Nobody at the gym is watching you as closely as you think. Your only job for the first month is to show up and learn the movements.
Fat loss comes from eating a little less than you burn. Lifting makes sure what you lose is fat, not the muscle that keeps you strong.
Strength is a skill you practice. A few big lifts, done often, with a little more weight over time, is how almost everyone gets strong.
Your first day
Feeling nervous is normal. Most people in the gym felt exactly the same way once. Here's the whole first visit, so nothing catches you off guard.
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A normal meal or a snack with some carbs and protein, like yogurt and fruit, or a sandwich. Training hungry or right after a huge meal both feel bad.
Most gyms will show you around for free. Ask where the dumbbells, benches, and cable machines are, and how to adjust the machines on your plan. Staff would much rather show you than watch you guess.
Do the 5-minute warm-up below. It gets your body ready and gives you a minute to settle in.
Open Day 1 of the beginner plan. Use weights that feel easy today; you're learning the movement, not testing yourself. Tap How to on any exercise if you're unsure. If a machine is taken, tap Swap, or ask "how many sets do you have left?" That's a normal gym question.
Log what you lifted so the plan can tell you what to do next time. Drink some water. Feeling a bit sore for a day or two is normal; sharp or joint pain is not, so get that checked.
Before every workout
Short, simple, and it makes your first sets feel a lot better.
If you have an injury or a health condition, check with a doctor or physical therapist before you start a new program.
Gym words, decoded
The plan uses a few words that nobody explains. Here they are.
