Consider checking up on your health first
If you've never really had an exercise routine or you're just getting back into it after some time away, we recommend getting a physical check up beforehand to see where your health is at first. Not only will this give you an idea on how fit you are and thus how at risk of injury you may be, but it will help optimise your exercise routine as you'll understand your physical limitations.

Set some (realistic) goals and build up

It's great to say "I want to run a marathon" or "I want to beat Rafael Nadal in tennis", but setting some attainable goals will help keep you motivated to exercise regularly. Let's say you actually do want to run a 15km marathon, you can build up to it with some smaller goals that start with 1km daily runs and gradually work towards your target. Be realistic with your goals because reaching too far too soon will blunt your motivation to exercise.

Start slow
Look, we want to look ripped and be fit after just a week of working out but it's a process that takes time and it all starts somewhere. 30 minutes of fast walking or light jogging to get your heart rate up every day is enough to get started for beginners, and you can gradually increase the intensity as you get fitter. No need to go all in on the gyms and ocean swims right away!

Aways make time to exercise
It's easy to say "eh, I'll work out tomorrow" and then never follow through on it, so make sure that you schedule your workouts into your daily routine. Exercising is a long-term thing so don't give up before you start seeing (and feeling) the benefits. It's normal to struggle to get up early for a workout or exercising after a long day at work, but as you get into the routine it gets easier. As the saying goes, this isn't a sprint it's a marathon.

There are plenty of reasons why it's hard to carve out 30 minutes a day for exercise, however the science behind it is pretty convincing: just watch this video to see what a difference 30 minutes can make to your overall health.

Comfortable clothes and shoes are your friend
Make sure you're wearing clothing that you feel comfortable moving about and sweating in, and shoes that fit well and provide support. The shoes are particularly important as a poor-fitting shoe can cause injury or blisters.

Warming up and cooling down
Warming up and cooling down your muscles and joints is important as this will help minimise the risk of injury. Take a few minutes at the start of every workout to stretch or do some light jogging/cycling to warm everything up. At the end of every workout, take another few minutes to slow down, breathe, and allow your body to cool back down to its normal state.

Diet is as important as the sweating
Exercising is great, but what you're eating to fuel your exercise is just as important. It's tempting to just operate on a diet of junk food, but this will only cancel out all the work you're doing, as well as making you feel sluggish. Swap out those burgers and pizzas for fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains instead.

Choose what activity is right for you
Everyone exercises differently and enjoys different activities, so make sure you're doing something you actually enjoy. If lifting heavy weights at the gym isn't for you then maybe swimming is more your thing. Perhaps you like the social aspect of exercise so perhaps playing a team sport or joining a group fitness class suits you best. Just remember that it's perfectly okay that you don't enjoy an activity in the beginning, that will come with time. If it doesn't, then you can always look for something else that suits you better.