You don’t need some big dramatic reason to want to start up a fitness routine. Maybe your jeans are tight or your back’s been bothering you. Maybe you’re just tired of feeling tired. That’s enough. Many of us find that once the spring comes back around, the lighter mornings can be a bit of a boost to get out of hibernation mode and get moving a bit again. You don’t need to train for a half marathon or lose two stone to start caring about how you feel in your body. It’s ok to start small. It’s better, actually. Here's how to get started when it's been a while (or your first time) getting into fitness. 

Getting into fitness can feel weird, especially if you’re starting from scratch or it’s been a while. Gyms can be kind of intimidating and it seems like everyone on Instagram is doing handstands or running before the sun comes up. And you’re here trying to figure out how to stretch without pulling something. YouTube is full of beginner workouts you can do in leggings and socks, with no one watching, no mirrors and no pressure it's a great place to start. Just move a little and see how it feels. If you do want to go to the gym but feel nervous, go when it’s quiet. Wear something you feel comfortable in. Bring headphones with a good playlist ready and have a plan or a video to follow so you’re not just standing around pretending to know what the machines do.  Having an induction session where a trainer shows you how everything works can be so helpful, it's better than you getting in there and not being able to figure out how anything works. Otherwise take a friend with you, even if you're both clueless it's useful to have moral support! Everyone starts somewhere, even the confident looking people once didnt know what they were doing either.

Start with something you don’t hate. That’s honestly the best advice. If you love dancing, dance. If walking feels good, do more of that. You don’t need to do burpees or deadlifts unless you want to. You don’t have to sweat buckets or go breathless to make it count. Just be consistent. That’s where the real progress happens. If you're brand new, three short workouts a week is a solid start. That could be walking one day, a yoga video the next, then some light strength work using water bottles as weights. You can build from there once it feels like part of your week instead of a punishment.

If you’ve got a sore back or stiff shoulders, don’t just power through and hope it goes away. Those little niggles usually mean your body’s asking for something. Maybe you need to stretch more. Maybe your core’s weak. Maybe your desk setup is wrecking your posture. You don’t have to be in pain to need help. Seeing a physio or having some sports therapy doesn’t mean you’re injured. They can help you move better, especially if you’ve had a baby or surgery or just been inactive for a long time. Your body deserves to feel good. You don’t have to wait until something goes wrong to take care of it.

You don’t need to cut carbs or give up chocolate. But you do need to eat enough. That’s a big one. If you’re trying to work out more but you’re living on coffee and cereal and skipping lunch, your body’s going to struggle. You need protein. You need real meals. Try to get some kind of protein with every meal. Eggs, chicken, Greek yoghurt, tofu, beans, whatever you like. Add colour to your plate when you can- even frozen veg counts. Cook simple stuff that feels satisfying and doesn’t take forever. Make extras and eat them for lunch the next day. Have snacks ready so you’re not grabbing random stuff when you crash at 4pm. And drink water. You’ll feel it when you don’t.

Not sleeping enough will mess with everything. Your mood, your energy, your appetite, your workouts. You don’t need to be perfect about it, just try to wind down earlier and protect your sleep like it actually matters. Because it does. Put your phone down before bed if you can. Leave your washing for tomorrow. Getting 7 to 8 hours most nights will help you recover better and actually want to move the next day. And if you’re exhausted, maybe what you need is rest instead of another workout.

This part is important, more isn’t always better. Your body needs downtime to repair and build strength. You don’t need to “earn” rest with hard workouts. It’s part of the plan, not a reward. A rest day doesn’t have to mean doing nothing. You can go for a gentle walk or stretch out on your living room floor with a podcast. Just keep it light and don’t feel guilty about it.