Whether you’re brand new to working out or simply looking to refresh your fitness goals, January is the perfect time to start. After all, it’s a new month and a new year — why not apply that new and refreshing energy toward your fitness routine? Even if you don’t know where to start or how to create your fitness journey, simply embracing 2023’s energy can help you to stay motivated, inspired, and consistent. Plus, setting your intentions and getting started with a workout program is fun and exciting! Especially if you set yourself up for success by laying the foundation for an attainable and sustainable fitness regime.
But we get it, easier said than done. Not to worry, though — that’s where we come in. To help you navigate your fitness journey and kick off the year feeling confident and supported, we’re sharing all you need to know. From the fitness journey basics to the best types of workouts for various fitness goals and simple tips and tricks on how to keep it fun and stay consistent. Plus, all your burning questions answered by FitOn trainers Kenta & Breann!
No matter if you’re new, novice, or advanced, learn how to design a workout routine that works for you and your goals.
Getting Started: Fitness Journey Basics
Top Fitness Tips to Get Started
Tip #1: Get Clear On Your ‘Why’ — Why are you getting started in the first place? What are you hoping to accomplish or achieve? Are you doing this for yourself or others? What is your driving force?
Tip #2: Consider How You Want to Feel, Not Look — External goals will only get you so far. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to build muscle or tone up, putting all of your value on looking a certain way can be detrimental to your mental health. Instead, consider how you want to feel. Do you want to feel confident? Energized? Healthy? Adding purpose to your fitness journey can be a game-changer!
Tip #3: Set (Attainable) Goals — While it’s great to dream big and push yourself, setting unrealistic goals can be both unhealthy and discouraging. Your fitness journey is just that — a journey (not a destination). Start with micro goals that you can (and will!) accomplish.
Tip #4: Start Small (& Build Thereafter) — Approach your fitness journey with a ‘less is more’ mentality. Instead of working out for 45 minutes, start with 15 minutes, but focus on quality! How is your form? How do you feel? Are you breathing? Once this feels manageable, continue building.
Tip #5: Don’t Compare — This is YOUR journey. What works for you is going to be wildly different from that of your co-worker, best friend, or partner. This includes your goals, preferences, and progress. Don’t compare yourself to others!
How Much Time to Work Out Each Week
When designing your fitness journey, your weekly workout time will be largely dependent upon your goals, preferences, and fitness level. And as we mentioned above, you don’t need to kill yourself in the gym to see results. Start small and make it sustainable!
As a general guideline, according to the CDC, adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and two days of muscle strengthening (weight-bearing) activity per week.
FitOn trainer Breann Mitchell says it’s not about working out for hours a day. Instead, simply try to prioritize movement each day, even if it’s a walk. It’s all about finding something manageable to do and learning to love it!
According to FitOn trainer Kenta Seki, it’s a marathon, not a sprint — it’s important to start small, stay consistent, and then build!
Here are some good rules of thumb to consider:
- The more intense your workout, the shorter it needs to be (think: HIIT or Tabata training versus steady-state cardio).
- Aim to work out 3-5 days per week, but stay active daily
- If you want results, consistency is key! Keep it simple, stay consistent
And remember: rest days are crucial (more on this below)!
How to Modify Workouts
Whether you need to tone it down or amplify the intensity, here’s how to modify your workouts:
For more of a challenge:
- Increase the rep range (for example, if you normally do 8-10 reps per set, try 12-15)
- Increase the amount of weight (if using dumbbells, kettlebells, ankle weights, etc.)
- Utilize equipment (such as resistance bands, dumbbells, or sliders)
- Try a challenging variation
To reduce the intensity:
- Decrease the amount of reps or reduce the weight
- Utilize props or equipment that add stability (such as yoga blocks or benches)
- Reduce the impact (instead of high-impact jump squats, try low-impact air squats)
- Take it slow (whether you take a break between sets or modify your workout pace)
Best Types of Workouts Based on Your Fitness Goals
To Build Strength & Muscle Mass
Looking to build muscle and increase strength? Add these FitOn resistance and body weight workouts to your workout routine:
- Full Body Strength Builder with Vuori
- Dumbbell Super Strength with Gideon Akande
- Strong Arm Flex with BANDIER
- Lower Body & Core with Vuori
To Boost Stamina & Endurance
If stamina and endurance is your goal, prioritize a mix of HIIT and steady-state cardio workouts with these FitOn workouts:
- Total Bodyweight Blitz with Danielle Pascente
- Jump Cardio with BANDIER
- Walking Fitness with Bree Koegel
- Cardio Boxing with Jeanette Jenkins
To Tone & Tighten
Activating large muscle groups and challenging those small (but oh-so-effective) muscle groups, press play on low-intensity pilates and barre classes when you want to tone and tighten.
