What Should Beginners Expect From Their Workout?
The Obvious and Not-So-Obvious Side Effects
For everyone starting a fitness routine, the most important question is: how will exercise impact my health and my body?
The second important question is: how long will it take before I see any results?
The third question is: how can I maximise my chances of sticking to my routine?
The good news is exercise not only improves your physical health, but it also enhances your mental and emotional wellbeing. Furthermore, the benefits of exercise can be gained from day one and they increase with time.
Before we get into this story, I want to warn you to quell certain myths: you will never arrive at your ‘goal weight’ and chances of getting a six-pack are slim. Focusing on these external markers of success only sets you up for disappointment and frustration and a shorter exercise lifespan. Rather, you need to focus on how you feel after a workout- you might notice improved energy or find it is easier to run after your toddler without getting winded.
Now let’s get into it: what should beginners expect from their workout routine? How long will it take before you see any results? How can you maximise your chances of sticking to your routine?
1. You Will Feel Sore
Exercise makes little tears in your muscles which your body has to repair and rebuild. This rebuilding process leads to muscle growth. And it can leave you feeling sore two to three days after your workout. As your body gets used to exercising this process becomes less painful and you recover in a shorter time. But less pain is not a sign of an ineffective workout. It is a sign of increased efficiency at muscle repair.
There is no blanket rule on how much exercise you should engage in at the start. But a good rule of thumb is to ease off for a day if you find it difficult to continue. The soreness does reduce as you grow stronger. Using heat or ice, stretching and light exercise can help ease the soreness. However, if the pain intensifies consider seeing a medical professional.
2. You Will Feel More Hunger Than Usual
Exercising helps your body burn more calories than normal. As your body tries to replace these lost calories, you will feel more hunger. But exercising is not a leeway to engage in an anything-goes diet. Ensure you are eating healthy snacks and not calorie-laden foods. These can include nuts, fruits, carrot sticks, cucumbers and eggs. Spacing out your meals into five smaller ones also helps you feel full for longer.
Also, water and fresh fruit juices can help you curb hunger especially if taken before meals. Staying hydrated helps stave off hunger.
3. Sweat Can Affect Your Skin and Hair
A drawback to working out is the possibility of breakouts and damaged hair. Sweating will not cause a breakout but the extra sweat creates an ideal environment for bacteria to breed. Wiping your face with a sweat-filled towel and touching gym equipment also leads to the transfer of bacteria to your face. Wearing makeup to the gym, especially foundation can increase the chances of a breakout. As it mixes with sweat, it increases the potential of clogging your skin which can lead to breakouts.
If you notice an increase in breakouts showering immediately after a workout will reduce the acne on your face and body. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser to prevent it from drying out.
Another downside of sweat is it can dry out your hair and scalp. When sweat sits on your tresses it can lead to dryness in your scalp. Wet hair is easily stretched and damaged not to mention the effect of salts on hair colour.
Before your workout, lather your hair with a leave-in conditioner. This will protect it from the effects of sweat. You can also wear a cotton headband to draw the sweat away from it. If you do tie it in a ponytail, ensure you do not pull it tightly as this accelerates breakage.
4. You Will Have Setbacks And Days You Want To Quit
Starting a workout routine and sticking to a workout routine are two different obstacles you need to overcome. Once you jump over the first hurdle of beginning you will need dedication and commitment to continue. If you miss a few days of your program, dust yourself off and start again. To increase your chances share your workout goals with a friend, hire a personal trainer and try making friends with other gym-goers. An encouraging support network can hold you up when you start to falter.
5. You Might Notice An Increase In Your Energy Levels
Exercise can help you feel more energised overall. One reason for this is the effect of exercise on your heart size. As you exercise your left ventricle gets larger with time. This increase in size makes your heart more efficient at pumping blood through your body, meaning that it has to perform fewer contractions to move the same blood supply. Therefore, your resting heart rate — the rate your heart beats when you aren’t exercising — decreases. Because your heart beats fewer times, it doesn’t have to undergo as much strain.
6. You Will Sleep Better
Getting into a regular workout routine can help improve the duration and quality of your sleep. Consistent exercise helps you fall asleep more easily and helps you wake up feeling refreshed.
Increased sleep quality aids your fitness progress. As you engage in deep sleep your body releases hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone both of which are needed for muscle repair.
To boost your chances of getting a good night’s rest, avoid workouts which are too close to your bedtime. If you find yourself pumped-up after a night’s workout try exercising earlier in the day. Drinking caffeine past 2 pm also interferes with the quality of your sleep.
7. You Will Handle Stress Better
An improvement in mood and mental health can outweigh the physical benefits of a fitness routine. Exercise stimulates the production of the feel-good hormone endorphin. Endorphins reduce the perception of pain and trigger a positive feeling in the body. Sweating out your frustrations can be very therapeutic; providing a chance for you to process your thoughts.
Exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. But exercise cannot replace the importance of working with a mental health professional, if you are facing mental health issues consider working with a therapist. Incorporating an exercise routine to your therapy can help alleviate symptoms of mental health conditions.
How Can You Maximise Your Chances Of Sticking To Your Routine?
First, decide from the onset what you aim to achieve from your fitness routine. Is it weight loss? Are you looking to have more energy? Are you training for a marathon? Then write it down and hang your plan where you can see it every day. A daily reminder helps hardwire the goal into your psyche, giving your mind a chance to find ways to achieve it.
Second; be prepared for the long haul. Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. While it’s important to have a long term vision remember to take it one day at a time. Celebrate the daily wins no matter how trivial they may appear.
Third, expect the setbacks. When they do happen, be prepared to jump right in and start over again. Avoid being overly critical of yourself when you miss a day or a week or even a month. Each day is an opportunity to reset and restart.
And you can now lace up your gym shoes, get into your Yoga pants, dive into the pool and get your workout on.
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