beginner fitness tips

1. Start fresh: Time to look through your workout gear. Donate any old equipment you don't use anymore, clear out your workout wardrobe, and take a peek into your gym bag. Clearing away all the excess, old, and germ-y gear can help you recommit to your routine. Read our tips for donating old running shoes and cleaning your gym bag.
2. Reassess your routine: Feeling bored? You may not be challenging yourself. Check your routine — if it's been awhile since you switched it up, then now's the time to get a new one. Our printable workouts will help you switch up your routine.
3. Make a goal: Having a specific goal helps motivate you to commit to a workout and can make it all that more fun as well. Sign up for a race, take a beginner yoga class workshop, or challenge your friends to some friendly workout competition.
4. Seize the weekend: If your workouts consist of time-constrained weekday workouts, then it's time to incorporate something that's both active and fun into your weekend. Round up your family and take a long hike, or catch up with an old friend at gentle yoga class.
5. Find your inspiration: Sometimes, it just takes a few wise words or a healthy success story to spur you back into action. Use your friend's successful 10-pound weight loss or motivating fitness quotes on Pinterest to help you find your enthusiasm.

You've been exercising regularly for months but you've barely lost any weight and your clothes don't fit any better. Exercise is supposed to help you burn calories and lose inches, so what's the deal? Before frustration causes you to give up and drown your sorrows in a brownie sundae, here are four reasons your exercise plan isn't working.

• You still look cute after a workout: While going for a walk or taking a gentle yoga class are relaxing ways to exercise, they're not exactly major calorie-burners. Kick up the intensity level of your workouts so your heart is pounding, you're huffing and puffing, your muscles are burning, and you're sweating buckets. Choose workouts such as running, jumping rope, bike riding, or these other huge calorie-burners.
• You work out when you feel like it: Your sweat sessions depend on your energy levels, so one week you feel like exercising five days and the next you barely make it to Tuesday night Zumba. It's important to stick to a regular exercise schedule that includes working out for an hour five days a week. Not sure how to implement that? Here's a weekly exercise plan to help you drop a pound a week.
• You're all about running: No one will argue that it's a great form of exercise, but aside from doing cardio, it's important to include strength training in your regimen as well. Lean muscle raises your metabolism, helping you burn more calories and lose body fat.
• You underestimate calorie amounts in your post-workout snack: After a grueling workout, you reach for a Luna Bar and a smoothie to refuel. You might not realize it, but that little nibble is well over 300 calories. A post-workout snack shouldn't exceed 150 calories, so be sure to read labels and measure portions to keep your calories in check to avoid undoing all your hard work.

There's a fine line when it comes to heating and icing an injury. While some injuries are acute (a sudden sprain or strain) and others chronic (often long-term as the result of overuse), there are specific ways to go about heating and icing for maximum recovery. If you aren't so sure when to grab the frozen peas or plug in the heating pad, use this guide during your rehab to keep you strong and performing at your best.

Heat is best when . . .

If you are stiff, sore, or have a chronic injury — bring on the heat! A heating pad or hot compress is ideal to relieve the aches and pains of overused muscles because it increases the elasticity of joint tissues and stimulates blood flow. About 20 minutes of heat also helps to loosen tissues and relax injured areas, meaning it's very beneficial before workouts that often irritate reoccurring injuries. One rule of thumb: do not heat a new injury! When an injury first occurs, swelling and inflammation are at their peak. Heat will only make this worse, causing the blood vessels to dilate. Only add heat once the injury has started to relax, which is usually after 48 hours.

Ice is best when . . .

Ice is best for immediate injuries and as a treatment in later rehabilitation. If you were just hurt in a workout, turn to ice to reduce the swelling and decrease the pain. Icing is also good for athletes with chronic injuries after a workout because it keeps inflammation at bay, preventing any overused muscles from acting up. If you're both icing and heating an injury, always end with ice. Since ice works to reduce the swelling, following it up with heat will counteract it, increasing blood flow and possible swelling. Don't ice for longer than 20 minutes (doing so can lead to frostbite), and never ice before a workout; this will only make your muscles stiff and vulnerable to injury.

