Starting your fitness journey can be stressful. Mine started a few years ago when I realized that my “freshman 15” ended up being more like the “freshman 30”. I knew I wanted to get back into shape, but I didn’t know where to start. Being a Camden Waterford Lakes resident meant that I had everything I needed right in front of me. Camden Waterford Lakes has a 24-hour fitness center with cardio machines, free weights, exercise balls, and even a smith machine!

Photo courtesy of Camden: waterford_gym.jpg

For some people going to the gym can be intimidating, don’t stress! Everyone gets gym nerves, you need to remember that everyone has to start somewhere. Here is a guide on how I took small steps on my fitness journey.

When I began my fitness journey I wasn’t quite ready to hit the gym so I started to workout inside my apartment:

Fitness Program: Bikini Body Guide program by Kayla Itsines.

How it works: An in-home program that includes 28-minute high-intensity workouts completed three times a week.

Why I love it: The workouts start with simple movements that allow you to add free weights to up your intensity. For a few weeks, I completed almost all the workouts from the comfort of my own living room.

Once I felt more confident I started taking my workouts to the fitness center and started utilizing a new workout regime

Photo courtesy of Nicole Garner

Fitness Program: Women’s Specialization Program by Stephanie Buttermore and Jeff Nippard.

How it works: Her program calls for free weights and other weight machines.

Why I love it: What's great about her program is she always provides alternative exercises. You can complete every workout in your community fitness center without paying for a fancy gym membership.

My favorite machine at the Camden Waterford Lakes fitness center is the Smith Machine. You can complete so many exercises: squats, bench press, leg press, rows, curls and even dips and pull-ups! You can increase the weight as your intensity level progresses

Photo courtesy of Nicole Garner

On days that I am not lifting, I love to take advantage of the plethora of cardio machines the fitness center. I came up with my own routine:

• For a little HIIT (high-intensity interval training) I love to do sprints on the treadmill or spend 30 minutes on the bike doing interval training.

• When LISS cardio (low-intensity steady-state) is on my schedule I love to use the elliptical machine. Spending 30 minutes to an hour on cardio can seem daunting. Join our community wifi and take your mind off exercising by watching a little Netflix.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Garner

Photo courtesy of Pro tip: Still a little shy? The fitness center is open 24 hours a day so try avoiding peak workout times if you are looking for a little privacy.

Everyone’s fitness journey is different, if you're a mom read about Rachel Anderson’s journey through the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge. If your fitness center doesn’t have the exact machine, don’t give up! You can Google alternative exercises to maximize your workout. And finally, keep a positive attitude and pick a program that you’re excited about!

Photo courtesy of Deborah Rodriguez