If you want to lose weight or build muscle, making a fitness plan will help you reach your goal. A personal trainer can help you with this, or you can research fitness training on your own. Whatever you do, get fit!
In the words of No. 1 New York Times best-selling author Bill Phillips, "Failing to plan is like planning to fail." When it comes to fitness, those words could not be more true. When you are going to start working out and you do not have a game plan, then you are setting yourself up for frustration, wasted time, and most likely cessation from your program altogether. Creating a fitness plan is like following a set of directions that lead from Point A to Point B. The plan needs to be definite and easy to understand.
Step 1
See your doctor. Starting a new fitness plan can take its toll on your body. This is especially true if you have not worked out in a long time--or ever. Before you step into it, make sure to get clearance from your family doctor first.
Step 2
Get a journal. This can be your fitness journal where you will log all the pertinent information to your fitness plan. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate. It can be as simple as a single-subject notebook.
Step 3
Determine your goals. Write down all the things you want to achieve in your journal. These will be your goals. Make them short-term and long-term, and be as precise as possible. For example, write down how much weight you want to lose, how much muscle you want to gain, and how much more flexible you want to become. Also write down the amount of time you want it to take to get there, such as four weeks, eight weeks, or 12 weeks.
Step 4
Find out your availability. This is important, especially if you work long hours at your job. Find out exactly what days and times you want to work out each week, and write them down in your journal. Treat these workout sessions as if they were actual appointments, and honor them.
Step 5
Plan your meals. Nutrition is a big part of a fitness plan. What you eat is going to give you the energy to work out, and it is also going to aid you in recovery. Keep your diet clean, and make sure to eat plenty of nutrient-dense foods that are favorable for recovery, energy, and growth such as lean meats, low-fat dairy, fish, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and beans. Plan your meals out ahead of time, and track them in your journal for easy reference. Then you will know exactly what you are going to be eating in the days ahead so you can better prepare yourself.
Step 6
Track your progress. Every time you work out, track everything that you are doing. Write down the exercises, reps, sets, breaks, and weights being used. This way, you will always know where you are in your program, and it will give you a good reference point when you want to increase weights or change things up.