When you are ready to plan a workout routine there are certain steps you need to go through before you get started. These steps are not difficult, but are necessary for success with your workout routine.

The first thing you need to do is assess your fitness level. Assessing your fitness level makes sense because you cannot plan a fitness routine if you do not how fit you really are. Now you are probably wondering how in the world do I assess my fitness level. Well it is as simple as timing how long it takes you to walk a mile or how many push ups can you do. Walking is something that you do everyday so when you time how long it takes you to walk a mile you are setting a basis for improvement. And push ups are great because you are using your body weight to build strength so test yourself and see how many you can do.

Everyone at one point in time can feel a little self-conscious about the way that you look I mean it happens.

Having a fitness routine and being movitavted to exercise is just one way you can keep those bad thoughts away. You need to determine what your goals are when planning your workout routine. So consider what are you wanting to get out of your workout and ask yourself do you have short and long term goals. Be realistic and know that it will take time, but if you are not as patient think about alternative methods like using equipment for faster results.

From there all you need to do is research so that you can have a guideline to the type of exercises you will need to do that fit with your goals. Get some paper and a pencil I personally recommend getting a one or two subject notebook so that you can write what exercises you have in mind for your routine. Write down the name of several exercises and how to do them correctly just for reference. Your notebook will double as a fitness log and become very handy when altering your routine.

When keeping track of what exercises you are doing you should write the date, a start and ending time as well as how many reps and sets you completed. By doing this you will be able to see how your fitness level is improving. Soon you will be able to take on more push ups and walk a faster mile.

Start your workout routine the following day and make sure you plan a resting period so you do not over work yourself. Give yourself plenty of time to complete your workout. Taking your time will ensure you are using proper form and remember to keep hydrated and take frequent breaks.