If you’re a newbie to fitness or if you’ve fallen off the wagon for a while and your’e getting back on, congrats! You’ve taken the first step! That’s the hardest part! So you want success, right? I can help ya! I’ve been a newbie too! And I’ve definitely made some rookie mistakes. Been there, done that. Here are the top five mistakes I made when I started my fitness regime. Avoid ‘em, and you’re  well on your way to getting fit!

“Damn. My instructor is so good. Why can’t I be like her?”
Whether you’re working out at home using fitness dvds (hello, TurboFire) or heading to kickboxing class twice a week, don’t compare yourself to your instructor. I don’t know how many times I’ve done this. I even went to a yoga class recently (after a 10 month hiatus), and tried getting as deep into my poses as my instructor was. Um…..hellooooooooo….missing the whole point, girlie! More often than not, your instructor has been working out forever and a dog’s age. I mean…they’re teaching the damn class right? So check your ego at the door. Admire them, yes. Look up to them, yes. You can even create goals for yourself surrounding them. But don’t expect yourself to be able to teach the class after attending just a couple.

“Easy does it.”
Just because you’re just starting out, doesn’t mean you should go easy on yourself. “I need to learn the moves first before I can really give it my all.” “I’m new, so I should go slow.” Screw that. I once went to a kickboxing class for a year, three times a week, and didn’t drop a single pound. Why? I was too busy gabbing with my friend. Flailing your fists around half-heartedly is not going to get you closer to your goals. So hit it hard. Yes, you may not get the moves right away. But move your booty and try!

“I am going to do this workout perfectly.”
You should absolutely go into your workout thinking you’re an athlete. You are. You became one today! But even athletes need goals and milestones to aim for. So if you find yourself getting down about not being able to do a certain move, you’ve gotta quit it, right now. Negative self talk is out. It doesn’t help bring you closer to doing a burpee or a pushup. It actually brings you farther away from your goals. If you can’t do a move, make it your mission in life to be able to by the end of your fitness regime (whether that’s two weeks or three months from now). You’ll be surprised what a little gumption and bullheadedness can help you accomplish.

“Rest is for the weak.”
Nope! Rest is for the strong! I used to flail around my living room, parched to the max, giving the workout 10% of my all because….I was dog tired. I wish I had tracked my calories burned back then to see what a disservice I was doing to my body. Yes, you’ve got to push yourself through those moments that you think, “Gah…I don’t wanna do this anymore..” but you also need to listen to your body too. If you’re really and truly tired, give yourself a three minute break. You’ll be amazed at what those three minutes can do! Suddenly your energy will be through the roof again and you’ll be rocking your workout! And guess what? That three minute workout will eventually become two minutes. One minute. 30 seconds….until…you don’t need a break at all.

“I wish my ex could see me right now!”
Really? Are you really thinking about that dufus right now? You should be thinking about how bad your quads are burning, not how bad you heart is aching right now! My god, I used to do this all the time. I’d even imagine myself at my ultimate goal weight, instructing the class, and my ex walking by and going, “Damn. She looks amazing. I was such an idiot.” What the hell was I thinking? No more. Now I workout for myself. Nix the audience in your head, girls, and focus on the workout at hand. Do it for you. Because you are worth every sit up, lunge and squat. Damn right, you are.

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