How to Start Working Out: Taking the First Step

Has it been weeks, months, or even years since your last workout? That’s okay. Really, it is. You might be lost. You might be thinking “I have too far to go and I can’t do anything that will even make a dent”

I remember feeling this way. It was one of the most depressing feelings in my whole life. You feel helpless, hopeless, and alone. Here’s how I started exercising.

December 23, 2007. 180lbs

My high school gym class required all of us to run 2 miles about 3 times a week. That was incredibly impossible for me since I hadn’t run in my 17 years of existence (not really, but not enough to ever say I “ran”). Although I was very VERY self-conscious and HATED wearing shorts and letting other people see me workout, I was forced to do so. I HAD to. Of course, I had the option to take P.E. at home. But I have always been a quitter and I think the fact that my parents made me take it at school (I also knew it was going to be a good thing in the end), was one important step. Yes, I did the 2 miles, and YES, I hated every bit of it. The only thing I remember that kept me going was that I’d tell myself, “I do NOT want to be the last person on the track.” So I made it my goal to not be the last person on the track, at the very least. Then I got more competitive, and decided I’d try and boost my time which is when I decided to do some form of exercise outside of school.

Summer, 2012. 128lbs

I found something I liked. I remembered a long time ago when I used to walk around this park with my dad and I really enjoyed the solitude and being close to nature. One day I took some “me time” to walk/jog around this park. I found the park map and decided to see how far their tracks were. Then I told myself “I know I can’t run the whole thing, but we’ll see how far I can go just running straight without stopping to walk.” After a small warm-up (that I learned in P.E.) I was off. I think my goal was to make it at least one mile before stopping. Honestly, I can’t remember if I did that, but I’m guessing I didn’t. I remember setting small running goals if I was getting tired I’d tell myself, “Okay, just to that next lantern” “Alright, jog up the hill, but you can walk down the rest of it.” Small, achievable goals. That’s all it took.

You know the saying, “If you give an inch, they’ll take a mile” ? I know that usually has a negative connotation, but think of it this way. If you push yourself a little bit every time you workout, that sets the bar for the next workout. Say last time you ran 1/4 of a mile. Great!!! You’ve done it before. Tell yourself over and over (I know I did) “I’ve done this before, I know I can do it. It is achievable.” That’s what got me through that first full mile of straight running - believing in myself. 

So my answer for all of you looking to begin a workout regimen is to take baby steps. Once you know you can do something small, you can build on it every time. And it might take a lot of effort to go that extra quarter mile or to walk a little faster, but once your exert that effort once, you can do it again. It is the hardest the first time, but it gets easier each time, I promise!