So, you've decided to be more fit. That's awesome! And if you haven't, that's alright too. Everyone is beautiful in their own special way and this article is in no way trying to shame you. Those of you that have decided to start working out, this is for you. If you aren't sure where to begin, hopefully this helps you on your way.
I decided this year that I was going to be more fit. I didn't enjoy how my body looked, and how I felt. Everyone who says that vegetarians are all skinny is a liar. It's all about how you eat and how you work to maintain your body. Please make sure that it is alright to exercise with your doctor before you go ham. I recently haven't been taking proper care of myself due to stress, not eating correctly, and poor sleep. Your body is a temple and it's the only one you have in this life. Please take care of yourself.
First off, you'll want to have a goal. Make it reasonable: "I want to lose 5 pounds this month." If you have the expendable income, get a gym membership. Most are really affordable and give you special deals depending on when you sign up. If you don't, that's alright too, and you can find soooo many workout itineraries that you can follow online. No one is going to charge you to walk down the street. Specifically set a schedule for yourself. If work won't allow you to work out every day, work out every other day. (My schedule is Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.)
If you have a difficult time staying on track, find someone who is also willing to do it with you. A few of my friends in the STL Hero Academia group are all working out together, and I'll go to the gym with them sometimes. I pay for the membership that allows me to bring in a guest for free every time I go. And if I don't have any friends that want to go with me, I take Tolia (my partner) since he just enjoys the time we spend together. He also keeps me working hard because maybe someday I will beat his 3 miles in 17 minutes record. (Yes, he is IRL Tenya)
For me specifically, I use an app called Couch to 5k. They have a free version, but the app I bought was $3, and I can share my progress as well as follow my friends who also have the app. The time changes weekly, and currently, I'm on week 6, day 2 (I finished 1 yesterday). The app sets each "week" in 3 sessions, so that you aren't running every day, but as long as you are consistently using it, it's worth the $3. Each week has a different amount of time where you'll switch off from warming up, between walking and running for set times, then cooling down. This is really good for me, since I'm terrible at keeping pace for myself. I'm "gotta go fast" all the time. You can also use different trainers through the app to tell you when to switch. So, my warm up when I go to the gym is to start with cardio.
This is also really important if you are like me and have exercise induced asthma (thanks mom.) If I don't pace myself, I become wheezy and can end up passing out. Mostly, I just sound like a broken squeaker toy. Then I hit the machines. You can specifically do parts of your body each time you go (leg day always sucks) and spend 20-30 minutes working that part of your body before going home. I also usually get a massage from Tolia when I'm done at the parts that hurt the most, which cuts down on the recovery time I need for the next time I go to the gym.
If you aren't able to get a gym membership, then you can buy weights and use our vast Internet to create your own work out. Don't feel like you have to do exactly what I do, at the pace I do it. Everyone's journey is different, and that is amazing. Some people aren't able to run, some people can only run. You may only be able to do 10 reps of 10 lbs once, while someone else can do 20 reps at 150 lbs. Don't compare yourself to others, it may get you down. You don't want to discourage yourself before you really get started. Be proud of the progress you make. Every day you go to the gym is awesome and you are working towards making yourself better.
I was starting to get discouraged about how I look the past week or so, because I still have a little bit of a pooch, but then I put on an outfit I never would have thought about wearing and I really saw my progress. I've spent most of my life being told that I was fat, which really messed with my self-esteem. Although I am not where I want to be, I am getting there. I know you can do this too. Believe in the me, that believes in you. You've got this, friend.