How to Start a Health and Fitness DIY Journey: Simple Steps for Lasting Wellness

Let’s Just Admit It: Starting Is the Weirdest Part

Can we all agree on something for a second? It doesn’t matter if you’re lacing up fancy new cross-trainers, eyeing your kitchen with a new sense of suspicion, or dusting off an old yoga mat you found under your bed—starting a DIY health and fitness journey is downright weird. Not hard, necessarily. Not even scary, really. Just… weird.

I remember vividly the first time I tried to “get fit.” I was absolutely convinced that drinking a kale smoothie before work would, by itself, transform me into a person who magically wanted to jog before dawn. Spoiler alert: the only thing that transformed was my relationship with my bathroom. But that’s the thing about these DIY journeys. They’re born out of some mix of necessity, inspiration, and—if you’re like me—mild existential panic after seeing an unflattering photo at your cousin’s wedding.

So if you’re reading this, maybe you’re standing where I once stood: equal parts optimistic (“This time it’ll stick!”) and deeply skeptical (“Am I really a ‘morning workout’ person?”). My friend, I see you. Let’s explore this honestly, and with a good-natured eye roll at all the nonsense we’ve been sold about fitness fixes.

Why “DIY” Still Matters More Than Ever

Somewhere along the winding road from neon sweatbands to wearable fitness trackers, “DIY” became a badge of both pride and panic. You want lasting wellness, but you’d also prefer not to mortgage your home to pay for boutique spin classes. That’s more than understandable. It’s kind of essential in the age of $12 green juices.

DIY isn’t about complete self-reliance—let’s be real, there’s a massive community out there to tap into—but it is about building something that belongs to you. See, I tried the ten-classes-for-the-price-of-eight gym special once. I went to exactly two classes and spent the rest of that winter explaining to my phone why ‘arm day’ notifications gave me anxiety.

Here’s the deal: When you craft your own journey, with your quirks, limitations, and tastes, the whole thing feels less like a “category” and more like a story. Your story. DIY is about rejecting one-size-fits-all approaches and getting comfortable being clumsy, personal, and yes—sometimes weird—while you find what sticks.

Step One: Ditching the Pressure to Be “Good at It”

No one—and I really mean no one—is naturally good at all of this, right out of the gate. If someone is, please, introduce them to me. I want to ask them what planet they’re from.

A huge part of the struggle is that stubborn mindset most of us drag along, full of “shoulds.” I should only eat salad if I want to be healthy. I should run a 5k before I call myself active. The truth is, the only “should” that matters is the one that keeps you coming back, not the one that makes you feel like an imposter.

My own beginning was less “quest for abs,” more “maybe I can walk around the block and not get winded.” And honestly? That single, eye-rolling walk—where I spent more time feeling self-conscious about my ‘vintage’ windbreaker than worrying about my heart rate—was the most important one. You only need to start by being present, not by setting world records.