Are you ready?
Have you been thinking about canceling that gym membership?
You know, that place that you can’t seem to find the time to actually make it to on a consistent basis, but yet you are paying for each and every month. Or maybe, you get there on a consistent basis, but you just can’t seem to make any progress because you find yourself floundering around from station to station without much clue as to what you are doing, how many reps or how often, etc…?
Perhaps you don’t have a gym membership as of yet, but you have mentally committed to start some kind of fitness regimen, but haven’t figured out which program is best for you. There are a lot of options available out there and it can be overwhelming to sift through all of the information and decide on what is going to fit your needs as well as your preferences when it comes to fitness and allow you to reach the goals you have set for yourself.
Fear not, this is quite common and I am going to give you some direction!
Over the course of the next 3 articles, I am going to take you through the process of getting started with at home fitness programs, or at least the path that I took myself with success. This is Part 1, for you newbies out there! Part 2 will focus on taking things to the next level and Part 3 will show you some more advanced equipment and programs that you can build up to.
The answer: At Home Fitness
Back in 2009, when I decided that I need to do something to change the way I looked and felt about my own body, I initially thought that the local big-box gym was how I needed to go about it. It had all of the equipment and the expert advice when I got there to help me reach my goals. However, I quickly realized that most of the promotional prices of membership were time constrained and would nearly double or triple in cost after the first few months. This, combined with the fact that I would need to actually get my butt into the gym each and everyday made me quickly second guess that approach to things.
I then caught wind to a fitness phenomenon that, at that time, I knew nothing about; P90X.
This was an “at home fitness program” that was primarily sold through infomercials on late night television. Hmmmm….Not sure about you, but I have been suckered into some infomercial purchases in the past only to find that the products didn’t always deliver on their promises. But after I got some first-hand accounts of the program from a friend or two, I decide to take the plunge with P90X . In April of 2009, I got started and finished my first round of P90X in mid-July later that summer.
P90X Results
Here are my original results with P90X – I got great results and was hooked from that point!
Newbies – Start Here
Webster defined – Newbie: a person who has recently started a particular activity
If you are either just getting started or have been going to the gym a couple of times per week, but haven’t really committed to anything, this is what I would consider a “newbie”. If that describes you, great – read on and I’ll provide my best tips for getting started. If you aren’t technically a newbie at this point, look for Part 2 in this series of At Home Fitness; At Home Fitness – Moving Up From Newbie Status
Get Yourself a Coach!
If you are that gym-goer, you may not have ever had access to someone that will actually help you with your journey. That’s where I come in! I am here to help you achieve your health and fitness goals – whatever those might be. The best part of it all – you don’t have to pay me a dime for my help, it comes to you FREE with your Team Beachbody membership – which is also free!
My goal is to help you get started with a fitness program that matches you and your goals and ensure success once you get started. You will be able to leverage my past experiences with these programs to ask questions about fitness, nutrition, equipment, etc… Your success is my goal!
If you don’t have a Team Beachbody account yet, setting one up is simple and only takes about 2 minutes – again, this is 100% FREE!
Click this button to create your account now and I will reach out to you once you get setup.
Nutrition
This is where most of us falter when we are going at it alone. If you are just getting started, tracking your nutrition, is going to be the most beneficial daily task that you can incorporate into your journey. Many times when people start tracking their nutrition, they quickly see where they need to improve. Even if you do nothing to change your current nutrition, once you start tracking, I can provide some guidance on how you can clean things up and start seeing some progress, usually with just a few adjustments.
I recommend the MyFitnessPal app/website. I personally use this site/app everyday and it helps me tremendously track my own nutrition and plan out my meals for the day. Sign up an account, it’s 100% free and download the app to get started tracking. Once you get setup, send me a friend request through the app or website; my user name is cburn_317.
You can also view my diary here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/cburn_317
Custom Meal Plans
Your custom meal plan will be set up to fuel your body with exactly what it needs to meet your goals. Whether your goal is to lose body fat or gain lean muscle mass, your custom meal plan will show you specific calorie and macronutrient goals. You will be able to use the food list included to build your own meals and snacks that are the same calories and macros as what you are replacing from your plan.
- Your Body Responds Differently
- Macronutrient Based Goals
- Not a Cookie-Cutter Approach
- Flexibility Built In
- One-on-One Coaching Included!
- Tweaks/Adjustments Over Time
What’s Included?
