So youve finally done it. You want to get fit. You bought the gym membership and maybe some whey protein and now you are ready to do it. Being a member of a gym means nothing though, you need to make sure you are getting the most out of it if you want to see results.

The first stage comes before you even walk through the gym doors, you need to eat the right food. You might be inclined to avoid things like carbohydrates as some diet plans suggest they cause fat. The reality is though that without a tank of fuel in the form of carbohydrates you area really going to struggle during your workout. You are far better off eating what you need to and then working harder in your training. You will get a lot more out of a good workout than skipping lunch. A bowl of porridge 90 minutes before you go to the gym will give you the slow burning carbs that you need during your workout. Then straight after you work out eat some carbs that digest more quickly, sweet potato is a good option. Make sure that you include some protein too. You may end up deciding to use some sports supplements to help you get the right amount of all nutrients.

If you plan to do cardio in the gym think seriously about what machines you want to use and will make the most impact on your fitness. Take the treadmill or the seated bike. What value are you going to get out of each machine? What is a treadmill? Its basically jogging on the spot. An hour on an exercise bike will burn around 500 calories. Instead get yourself on the rowing machine which is going to work out all of the largest muscles in your body; legs, core and upper body. It also burns more than 800 calories in the same hour.

Will running be part of your plan? Decide what you want to achieve before including it. Running will help with your fitness and is generally a good thing for your health. Running will actually reduce your building of muscle mass so it doesnt belong in a weightlifters routine. You need to make sure that your workout routine is designed around what you want to achieve. If you include interval training that will help you with strength and fitness. Do this by running as hard as you can for up to a minute before breaking into a gentle jog for 2 minutes. Aim to repeat the intervals for 3 miles.

Your gym membership will show much better results when you are doing the right things. Paying for a gym might build your overdraft, but it isnt going to build your arms unless you use it right!