First Difference:

What or Who Do You Want to Look Like?

Find the person, or type of person, whose body you most want to emulate. What do they do to get their body shape? Does any of that interest you? When looking for information, try to find it from people you want to look like.

For me, this was the body of a gymnast. For you?

To start — though I no longer do this — I unfollowed all my friends on Instagram and began following only gymnastic Instagram accounts. I got this idea from Noah Kagan. I was encouraged to go further into gymnastics training via an interview with Christopher Sommer and eventually attended a gymnastics open gym for about six months and am looking forward to returning this summer after taking a break to work on the muscular and postural weaknesses I discovered while training there.

Second Difference:

What is Fun for You?

You are going to hate working out. Admit it.

Fun will get you through a routine of working out. But you will need to discover what is fun for you at a gym.

Fun can be fifteen minutes in the steam room, time with a workout buddy, or a game of basketball. Fun can be a conversation with someone random — the trainer you think is cute or the person who does their squats wrong. For me, it was handstands, then handstand pushups. You don’t need to limit yourself, but remember to find a way to genuinely enjoy your gym time as you develop your routine.

Take five to ten minutes during every workout and have fun.

Third Difference:

Why Are You on That Phone?

A large music playlist has always been essential. However, beyond that, your phone will only prevent your success in the gym. Today, I saw someone look at their phone twice taking one drink from a water fountain.

Your friends will be there when you are done.

Your family will be there when you are done.

Your job will be there when you are done. If it is not, you can start looking for another job when you are done.

Fourth Difference:

Can You Go and Change Yourself on Repeat?

Figure out what works best for you during your first week. What do you like about your gym? Where do you see the most improvement? Choose a muscle group/area to improve.

Get on YouTube to find advice that targets your selected area. It can be a body part you like or something you want to improve. Your choice. Spend real time (months) learning about that area. Once you feel comfortable that you understand that area of your body, pick a new area. You will never be done learning about fitness, so expect to revisit what you learned for review.

If you do not know where to start, I would recommend Jeff Nippard or Stephanie Buttermore. Their content is accessible and full of practical detail. Jeff Cavalier is a good addition as you begin looking for additional workout options and more technical advice. These are simply the channels that I have used and are not an exhaustive list of the options available on the platform. If you prefer Instagram, I have been enjoying moveu_official.

The human body does not change that much. This is why I discourage reading about fitness as you start out. The internet is awash with new and improved when there is still no replacement for attendance.

Fifth Difference:

When to Read — Can You Forgive Yourself for Never Knowing Enough?

Getting in shape is a marathon. Just keep going. When you injure yourself, it is important to take a break, but only to go to a medical professional, or perhaps even do your own research on YouTube about the specific area you injured. You should still see a medical professional, in person, before you return to a full workout regimen after an injury.

If your injury or setback is not simple (see: a physical therapist cannot help you fully recover) you may need to start reading again in addition to seeking out a doctor.

In addition to the cortisol shots I received from Northwestern Medicine Spine Center, an article about the state of medical science concerning recovery from a back injury eventually helped establish a move-on mindset. Recognizing my changing body, as the article discussed, was the biggest step in allowing me to abandon my previous workout’s squat and deadlift failings. These exercises do work, but they do not work for me.

A few months before writing this article, a thrown dodgeball shot pain up my arm which eventually settled into my right shoulder blade. During the course of writing this article, I began a recovery process which only now feels manageable as I complete this article. Dry needling has been essential. The discussions with my PT surrounding the causes of my shoulder/back pain were vitally important as well.

Tailored-to-you medical/workout advice will almost always beat a video.

Sixth Difference:

Can You Ask Questions of the Professionals in Your Life or Online?

The professionals in your life will help you accomplish your goals. For me, this has been a variety of people, all at different times, but has included a few personal trainers, physical therapists, a massage therapist, and a chiropractor.

Diet matters too and you should consult a dietician if you think you need to learn more. Diet will be the most important thing to learn as you develop a routine to meet your goals. My recommendation to start, find a diet that you enjoy at some level which is high in protein. You will change it to suit your needs eventually and as you learn more.

As you are figuring out your style of working out, respect that when an exercise, workout plan, diet, or anything else health-related does not work for you, that will not mean it is wrong.

You probably just do not know enough about it.

Learn to Ask Questions