Beginner Fitness Routine that works

Just getting started in the gym and don't know what to do? One thing I found on my weightloss/fitness journey is everyone responds differently. Figuring out what works best for you is the key. A workout you might find in a bodybuilding magazine, men's or women's health magazine or any of the thousands of fitness forums on the net are not designed for the average person. I personally went through several different routines until I found one that worked for my body type and one I could stick with, most importantly. Keep it simple, make it do-able so you don't dread it and move through the exercises at a moderate pace.

Tip: Lot's of people like to use the gym equipment as furniture to sit and chat. I avoid the chatters by using an ipod and earplugs. Then the chatters don't start a conversation because they think you can't hear them!

What workout schedule will work best for you? At the very least, you should try a 3-on, 4-off Circuit Training Routine. Most people can easily work this in their schedule. For example, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Taking a rest day in between eack workout day. This is the program I started with and achieved fairly quick results. Cycling through the machines, or alternating some free-weight movements if you wish. Don't be afraid to add to or alternate an exercise into your workout that works better for your body type. Below is an example of what I used:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday

Weeks 1-4:

10-30 minutes on treadmill or eliptical, etc. for cardio and warm-up before every session.

>Leg press machine 1-3 sets for10-15 reps

>Bench Press machine 1-3 sets for10-15 reps

>Shoulder Presses (dumbell or machine) 1-3 sets for 10-15 reps

>Machine Row 1-3 sets for 10-15 reps

>Seated Preacher Curls 1-3 sets for 10-15 reps

>Triceps Push Downs 1-3 sets for 10-15 reps

>Calf raises (standing or seated) 1-3 sets for 10-15 reps

>Crunches-Abs (ball or roman chair) 1-3 sets for 10-20 reps

*Rest about 1 minute between sets. More if you need it. Men will do better with around 10-12 reps per exercise and Women will want to go with higher reps like 15-20 per exercise.

The 3-on, 4-off Circuit Training Routine is for the beginner who might say, "I'd like to lose the spare tire and maybe add a bit of muscle. I don't want to be big and bulky though!" Be careful to give the body a warning of what is coming though. Don't over do it! A whole body workout 3 days per week is the fundamental start for any resistance training program. What you do is take one exercise for each body part and do three sets of 10-15 reps with it. On week one, you may find that three sets is a bit too much. This depends on the shape you are in going into it. A good way to ease into this is to do 1 set of everything for week 1, two sets of everything for weeks two and three. Finally, doing all three sets by the end of the month. By the time you begin with month two, you'll be able to perform three sets of 10-15 for every muscle group on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Each day of the 3-on, 4-off Circuit Training Routine will begin with 10 to 30 minutes of your preferred cardio. Treadmill, elliptical, bicycle, power-walking, etc.

Believe me, if you change your eating habits even slightly and follow the beginners routine, in about 12 short weeks you're going to start seeing the difference in the mirror!