AD GIFTED – This post contains PR samples. All thoughts are my own.
I’ve had a really up and down relationship with exercise. When I was younger, I was hugely into sport. I was on every team going, taking extra physical education at school and always active. When I was old enough, I joined the local gym and attended regularly and this continued all the way until I was around 18.
But then my anxiety disorder started and exercise well and truly went out of the window. It just wasn’t a priority for me anymore, when all I was desperately trying to do is make it through the day. For the first few years of this, exercise wasn’t on my mind at all. I just didn’t care about it.
But once I started to get my anxiety under control, I realised just how much I missed exercising. I slowly introduced it back into my life in a way which was safe for me in my current state. Starting with some super gentle and restorative Yoga and walks. Gradually over the years, my Yoga practices got a bit more advanced and eventually I was ready to incorporate a proper exercise routine into my life again!
And now, I absolutely love exercising again. I do feel I’m at the point where I’d like to even introduce a new type of exercise into my life. But now that I no longer have an anxiety disorder, I can embrace exercise and all the benefits it offers our mental health and well-being and really enjoy it in the same way that I used to!
If you’ve fallen off the exercise train for WHATEVER reason (it really doesn’t matter) and you’re thinking it might be time to jump back on, then this is the post for you! Here are my best tips for getting back into exercise:
Take it seriously
It’s very easy to do a 5 minute ab workout after not exercising for a decade and thinking that that’s enough. 5 minute ab workouts are great but they’re not going to improve your stamina, they’re not going to tone your whole body and they’re not going to help you lose weight (if that’s your intention).
Invest in good quality workout clothing
For this post, I was very kindly gifted a bunch of items from Adidas and I can confirm that having high quality workout clothing can make the world of difference to your exercise routine. There’s been many times where I’ve worked out in my pajamas but it’s just not the same! Let’s take a look at what I picked from Adidas; they have an amazing range of Women’s Clothing!
Kaptir Super Shoes (in Cloud White) – £51
The trainers are without a doubt the star of the show for me. I just adore them for a whole bunch of reasons! I run occasionally and footwear is always something I struggle with, so I’m hoping these will give me the comfort I need. They certainly appear like they will, based on how cushioned they are. I’m a size 5 but the website recommended sizing up, which I did to 5.5 and they fit like a dream.
I absolutely love the colour combo I chose. You’ll certainly see me coming a mile off! But the thing that beats it all is how you can personalize your trainers. On the right foot, I got a #4. 4 is my lucky number, as well as my birthday. And my initials ‘JM’ on the other shoe. Not that I need reminding of my own initials but I think this is a fantastic touch!
Designed To Move High Rise 3 Stripes 3/4 Sport Leggings – £28
These leggings are very fitted and initially I thought I should have perhaps bought the next size up. However once I actually got them on, I found they were extremely comfortable and will be excellent for workouts, especially HIIT and running because they proper hold everything in place. Woohoo! I love the design of these leggings too, they’re very flattering and I love the Adidas stripe.
Adicolor Classics Trefoil T-Shirt – £23
This t-shirt is incredible quality and so soft. I know I’ll wear this a LOT, even if I’m not working out because it looks really smart with jeans and trainers as well. I’m all for the casual sport look when it comes to fashion, too! But of course this is multi-purpose and will also make a great exercise top as well. I love the true Adidas classic logo on the front of this too.
Adicolor Classics Crop Hoodie – £44
The hoodie is my second favourite of the bunch. Again, the quality is out of this world and it’s SO comfortable. Another multi-purpose item as I wear this hoodie regularly to lounge around in but it also looks nice worn with jeans as well. The perfect hoodie for your Autumn and Winter workouts too; it’ll keep you warm enough but it light-weight to not interfere with your workout.
Cushioned Ankle Socks 3 Pairs – £10
And I threw some ankle socks in my basket for good measure as well. I actually didn’t have any good quality ankle socks and the ones I did have always rode down my foot as I walked for some reason? These socks are excellent quality and so comfortable and I love that they come in 3 different colours as well.
Find an exercise that you enjoy
When getting back into exercise, particularly after a long period of time, it’s SO important to do something you love. Remember, you might not still enjoy an exercise you used to do 5 or 10 years ago. If you try it again and it’s not for you anymore, then that’s absolutely fine! Find something you love and go from there.
But do something that fits into your routine
Finding something that fits in with you routine and daily life is important too. If you’re only just getting back into exercise, you don’t want to be signing up to 20 classes a week and completely burning yourself out. If you do that, you’ll end up resenting exercise. If you can’t fit in a 90 minute exercise class, that’s fine. Do something you CAN do. Work around your routine and get creative.
I see a woman in the park in the morning who goes for a run whilst pushing her baby in a pram! She’s just dropped her eldest off at school then goes for her run on the way back, which I think is AMAZING.
Set small and realistic goals
And make sure these goals are suitable for you and your intentions. Not everyone exercises to lose weight. So if that’s you, don’t set yourself weight goals because they’re irrelevant. Perhaps set yourself a running distance goal or a weight lifting goal instead.
Don’t compare your progress to others
This is a BIG one because it’s so easy to do, especially on social media and especially if you use workout channels on YouTube. Remember, other people are on a different path to you. They have a different body to you. They have a different lifestyle to you. Focus on YOU.
Don’t deprive yourself of what you love
Diet definitely goes hand in hand with exercise and if you’ve started your journey of an exercise routine again then chances are you’re going to want to get healthier and of course diet plays a huge part in that. But I am NOT one for fad diets, restricting or being miserable about what I’m eating. So if you want a cake, have a freaking cake.
Remember to rest!
When you start exercising again, it’s really tempting to just keep going and push, push, push yourself to get those results. But it won’t work because your body NEEDS rest days. Your muscles literally need a day to sleep and recover otherwise they’re going to absolutely hate you. So use your rest days wisely and actually USE THEM TO REST.
Remember exercise is a personal thing and if something doesn’t work for you, that’s fine. It’s just important to enjoy what you’re doing and treat your body the way it deserves. Because it does SO much for you!
What’s your favourite exercise? What tips would you give to someone who’s just getting back into exercise after a long period? Let me know in the comments!
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