like for you to repeat: practice makes progress, progress not perfection. Repeat this every day, every moment you have that negative insurgency pestering you.

What to Bear in Mind Before Starting a Workout Routine

You may be starting this fitness/better health journey with a “GetFit in Six Weeks” or “30 Days to Optimal Health” challenge or something like that. I’d rather insist that you take it one day at a time and make you think, “I want to be alive for my family, and fitness and overall better health is going to give me that opportunity.”

Ditch the Scale

Numbers are garbage. I dislike the scale.  Please do not use it and depend on it. The best measure to see if your “weight loss” is being effective is in how your clothes are fitting. Have you cinched your belt into a notch that you haven’t used in years? Are your dresses, pants, or shirts fitting more loosely? These are healthy, beautiful signs of successful body fat loss. 

What we’re trying to do is develop habits and make those habits become a part of your life. Breathing, using the bathroom, eating, sleeping, and fitness – it is just now a part of your everyday life.

Baby steps forward with the occasional step back then two steps forward are going to be how we make it. You are not alone, the fact that you’re reading this article shows that you care about making a lasting change.

At-Home Workout Plan

Here’s a starting plan of attack:

-Walk 

-Pushups: wall, floor, modified. Start with 5 repetitions.

-Squats   

The bottom line for squats is if you can take a dump (sorry, use the restroom/washroom depending on what you call it) then you can squat. 

-5-10lb dumbbells. Truthfully in the beginning these dumbbells really may have little to no use whatsoever. However, as your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and mentality get stronger and more confident, you will need some resistance and these will help.

-Ok I know you’re asking, “Why are there no sit-ups? “ Well, here are some hard-to-swallow facts. Abs come from the kitchen. Your six-pack abs will come in through the dedication to proper eating. 

-Planks. Yes, boring old planks, and you’re gonna hold them for five seconds at a time and build up from there. 

So to be clear about the plan:

-Five pushups 

-Five squats 

-Five-second planks

-Every day

-Every week add one repetition and one second 

You got this, now get off your buttocks and become the healthiest version of yourself!