--- title: 3 Fitness Tips I Wish I Knew Before Working Out description: Before you jump into your workout routine, here are 3 fitness tips you should know before starting. image: https://cityfitnessphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bigstock-healthy-lifestyle-diet-and-pe-92265404-e1453504464431.jpg --- [![City Fitness](https://blog.cityfitness.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CF_WORDMARK_HORIZONTAL_SOLO_BLK-1.png?width=5039&height=701&name=CF_WORDMARK_HORIZONTAL_SOLO_BLK-1.png "City Fitness")](https://cityfitness.com) [![Blaire Rummel](https://blog.cityfitness.com/hubfs/blaire.jpg) ](https://blog.cityfitness.com/author/blaire-rummel) # 3 Fitness Tips I Wish I Knew Before Working Out [fa icon="calendar"] Jan 22, 2016 6:18:57 PM / by [Blaire Rummel](https://blog.cityfitness.com/author/blaire-rummel) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://cityfitnessphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bigstock-healthy-lifestyle-diet-and-pe-92265404-e1453504464431.jpg) ](https://blog.cityfitness.com/3-fitness-tips/) I’ve been lifting weights since I was 13 because of my involvement in sports. But I didn’t truly start working out in an attempt to stay fit and healthy as an adult until after I had my daughter five years ago. Since becoming a mother, I’ve strived to be the strongest and most balanced version of myself, especially when it comes to working out. I’ve learned some things as a mother, personal trainer and fitness instructor that I wish I knew before I started working out. Maybe these fitness tips learned will help you along the way and save you some time and disappointment. ## 3 Fitness Tips to Learn Before Starting to Workout - **![fitness tips](https://cityfitnessphilly.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/bigstock-healthy-lifestyle-diet-and-pe-92265404-e1453504464431.jpg)Nutrition is almost everything:** You simply can’t outwork a bad diet. Now that doesn’t mean you have to eat clean 100 percent of the time. But it’s crucial to fuel your body with the right foods and maintain a balance. Learning how much food you need in order to [maintain your weight or even lose weight ](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/28/best-weight-loss-tips/1779993/)is priceless knowledge. - **You don’t have to be perfect:** I wish I knew this before I started working out because I’ve had a tendency to over-train and push too hard, which has led to some frustrating injuries. I’ve also missed out on some fun social events because I was worried about my food. Ugh! [Remember that this is a journey, a lifestyle](https://cityfitnessphilly.com/5-quick-tips-to-help-you-build-muscle-fast/) and an endurance event. Perfection is a myth, never to be attained. Be kind to yourself and know that changes will occur if you remain consistent. - **Lift weights over cardio:** I’ve tended to jump on a cardio machine rather than lift weights when I’m in a rush. But lifting weights will boost your metabolism and have a longer-lasting effect on your body than endless hours of cardio. This is one of the things I wish I knew before I started working out because I’d have [saved a lot of time and achieved a lot more](https://cityfitnessphilly.com/3-tips-to-boost-motivation-all-day-long/) physically and athletically. [![free-5-class-pass](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/687259/debbe86c-195c-420d-8914-7a8c77442667.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/687259/debbe86c-195c-420d-8914-7a8c77442667) Topics: [Exercise](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/exercise), [Cardio](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/cardio), [Diet](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/diet) ![Blaire Rummel](https://blog.cityfitness.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blaire.jpg?width=100&height=100&name=blaire.jpg) #### Written by [Blaire Rummel](https://blog.cityfitness.com/author/blaire-rummel) Blaire Rummel co-owns a woman’s fitness facility and blogs for several gyms across the country. She has been personal training since 2005. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and is licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist. She has a personal training certification from NASM and a certification in Functional Movement Systems. She has been trained and specializes in TRX training as well. She played Division 1 softball where she was an Academic All-American and has competed in several fitness competitions over the past decade. She resides in Oregon with her husband and 4-year old daughter. Please enable JavaScript to view the [comments powered by Disqus.](https://disqus.com/?ref_noscript) ## Never miss one of our blogs again! Subscribe to our weekly blog posts to stay educated on the latest fitness tips and trends to stay healthy. [![5 Group Fitness Class Pass](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/687259/352de2d4-07e1-4577-b01f-5660c7c1a499.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/687259/352de2d4-07e1-4577-b01f-5660c7c1a499) ### Posts by Topic - [Fitness (25)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/fitness) - [Exercise (16)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/exercise) - [Health and Fitness (12)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/health-and-fitness) - [Training (12)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/training) - [Diet (11)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/diet) - [Nutrition (9)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/nutrition) - [Cardio (5)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/cardio) - [Fitness Goals (4)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/fitness-goals) - [Motivation (4)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/motivation) - [Weight Lifting (4)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/weight-lifting) - [Weight Loss (2)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/weight-loss) - [Workout Routine (2)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/workout-routine) - [workout clothes (2)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/workout-clothes) - [MYZONE (1)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/myzone) - [Workout tips (1)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/workout-tips) - [fitness tips (1)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/fitness-tips) - [workout inspiration (1)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/workout-inspiration) - [yoga (1)](https://blog.cityfitness.com/topic/yoga) Copyright 2026 City Fitness Philly | All Rights Reserved [[fa icon="chevron-up"]](https://blog.cityfitness.com/3-fitness-tips/#)