14 Steps to Start Your Fitness Journey Right

This is a re-post from Jess Barron, Business Leader with Team Beachbody. I saved this post here so I would have ready access to it and be able to send you here to check it out! Let's get started!

So, you committed to get fit and toned, and you bought a Beachbody fitness program such as P90X, P90X2, LES MILLS PUMP, INSANITY, The Asylum, TurboFire, RevAbs, Slim in 6, Brazil Butt Lift, Hip Hop Abs, etc. Great job! We applaud you.

Now, how would you like to double your ability to stay motivated and succeed?

Studies have shown that people who use online support tools like the kind on TeamBeachbody.com get two times better results with their fitness program.

Sounds good, right? So, you're probably wondering what steps to take to get started? Here's what you need to do:

1. If you haven't done so yet, sign up for Team Beachbody membership. If you're already a TeamBeachbody member, you can skip this step.

2. Take your "before" photos. Need instructions on how to take your photos? Watch this video which will show you exactly what to do.




3. Step on a scale, and get your "starting weight." Be sure to record your "starting weight" in your online profile's progress and goals section, along with your goal weight. You need to know what your goal is in order to reach it! Also, it's very important take and record your starting measurements. Many of our programs cause people to lose inches all over their bodies, and sometimes inches lost can be a better way to chart your progress than pounds lost. There should be a tape measure that came in the box with your Beachbody program. And here is a video with easy instructions on how -- and where exactly -- to measure yourselfl].



Record your body measurements in your online profile's Progress & Goals section. After 1 month of working out, you will want to take your measurements again, and record the progress in this section as well.

4. Take the "fit test" that came with your program (tip: you can find P90X and INSANITY fit tests here), OR take the general Team Beachbody Fit Test. You can record your performance on the TeamBeachbody fit test at the bottom of your progress and goals page.

5. If you haven't done so already, upload a profile photo of yourself so that others can see what you look like. Also, having a profile photo that shows your face is required in order for you to be eligible to win the daily $500 SuperGym Sweepstakes giveaway just for working out in the SuperGym (see complete contest rules). You wouldn't want to miss out on a chance to win each day just because you don't have a profile photo, would you? While you're at it, why not also upload your "before" photo to your profile too? If you're not happy with what you see up there, it could help give you added motivation to do your workouts!

6. Fill out your bio section in your profile, so that other members will know something about you and your fitness journey.

7. Commit to get fit, and pledge to Take the Beachbody Challenge, and then every day that you log your workouts in the SuperGym, you'll be entered in a sweepstakes giveaway for $500. Plus, when finish your program, you can submit your "before" and "after" photos for a chance to win up to $100,000. That should definitely help give you incentive to stick with your program!

8. Decide which day you will start your program, and which time you will be doing your workouts, and then put the entire 60-day or 90-day workout schedule onto your SuperGym calendar. We call this setting up an "auto-schedule" - click here to find out how to do it. Taking a vacation in the middle of your 90-day program? Here's info on how you can plan ahead and add that vacation or holiday gap in your auto-schedule now. Then, visit the SuperGym daily to see who's in the gym and to start your workouts.

9. Join an Online Workout Group for extra encouragement and motivation. Doing INSANITY? Join this INSANITY group, by clicking the blue "Join this group" button when you land on the page. Doing P90X? Join the P90Xplorers group. Are you doing Slim in 6? Join this Slim in 6 newbies group. No matter which program you're doing, you can join the Getting fit and healthy in 2012 group. After you've joined your groups, you can always have access to them via the Manage My Groups page in your profile.

10. When viewing other members' profiles, you can always click "Add as a buddy" to designate some people from your Workout Groups as your online workout buddies. It's helpful to have online friends who you can send messages to when you have questions or you're tempted to skip your workout. They'll offer you advice and encouragement to stick with your program. You can also find and add online buddies from the over 200,000 people in the Member Gallery. Maybe some people have already requested you as their buddy? Go here to review and approve (or ignore) requests from workout buddies.

11. Find out who your TeamBeachbody Coach is, and then send a message to introduce yourself. You can tell what your fitness goals are and which program(s) you're doing. Your Coach is here to answer any questions you might have, and to offer you motivation and support.

12. Start writing - and tracking your progress on your fitness journey - in your own TeamBeachbody blog. Writing in your blog is a great way to celebrate your accomplishments as well as work through (and get advice on) your challenges.

13. Wondering how to calculate your body fat and or your healthy weight or daily caloric needs? Check out our helpful tools.

14. Need additional tips on what to eat each day? Check out TeamBeachbody's Online Meal Planner, which should be helpful to keep your eating on track.

I hope this is helpful advice for you. Good luck on your personal health and fitness journey! It's going to be worth it. I've used all these tools myself, and I've lost (and kept off) 15 pounds by doing RevAbs, INSANITY, and now LES MILLS PUMP. So, these programs (and the online tools on TeamBeachbody) DO work!

Feel free to post comments to this thread to let me know how you're doing, and if you have questions.

If you're reading this and you're not already a Club member, Click Here!
Or Test Drive a FREE Membership here!

Links:
You Can Win $100,000 in the Beachbody Challenge!
How Bad do You Want It?