3 Easy Steps to Start To Work Out At Home (For Beginners)

It’s the start of a brand-new year! Have you started working on your 2021 resolutions? 

For many, we strive to:

• Work towards a healthier lifestyle
• Aim to lose a certain amount of weight
• Get leaner and fitter by starting a work out regime

But how do you start to work out as a beginner? 

I know the struggles of starting the routine to work out. I might be a gym fanatic but I too, have my procrastinating moments. Some days I planned to go for a run yet when the time comes, I’ll be so unmotivated and lazy to leave the house, I end up exercising my fingers on the phone. 

Let me show you how you can start to work out as a beginner!  

In this article, I will be introducing how you can work out from home (even if you are a beginner), burn those 2020 fats, and hit your fitness goals for the brand new year! #hello2021

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With our sedentary lifestyles, these days, obesity and related health problems are on the rise. I’m born and bred in Singapore and my little red dot is well-known for our hawker food culture. Despite having our food paradise, these food dishes can be high in cholesterol, fat, and everything that is unhealthy. 

Just type Singapore food in your big G and there will be the lists of must-try food websites that operate from morning till late into the night.  

The reason why I love to set aside 45min to an hour of my time to exercise is not only to burn those fats. My objectives have switched from weight loss to muscle gaining. But I would be drifting off our topic today if I were to keep going on about weight training. 

Simply to say, not only does exercising helps to regulate our blood sugar levels, but it also helps with:

• Reducing your risk of heart diseases.
• Improve your mental & physical health
• Improve your sleep quality.

There are various other benefits associated with exercise. If you’d like to find out more, read on here! 

There are so many various types of exercises for beginners that can be done in the comforts of your own home! When I started my work out routine, I remember debating with my inner self if I would humiliate myself in the gym. I mean, how do you even work that machine?! 

Some of the exercises beginners can look into include: 

• Yoga & Pilates
• Strength/Resistance Training
• Hight Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and many others.

Many people have the misconception that gyms are the best place to start to work out. 

This is not true! 

If you are planning to start your work out routines as a beginner, don’t give your home a miss.

Want to know why?

1. You save time traveling to the gym or anywhere for that matter. You can start your work out at any time to your convenience without time constraints.
2. It’s a low cost! No expensive fees for gym memberships and you won’t have to share those exercise equipment and machines with others.
3. You get the privacy and freedom to work out at your own pace, especially important for beginners. No pressure from those bulk-muscled men, or feeling self-conscious if you are in an awkward squat position. 

Now that you have decided on the venue, how do you get started with working out at home? 

Establish your workout routine

After identifying your “why”, you need to think of how to incorporate long term consistency into your work out routine. 

Ask yourself: “How many days a week do I want to commit to exercise?” Be practical and honest with yourself. There is no right or wrong. As a beginner, do not over push your mind and body, burnt out is real and it can be demoralizing.

A good place to start would be to schedule just 2 workouts a week, and slowly work your way up. 

There is no such thing as the “best time to workout” but rather one that best fits into your lifestyle, preferences and energy level. 

Some may find becoming a morning workout person works for them since there is nothing to sideline it. While others, may find waking up extra early a chore, and prefer to workout after work in the evening to disengage from their work. 

Work out Equipment

There isn’t much equipment you need to invest in when it comes to working out at home unless you decide to convert a room into your own personal gym. 

For starters, here are some items that could be really useful to own:

• Exercise mat
• Resistance bands (Long and short) 
• Dumb bells / Kettlebells
• Stability/Medicine/Bosu Ball

If buying weights seem like too much of an investment, you can improvise by using water bottles, sandbags or canned goods which works equally well! 

Track Your Progress, Inspiration and Goals 

There are various reasons as to why you are not losing weight! Rather than focusing on the amount of weight you want to lose, how about switching up your focus? 

What do you want to get better at? 

Do you want to get into better shape to feel more energized or productive in general? 

Or do you want to be able to keep up with your kids as you age? This inspiration helps you determine you short- and long-term goals. 

Spend your first few weeks trying out various forms of exercise. This can be yoga, cardio, strength training, resistance training, etc. Finding an exercise you like helps you stick to it in the long run! 

Start small and focus on achieving your short-term goals. Focus one week at a time and get your workouts routine going. Once the first week is finished, look back and take it a step further – aim for one more workout or just five additional minutes of working out in the next week.

Extra point to note: Warmups!

Many people neglect warming up as they find it unnecessary. However, starting off with a simple 5-10 minute warmup routine helps to get your heart rate up. This is especially important in preventing injuries and muscle cramps throughout your workout!

A simple warm up circuit can be as follows: 

1. Jog on the spot – 30 sec
2. Jumping Jacks – 20 reps
3. Arm circles – 20 reps forward & backward
4. Wide arm circles – 20 reps forward & backward
5. Chest Expansions – 20 reps 
6. Planks – 30 sec
7. Some simple full body stretches.

Expect setbacks and do not let them throw you off your game! These can come in the form of feeling unmotivated to work out on certain days or even skipping a workout or two on some weeks. 

Don’t be too hard on yourself as a beginner. Results and change take time and continuous effort.

I have been working out for nearly 2 years and I started off with hatha yoga and vinyasa yoga. After which I built up my courage to step into the gym and worked solely on the elliptical for months. I soon realized I am not hitting my muscle mass goals and slowly I explored weights and dumbbells. I never knew that weight training can be so much fun! Now I work on Tabata exercises and HIIT, on top of weight training.

My point is if you never dare to start the various work out sets, you will never know where your strengths and interests are. Switch up your workouts and don’t give up so easily! Each setback may bring you new insights and motivation on how you can improve further. 

All the best in achieving your fitness goals this year! Beginner or not, it’s a step forward for staying healthy.

Happy New Year to everyone!