There's no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to finding the "best" cardio workout, but with a little research, you can determine the right cardio workout for your needs. If you're ready to stick to your fit game plan once and for all, take the following points into consideration.

Be honest about injuries: For anyone brand-new to a cardio program, talk to your doctor or physical therapist about the most suitable options. If your knees or hips have given you issues in the past, your doctor might explain that a low-impact workout is best. Take their advice to heart and understand that training for a marathon may not be the best at this time. If you have any concerns whatsoever, be sure to consult your physician before you start anything new.

Get real about your goals: Is this just about getting your heart pumping every day? Are you trying to take off a significant amount of weight? Long-term health goals will inform your cardio choices. Someone who wants to improve their heart health will benefit from working out at a steady pace, but this alone won't make pounds fly off the scale. The best workouts for weight loss typically include some form of interval training, alternating between periods of pushing your body to the max and rest periods. Try a Tabata workout that burns a ton of calories for an effective workout for weight loss.

Keep reading for two more things to consider when choosing a cardio workout.

For tight, toned legs, jump into your lunge! Although the basic lunge is a great starting point (and exercise to master), adding a jump will give you a bikini backside in no time. Often found in Tabata interval workouts, this lunge (also considered a jumping split lunge) is an intense move that increases the burn and tones your calves, too. Here's how you do it!

• To begin, start standing tall with your feet staggered, your left foot slightly in front of your right. Making sure you're not too stiff, keep your stance active with your knees bent in a slight but not full lunge.
• With your core engaged, push off the bottom of both feet into a jump, switching the position of your feet in midair, landing in a basic lunge with your right leg in front.
• Without rest, repeat this movement alternating which leg is in front. To prevent injury, make sure your back leg is bent directly underneath your body and your front leg is bent at 90 degrees at the knee and hip.
• Do three sets of 20 or modify the number specifically to your workout.

Going for a 30-minute run at a moderate pace of 10 minutes per mile (six mph) burns about 270 calories. What if you only have 20 minutes and you still want to burn the same amount? Below are some ways to do it.

• Pick up the pace: Increase your speed and run much faster at a pace of seven minutes per mile (8.5 mph). You'll burn 261 calories after 20 minutes.
• Add a little incline: If you're on the treadmill, add a five percent incline and run at a pace of nine minutes per mile (6.6 mph) and burn 280 calories.
• Add a steeper incline: Go even steeper with a 10 percent incline and go at a pace of 10 minutes per mile (six mph) and burn 280 calories.
• Add sprinting hill intervals Alternate between running one minute with zero percent incline at a pace of nine minutes per mile (6.6 mph) and one minute with a five percent incline at a pace of eight minutes per mile (7.5 mph) and burn a total of 282 calories.

All calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.

In order to burn calories and lose overall body fat, it's necessary to skip the walks, pick up the pace, and run instead. When you're first starting out, running feels so hard. Your muscles ache, your lungs burn, it's hard to breathe, and all you can think about is stopping. Here are five techniques to incorporate every week to help running feel like a breeze instead of a chore.

Pencil It In
In order for your body to become more accustomed to the demands running places on it, you have to run regularly. Instead of fitting in random runs whenever you can or when the weather is nice, it's imperative to stick with a weekly running schedule that includes running at least three or four times a week. Running often will strengthen the muscles in your lower body and core that are needed to make running feel easier, and it will also build your endurance. Ease into running regularly with shorter runs, and as it begins to feel easier, gradually increase the mileage per workout.