- Two Full Days Worth of Meals
- 30+ Page Recipe Guide
- Recommended Food Guide
- Email Support to Answer any Questions
Many people like to see examples of meal plans I create for people and use them as a basis for creating their own, so I thought it would be a good idea to include some examples here.
Equipment Considerations:
You may be thinking; Ok, I’m ready, but what do I need to get started? Back in 2009, I didn’t have that much to be honest. I had a set of hex dumbbells (pairs or 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25), and a door-way pull-up bar. That was it!
When you are just getting started, you really don’t need a lot to make it work and you’ll be able to see some great results; I’m proof that is the case. Start with the essentials and work your way up from there.
Here is a list of essential equipment and fitness programs that you can use in the early stages of your journey. The great thing about this list of essentials, is that you can continue to use these as you progress to the next level.
Water Bottle
This is the bottle I am currently using and love it! It never leaks, works great for mixing up my pre-workout, my water while working out and then my post-workout without the need for separate bottles. The little metal ball inside of the bottle, keeps everything mixed up nicely. Also, whatever it is that they use to keep the bottle from staining or absorbing any odors from the stuff you put inside, is awesome! I have never had an issue with this, which I know can be common with some products.
You might also want a larger, water-only water bottle. I am currently using a 32 oz. water bottle from Nalgene and it is great, in fact – the entire family has similar versions of this same water bottle – they are pretty much indestructible, which is nice when you have kiddos like mine who tend to drop these seemingly all the time.
Workout Wear
You’ll want/need some kind of workout clothing. You’ll be moving and you are going to be sweating (or at least you should be…), so you want something that is light and comfortable.
I am a big fan of the Under Armour line of products (especially the compression gear), but admittedly, it is a bit expensive. Don’t feel like you have to go out and buy top of the line workout wear, but you do want to have comfortable clothes that allow you to move freely and doesn’t cause any kind of chaffing or rashes from rubbing up against your skin.
I also really like the C9 brand of workout wear that is typically found at the Target store. Until you have figured out what you like best and fits your style, I would suggest you go to your local sporting good store or Target and try some things on to find what works best or you.
Here is a link to the Under Armour store on the Amazon.com, which I have found typically has the best prices online: Under Armour Store
Shoes
The type of fitness program you ultimately choose will somewhat dictate the type of footwear you will require. I find that a lot of people will, understandably, use whatever shoes they currently have to get started and this is perfectly fine!
However, you should keep in mind that not all shoes work best for all types of fitness programs. Running shoes for example are designed for straight-forward running, not for moving laterally or for high-impact exercises. So keep this in mind when you are choosing footwear or if you are planning to use the shoes you already have.
You may find that the pair you have isn’t suited for the type of workout you are going through and you may have issues with your feet and subsequently your entire kinetic chain, since it all starts with your feet.
Suggested Fitness Programs:
The following is a list of programs that I would consider a great starting point for those of you who are literally starting with no prior fitness experience. I have listed them in order of difficulty, so keep that in mind as well. The great thing about all of these programs is that no additional equipment is required, so you don’t need to purchase any extra equipment to get started.
P90 – The On Switch to Fitness
PiYo is a low-impact, high-intensity body-transformation program.
10 minutes a day to get a great body!
25 Minutes a Day, 5 Days A Week.
What’s Next?
The information above, should be a good starting point to get yourself going on your journey. Don’t forget that it is just that; at journey. No journey is smooth sailing, it isn’t always easy, sometimes you aren’t going to be in the mood. Some days you are going to feel like quitting, but you can’t and you won’t! With my help, you will have the results and success that you are looking for – if you put in the work and you are consistent with your nutrition and fitness – YOU WILL SEE RESULTS!
If you haven’t already, set up your FREE Team Beachbody account today and let’s get started!
Look for the next segment in this series of At Home Fitness – Moving Up From Newbie Status, where I will take a deeper dive into some additional equipment, fitness programs and nutritional advice.
Need a Coach?
If you need to find someone that will hold you accountable, answer your questions, help you, and PUSH YOU for the entire duration of your workout! Luckily for you, that’s what me and my team are here for. If you don’t have a coach yet and want one, I’d love to be your coach and help you through a fitness program. I am available to help you reach your goals!
Email Me: coachchris@yourfitnesspath.com
Connect on Facebook: fb.com/coachcoburn
YouTube: https://youtu.be/coachchriscoburn
Instagram: @chris_coburn
Twitter: @yourfitnesspath
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