Going to the gym is now turning out to be an essential part of everyone’s life. But there are many things that need to be considered before you actually go. 

Life Online spoke to ‘Fitness First’ to find out what a beginner should be prepared for. They ensured that the first thing you need to do is to have a consultation. At this point it helps if you can be completely honest. The evaluation process will determine your current fitness level and reveal any medical concerns you may have. You have to fill out something called a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ), which includes a range of health and safety issues. If there are any complications you will be recommended to a medical professional to clear you for gym. 

One of the first things that you need to figure out is the purpose. It can be one of three things: General fitness, re- conditioning or to enhance performance. “For instance an athlete who is interested in enhancing his/her performance will want to improve their strength, endurance, power, improve muscle mass etc. Their schedule will also depend on whether it’s off season or not.” And if you are cleared for gym a personal trainer will draw up a schedule for you based on your need. 

It is also of equal importance to find attire that you are comfortable to work out in. The gym will recommend specific shoes and clothes, but they emphasized that as long as the shoes are safe you are able to wear anything suitable and comfortable keeping with your culture. 

The gym will also help you with your diet plan. They will give you a basic guide as to what you must avoid and what you need to include and what your lifestyle allows you to consume. When questioned on whether a supplement is necessary they said; “It is easier to have a supplement than to find ingredients that have the necessary nutrients. It is an easy substitute for your vitamin needs and you can avoid all sugary foods and depend completely on the supplement to provide the energy you need. ” But it is not essential to have one and there are also many kinds of supplements that vary from helping you with weight loss and increasing body mass. The gym will help you pick the one that is most suitable for you. 

The gym also warns you not to follow work out schedules and diet plans that are freely available online. It may not always be professional advice and may have long term effects on your health. Before starting to work out they ask you to consult a trainer and get their advice. 

“Do not expect quick results.” They emphasized that it is a long term process and over doing it to get quick results will have long term consequences. ‘Fitness First’ works under the tag line “Fitness and beauty go hand in hand” and confirms they will help you to achieve your goals. 

They are open from 5:30am to 9:30pm from Monday to Saturday and 6:00am to 5:00pm on Sundays. 

Location: No.7, 42 1/1 Maitland Cres, Colombo. 
Phone number: (011) 2 695 331 
Website: www.fitnessfirst.lk 

By Jithendri Gomes 
Photographs by Kithsiri de Mel