Foundation Fitness Co.

So you want to “get in shape”?

We’ve all heard this before. My parents said this during my youth. I’ve heard numerous gym patrons and social media users utter the phrase. But what does that really mean? Most of the time people mean that they want to look more muscular or “tone up.” Sometimes they mean they want to lose weight. Sometimes they mean they want to feel better. Maybe they’ve been getting out of breath while walking around their office, and they want that to be easier. Whatever the need, “getting in shape” necessitates moving your body more.

But how should you be working out?

Should you follow Instagram videos? Should you just walk? Should you take up running? (Obviously, you should join our run club…) There’s so much information out there, how are you supposed to know what to do?

Let me help. The basics will be found below. Give this a read-thru, bookmark it on your browser, screenshot it, whatever you’d like so you can reference it.

Why Do We Need This?

Why do I care if I hold on to a little fat? What if I don’t want to look super muscular? Because our bodies are not made to carry around so much extra fat. I’m all for loving your body at whatever size and shape it is, but the reality is that if you’re carrying around a ton of extra fat, it is negatively impacting your life, whether you can see it right now or not.

How Much Do I Need?

Less than half of American adults (age 18+) meet the CDC Guidelines for aerobic physical activity, and less than a quarter of adults meet the criteria for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. This means that less than 25% of adults move as much as they need to in order to hit the bare minimum for a healthy lifestyle. Those guidelines are 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week, and 2-3 times of strength training each week. I know that probably sounds like a lot, but let’s break it down a little further:

• 150 minutes total of moderate intensity activity each week (7 days)
  • 30 minutes of brisk walking 5 days a week
  • 22 minutes of brisk walking 7 days a week
  • 60 minute walk one day, then 3 more 30 minute walks
  • 2, 30 minute strength training sessions, then 3 more 30 minute walks (lifting weights or doing strength training also counts as moderate activity!)

Considering there are about 112 waking hours in the week, taking 2 and a half to move your body and protect against all the pieces of health we covered above should be a no-brainer.

You could call this the Minimum Effective Dose, which is the minimum amount of something that will have the desired effect. Now here’s the kicker—it’s not actually the minimum, especially for a complete beginner. If you are currently a person who wakes up, goes to work to sit at a desk all day, then goes home to sit on a couch all night, then moving even 30-40 minutes more a week will give you some benefits.

What Do I Do? The Basics

To start, we’re going to move your body in a very basic way. As you get more advanced, you can make these more complex, but for now, I’m going to provide you with a very basic routine that will get you started.

Warm-Up:

Your warm-up is not just about getting your heart rate up—it’s about waking your body up and prepping your joints and muscles for movement. This helps reduce injury risk and gets your mind in the game.

Try this simple warm-up:

March in Place or Light Jog – 1 min

Arm Circles – 30 sec each direction

Bodyweight Squats – 10 reps

Push-ups (on floor or inclined on wall or couch) – 5 reps

Tip: Don’t rush it. Use this time to breathe deeply and check in with how your body feels today.

Strength Training Basics:

The basics. Here’s a basic circuit you can do 2–3x per week. All you need is your bodyweight and maybe a pair of light dumbbells if you’ve got them.

Workout Format:

Perform each exercise for 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps (per side where applicable). Rest 30–60 seconds between moves.

If you want more cardio or to make it harder, perform them in a circuit. One set of each move, then rest at the end. Then repeat all of it 2-3 times.

1. Glute Bridge (Targets glutes and hamstrings)

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Drive through your heels and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Pause, then lower slowly.

Regression: Mini Bridge (don’t lift hips as high) Progression: Single-Leg Glute Bridge

2. Incline Push-Up (Targets chest, shoulders, triceps)

Hands on a sturdy surface (bench, couch, or wall), walk feet back until your body is in a straight line. Lower chest toward the surface, then press back up.

Regression: Wall Push-Up

Progression: Regular Push-Up on floor or Decline Push-Up

3. Bodyweight Squat (Targets quads, glutes, core)

Feet hip-width apart, sit back like you’re lowering into a chair. Keep chest lifted and weight in your heels.

Regression: Box Squat (sit back to a chair or box) Progression: Goblet Squat (hold a dumbbell or household item)

4. Supported Row with Dumbbell or Water Bottles (Targets back and biceps)

Lean over onto a couch or bench, keep your back flat, and pull the weight toward your hip, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Repeat on other side.

Regression: Seated Band Row or Lighter Objects Progression: Add tempo (slow the lowering phase) or increase weight

5. Dead Bug (Targets core stability)

Lie on your back, arms and legs up like a bug. Slowly lower opposite arm and leg, keeping your core braced. Return to center and switch sides.

Regression: Lower just arms or legs, not both Progression: Hold light weights or straighten legs fully

Cool-Down/Stretching:

Cooling down helps bring your heart rate back down and signals to your body that it’s safe to relax. It’s also a perfect time to stretch and reflect.

Try this quick cool-down:

Child’s Pose – 1 min

Seated Forward Fold – 1 min

Cat-Cow Stretch – 1 min

Deep Breathing – 2 min

Now What? Keep Doing the Basics!

Repeat this 2-3 times a week for a month and see what happens. If a friend came to you and said “I just started a new job yesterday, but I haven’t made a million dollars yet.” What would you say to them? Probably that they need to wait and see. (Maybe that they’re crazy…) don’t try this once and think “why am I not in shape yet?” or “I suck at this, what’s the point?”

Give yourself a chance to succeed. Stick with it. If you need help with habits or have questions, reach out! My instagram dms are always open to you ❤️

**Video of this workout coming to YouTube later this week, and then I’ll link it.**

-bk

*Additional Resources:

• CDC Fast Facts with links to other research about movement and the American people