- Cardio Booty Burn with Lex Fischer
- Bodyweight Sculpt with Bree Koegel
- Pilates Standing Strength with Lex Fischer
- Long & Lean Lower with Jeni DelPozo
To Get Lean & Support Weight Loss
A balance of strength training, bodyweight workouts, and HIIT exercise will help build lean muscle mass, burn calories, and boost your metabolism. And yes, strength training can help you burn fat, not build bulk!
- HIIT All Over with Bree Koegel
- Core Sculpt with Sydney Belina
- Take Ten Tabata with Breann Mitchell
- Core Cardio with Breann Mitchell
To Increase Flexibility & Mobility
To reduce the risk of injury, increase range of motion, and maintain joint and muscle health, these FitOn yoga, and mobility workouts are a must!
- Full Body Mobility with Dr. Jen Fraboni
- Happy Hips Happy Life with Peter Walters
- Dynamic Yoga with Vytas
- Take the Weight Off with DeAndre Sinette
Level Up Your Workouts: Optional Equipment to Have on Hand
Yoga Mat: A workout essential! While it’s great for yoga and Pilates-based workouts, a workout mat can be used for virtually any workout! It provides a slip-free surface and protects your bones and joints from the ground.
Dumbbells: Great for building muscle, protecting bone health, toning and tightening, and burning calories and fat. Grab a light and heavy pair and utilize them in exercises like squats, lunges, bicep curls, tricep extensions, and weighted crunches.
Resistance Bands: Light, compact, and great for exercising on the go! With varying levels of resistance, use them for all your lower-body workout needs, like squats, lunges, bridges, and more.
Sliders: Add resistance, increase muscle activation, and feel the burn (if you know, you know!). Plus, sliders help strengthen your core and build balance in a low-impact way — win-win.
Recovery Roller: Suffering from tight glutes, IT bands, hip flexors, or a stiff and sore back? Improve blood flow and decrease inflammation with a recovery roller. While it hurts so good in the moment, you’ll thank us later when you experience less tension and faster recovery!
Tips on Finding & Maintaining Motivation
Join A Challenge
Struggling to maintain motivation? Join a FitOn challenge! With structured workouts and a sample schedule, finding (and maintaining) motivation can feel a lot more manageable.
Try Something New
You’ll never know what you like (or don’t like) if you don’t try! Sign up for that workout you’ve been itching to try press play on a new FitOn class (like cardio kickboxing or restorative yoga).
Rest When You Need
Recovery days are just as important as your workouts. It allows for your muscles to repair and rebuild (think: increased strength and lean muscle mass), reduces the risk of injury, and prevents burnout and fatigue. If you want to maintain motivation, schedule rest days into your fitness routine!
Adjust Your Expectations
Don’t be so hard on yourself — challenges are bound to happen! Maybe you miss your workout, struggle to complete an exercise or class, or find yourself losing motivation. It happens to the best of us. Rather than give up or get down on yourself, acknowledge your struggles and keep with it. Maybe you take the day off and come back refreshed tomorrow, or try one of the above motivational tips!
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
If you want to feel your best physically and mentally, don’t forget about the other areas of your life! Think: Healthy eating, proper hydration, adequate sleep, and stress management. By balancing your fitness routine with an overall healthy lifestyle, you’ll look better, feel better, and be more motivated to stick to your goals.
How to Prevent Burnout & Keep Things Fun
Grab a Workout Buddy
Embrace some friendly competition and make your workout that much more fun — grab a workout buddy! A workout partner (or group workout) can make you more accountable to show up and stay consistent. Plus, if you have someone cheering you on (or competing against you), it can even help you push yourself.
Keep Your Body Guessing
When we find a workout (or anything) we love, suddenly, we become creatures of habit. If you find yourself going to the same yoga class every day, doing the same routine at the gym, or pressing play on the same FitOn workout, challenge yourself to switch it up. While you don’t need to make any drastic changes, it’s good to keep your body guessing and modify your workouts. Maybe you take a class with a new FitOn trainer, try a new instructor at your local studio, or simply adjust your weights and rep range during your current workout. This keeps things exciting and prevents a plateau!
Add Variety To Your Fitness Routine
Even if you love a certain type of workout — whether it’s weight lifting, yoga, or Pilates — try to keep your routine balanced with a mix of various workouts! If you love HIIT workouts, that’s great! Sprinkle it into your weekly routine, but try to balance your week with some cardio, like a Walking Fitness Class and a yoga flow for recovery. Ideally, you’ll want a mix of cardio, strength training, and mobility.
Create & Maintain Your 2023 Fitness Journey
With a little know-how and a lot of support (from us here at FitOn), we’re confident you’ll achieve your 2023 fitness goals — and beyond! Though it might feel challenging (and even a little uncomfortable at times), stick with it! You might not see progress right away, but know you’re on your way to building long-lasting changes. Stay consistent, seek support when you need it, and constantly come back to your ‘why.’ You got this!