Slow Down
There's no need to start off running seven-minute miles. Slow down your speed enough so you're breathing faster than you would if just walking, but not huffing and puffing so much that your lungs hurt or you're gasping for each breath. Skip the interval training because even though it's great for targeting belly fat, running at a comfortable, consistent pace is easier than sprinting. Slowing down will allow you to focus on correct running form, which can alleviate common running aches, and you'll also be able to take in the scenery or have the energy to chat with your workout buddy, all of which can actually make you love going out for a run. As your body becomes stronger, your pace will increase naturally, and you can begin to challenge it with sprinting intervals.

Keep reading for three more ways to make running feel easier.

Sweating it out at home has its perks: no annoying people to deal with, no strange germs, no gym fees, and no wasted time spent commuting. Unfortunately, there are a few things that can get in the way of a home workout, cutting your exercise time short or leading to no workout at all.

• The kitchen calls to you: Who wouldn't rather be munching on a yummy snack instead of doing push-ups? To avoid giving in to your desire to nosh, work out as far away from the kitchen as possible. If you can't see or smell the home-baked cookies on the counter, you'll be less tempted to head to the kitchen to eat one. Also be sure to eat a protein-packed snack at least an hour before you're planning on exercising to avoid hunger pangs.
• I'll just check my email real quick: You call it checking your email, but deep down, you know it's procrastination. Anything you do that involves a plugged-in device and takes "just five minutes" usually sucks you in and turns into 20 minutes or more, so by the time you're finished, you've lost your motivation to sweat. Make a "no technology" rule and swear off all devices including phones, computers, and TV, unless you're using them to help you burn calories.
• Ugh, the dishes: It seems like there are always household chores to do, whether it's laundry, unloading the dishwasher, or cleaning the bathroom. The best way to deal with these is to choose an exact time to exercise — instead of vaguely saying sometime this afternoon — and stick with it. Put it on your calendar like you would a doctor's appointment so even if the garbage needs to be taken out, it'll have to wait.
• Where'd I put my dumbbells?: If you can't find the gear you need to exercise, then it's pretty hard to work out. Designate one spot in your home for exercise (and nothing else), and keep all your fitness stuff in a crate nearby. Make it as easy to access as possible to cut down on wasted time getting it out or setting it up.

That daily workout does a world of good for your body, but the intense portion of your workout isn't the only important part — your stretching session is just as crucial.

The key to seeing results from exercise is to keep it up, but if you routinely skip out on stretching, then you may notice that you're extremely sore or stiff the next day — an almost surefire way to talk yourself out of continuing your workout routine. Not only that, but since stretching after a workout helps your muscles repair faster, that can mean that skipping out on those few minutes of cooldown are hindering your toning efforts. So the next time you're at the gym, make sure you don't leave class early, and try these cooldown stretches for any workout.

Most people already know to gulp down water after exercising, but it's also important to make sure you're hydrated both before and during your workout. Not being hydrated can cause dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and cramps, as well as muscles that feel like lead. But heading into your workout well hydrated can make you feel stronger and more alert, and since your heart doesn't have to work as hard to pump oxygenated blood to your muscles, you're able to exercise longer. Here are some basic guidelines on how much water you need to perform your best and prevent dehydration.

• Before: Drink about 15 to 20 ounces of water one to two hours before working out. Sip another eight ounces 15 minutes before.
• During: Sip six ounces of water every 15 minutes (eight ounces if exercising in extreme heat or you're sweating buckets). If you're working out for longer than an hour or in excessive heat, then sip Smartwater or a sports drink like Gatorade to replenish lost electrolytes.
• After: Weigh yourself before and after your workout. For every pound of water weight lost, replace it by drinking 16 to 20 ounces of water or sports drink. Another good way to monitor that you've gotten enough water is in the ladies room. If you have a large amount of light-colored urine, then you're hydrated. If it's dark, then you'll know you need to drink more before, during, and after your workout.

You definitely don't want to overdo it with nature's beverage. Although rare, there is such a think as overhydration, a condition called hyponatremia where sodium levels in the blood become diluted and fall dangerously low. You'll know you're drinking too much water if you find you've gained weight when weighing yourself after a workout.