Top 6 Mistakes To Avoid for Those New to Exercise

Top 6 Mistakes To Avoid for Those New to Exercise

MEDIA RELEASE: For Immediate Release
FROM: The New Zealand Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs)

Whether you are setting out on an exercise programme after a long break, or if exercising is completely new, you should feel proud that you are making one of the best decisions to improve your health and wellbeing.

Starting out is exciting but can be a bit daunting too. Will it be hard? How will you keep up?
Rest assured, even the fittest people started somewhere and felt just like you. To make getting started easier, here are some of the top mistakes or misconceptions that new exercisers make; so you don’t make them.

1. Starting out too fast
When your body is used to doing less, adding more physical activity is going to make you tired and perhaps cause some temporary muscles aches. Exercise doesn’t have to be hard every time. So start out gently and aim for regularity in your exercise to get improvements over time without burning out.

2. Thinking it’s too hard
It takes a bit of effort at the start, and that’s partly because you need to build up your fitness, and also because starting anything new takes some getting used to. The best way to increase your physical fitness levels and wellness is to keep exercising. If you challenge yourself you may find it tough at times, but that doesn’t mean you should stop. It means you should congratulate yourself for an awesome effort and keep at it.

3. Not getting enough rest
Rest days are an important part of a regular exercise programme. New exercisers can often find something they love and then do it every day which leads to fatigue and potentially injury. Rest does not have to mean lying on the sofa watching Netflix. A walk, a yoga class or something else less structured can act as active rest.

4. Not eating for exercise
Improving your physical fitness and wellness is not just about what you do, but what you eat as well. A well balanced diet will contribute to your exercise goals and give you the energy needed to keep up your routine. The saying goes that you ‘can’t out exercise a bad diet’; just because you are exercising more does not mean you can eat more, especially calorie dense treats.

5. Giving up too soon
It takes time to get results from any exercise programme. You won’t be doubling your weights or dropping a clothing size straight away. It’s not just doing irregular exercise that gets you fit and healthier, but doing regular exercise is the key.
Exercise testing to see where you are now may not sound like too much fun, but knowing where you are now means you can get re tested in a few months and see how much progress you have made.

Taking some time to set some goals for what you are hoping to achieve and what barriers there are that may prevent you reaching them can also help you plan for success.
Don’t forget, exercise is not just about the physical changes to your body. Exercise also provides a significant wealth of benefit to your mental health and wellness which is crucial for the busy lives we all live.

6. Not getting the right advice
There is nothing more disappointing than spending money and investing time and energy into a get fit quick programme only to find it’s not achievable or sustainable, or isn’t getting you the promised results. Choose an exercise professional who is qualified, experienced and relates to you as a someone getting started into exercise. The NZ Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) has a handy search function on their website to find an exercise professional or facility in your area http://www.reps.org.nz

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