| If you are like many people, you are looking to | | | | Don't push yourself too had at the beginning. This |
| start a new diet fitness program to drop those | | | | could very well be the most important tip of all. |
| unwanted pounds and improve your health. You | | | | Many people quit after just several days or |
| might want to take out a gym membership to | | | | weeks of a diet fitness program because they |
| help you achieve your fitness goals. | | | | overwhelm themselves at the outset. |
| Of course, going to the gym can be a little | | | | A better option is to go easier on yourself at the |
| intimidating at first, especially with all the options | | | | start, and gradually increase your repetitions and |
| and exercise equipment available to you. Here are | | | | the difficulty of the workout. Don't try to do too |
| some tips to help you as you embark on your | | | | much too soon. |
| diet fitness program. | | | | Rome wasn't built in a day, and you won't reach |
| The first day at the gym is generally fairly easy, | | | | your fitness goals that soon, either. However, you |
| as most facilities will provide an introduction day | | | | will be amazed at how much you improve by just |
| to help you learn to use the exercise machines. | | | | upping the repetitions by a few each day. |
| However, the second day can be tough, because | | | | When using the treadmill, instead of increasing the |
| you are trying to determine which workouts to | | | | speed, try increasing the grade instead. You may |
| do and often times can't remember the purpose | | | | actually find that this method, even at a slower |
| of each machine or how they work. | | | | speed, actually burns more calories than jogging. |
| If you are a complete beginner, you will probably | | | | Don't spend a lot of time socializing at the gym. |
| find it beneficial to hire a personal trainer, at least | | | | As you get to know others at the gym, it gets |
| for the first several days to help you get stared | | | | to be very easy to get sidetracked by talking and |
| on your diet fitness program. If you don't want to | | | | losing focus of why you are there in the first |
| take on this additional expense, try to find an | | | | place. |
| experienced friend who can help jumpstart your | | | | Don't let this happen to you. Be polite, but keep |
| routine. Remember you can either spend a lot of | | | | conversations brief and you will find that you |
| time learning by trial and error, or take weeks | | | | reach your fitness goals faster than you ever |
| (and even years) off your learning curve by | | | | believed possible. |
| finding someone who's already in shape and | | | | When you are first starting out at the gym, it can |
| modeling their success. | | | | be pretty intimidating-especially if it seems like |
| On the first introductory session, take a notepad | | | | everybody else there is in shape and knows |
| and pen, and write down the name of each | | | | exactly what they're doing. Don't worry about it. |
| machine and their purpose. It's nearly impossible to | | | | Just relax, follow the above advice, and you will |
| remember in your head what each machine does; | | | | find yourself reaching your fitness goals faster |
| putting it down on paper will remind you when | | | | than you ever dreamed possible, and actually |
| you are first starting out at the gym. | | | | enjoying your diet fitness program. |