Fitness for Beginners: How to Actually Start (And Not Quit in Two Weeks)
By Brooke — Your gym bestie who actually shows up at 5am. Will make you love leg day. ·
Let’s Stop Pretending It’s Easy
Hey bestie! If you’re reading this, you’re probably sitting there feeling that familiar mix of ‘I really want to get stronger’ and ‘I have absolutely no clue where to start.’ Trust me, I’ve been there. Before I was a trainer here in Scottsdale, I was a teenager struggling with anxiety and a really messy relationship with food. I wasn’t thinking about ‘gains’ or ‘PRs’—I was just trying to find a way to feel comfortable in my own skin.
When I finally stepped into a gym for the first time, I felt like everyone was watching me. I didn’t know how to use the equipment, I felt awkward, and I almost walked out three times. But here’s the secret nobody tells you: everyone in that gym, even those scary-looking guys lifting huge weight, started exactly where you are. Today, I want to help you cut through the noise and actually build a routine that sticks.
1. Ditch the ‘All-or-Nothing’ Mentality
The biggest mistake I see? People decide it’s time to get fit, so they commit to working out six days a week for an hour a day, cutting out all their favorite foods, and sleeping eight hours a night immediately. That is a recipe for burnout, babe.
If you’re just starting, aim for consistency over intensity. Can you commit to two days a week for 30 minutes? Great. Do that for a month. If you can’t make it to the gym, a brisk walk around your neighborhood counts. Movement is movement. When we stop viewing fitness as a punishment for what we ate or a chore we ‘have’ to do, it stops feeling like a weight on our shoulders.
2. Master the ‘Big Rocks’ First
When you’re a beginner, you don’t need a complicated ‘bro-split’ or a six-day push-pull-legs routine. You need to master the foundational movement patterns. Think of these as your ‘Big Rocks’:
- The Squat: Sit down into a chair and stand back up. That’s a squat!
- The Hinge: Imagine you’re closing a door with your butt. That’s your deadlift pattern.
- The Push: A push-up (on your knees or elevated on a bench) is perfect.
- The Pull: A row (using a band or a cable) helps with posture.
- The Carry: Just walking while holding a weight. It’s functional, it’s safe, and it builds core strength like crazy.
Focus on these for the first few months. You’ll get stronger faster than you think, and you won’t be overwhelmed by trying to learn 50 different machines.
3. Nutrition Isn't About Restriction
I’m a nutrition coach, but I’m also a human who loves tacos and iced coffee. If you try to ‘diet’ while you’re starting a new workout routine, you’re going to be miserable. Instead of focusing on what you need to cut out, focus on what you can add in.
Can you add more protein to your breakfast? Can you add a side of veggies to your dinner? When you focus on adding nutrients, you’ll naturally have more energy for your workouts. And please, for the love of everything, stay hydrated. Most of the ‘fatigue’ my clients feel is actually just dehydration. Keep a water bottle with you—it’s the cheapest performance enhancer on the market.
4. Find Your ‘Why’ (And Keep It Real)
Looking ‘good’ is a fine motivator, but it’s usually not enough to get you out of bed at 5 a.m. when it’s raining or you’re tired. Why do you want to do this? Is it because you want to have the energy to play with your kids? Because you want to feel less anxious? Because you want to prove to yourself that you can do something hard?
My ‘why’ changed from wanting to change my body to wanting to support my mental health. When I shifted my focus to how my body felt instead of how it looked, everything changed. Write your ‘why’ on a sticky note and put it on your bathroom mirror. When you want to skip a workout, look at that note.
5. Be Kind to Yourself
You’re going to have bad days. You’re going to miss a workout. You might eat a whole bag of chips one night. That doesn’t mean you failed; that means you’re human. The goal isn't perfection; the goal is coming back the next day. If you fall off the wagon, don't wait until next Monday to start over—just get back to it at your next meal or your next workout.
Fitness is a lifelong journey, not a sprint. We’re playing the long game here, and I’m so excited for you to start this chapter.
Let’s Chat!
I’m not just here to post workout videos—I’m here to be your hype-girl. If you’re feeling stuck or you just need someone to tell you that you’re doing a great job, slide into my DMs or drop a comment below. What’s the one thing holding you back from starting this week? Let’s talk it out. You’ve got this, and I’m right here cheering you on!