From ‘Sana’ to ‘Ginawa’: A Beginner’s Guide to REALLY Starting

Are You Stuck in a ‘Sana All’ Fitness Dream?

Hey, beshie! Does this sound familiar? You scroll through Instagram, see someone’s amazing fitness transformation, and whisper to yourself, “Sana all.” You have all these amazing goals in your head—maybe it’s losing a bit of weight, feeling stronger, or just having more energy to get through Manila traffic. But when it comes to actually starting, you feel… stuck. Overwhelmed. Parang ang hirap, ‘di ba?

Many people think that to get fit, you need a super complicated, all-or-nothing plan. That’s why so many of us start strong on Monday only to give up by Wednesday. Sayang ang effort! Today, I want to show you a simple, kinder way to approach your goals. This is the exact framework I use with my clients to turn those “sana” dreams into a “ginawa” (done) reality. This guide will show you how to start a workout for beginners at home, making the process feel less like a chore and more like a game you can actually win. Kaya mo ‘to!

Step 1: Picture Your ‘Panalo’ Moment (12 Months From Now)

Before you even think about dumbbells or push-ups, let’s do some dreaming. Take a moment and ask yourself this: “If I made amazing progress in my health one year from today, what would my life look and feel like?”

Don’t just think about numbers on a scale. Get specific! Maybe your win is:

• Losing 15 pounds so you can feel amazing at your next beach trip to La Union.
• Having enough energy to play with your kids or pamangkins after a long day of work.
• Running your first 5k fun run for a cause you care about.
• Feeling more confident and less tired in your daily Zoom meetings.
• Simply waking up with fewer aches and pains.

This isn’t about pressure; it’s about having a North Star—a beautiful, exciting vision that pulls you forward. Write it down. Make it your phone’s wallpaper. This is your “why,” and it will be your superpower on days when you feel lazy.

Step 2: Find Your ‘Diskarte’: The Skills Behind the Goal

Here’s where most people take a wrong turn. They jump from a big goal like “I want to lose weight” straight to a punishing routine like “I must do HIIT workouts for 60 minutes, 7 days a week!” That’s a recipe for burnout. The secret is to skip that step and first identify the skills you need. In Filipino, we call this finding your diskarte—your unique strategy.

Ask yourself: “What skills does a person who achieves my goal have?”

If your goal is to lose weight, the skills might be:

• Portion Control: Learning how much a serving of rice *actually* is.
• Meal Planning: Thinking ahead so you’re not always ordering fast food.
• Stress Management: Finding ways to cope with stress that don’t involve emotional eating.
• Consistent Movement: Learning to incorporate activity into your week without it feeling like a punishment.
• Prioritizing Sleep: Getting 7-8 hours of quality sleep to manage hormones and recovery.

If your goal is to get stronger, the skills might be:

• Making Time for Workouts: Scheduling exercise like it’s an important meeting.
• Proper Recovery: Knowing that rest days are when your muscles actually grow.
• Eating Enough Protein: Learning which Filipino foods are good sources of protein.
• Mastering Basic Form: Learning how to do a proper squat or push-up to avoid injury.

You don’t need a long list! Just choose 2-3 skills that feel most important for your goal right now.

Step 3: The ‘Galaw-Galaw’ Phase: Your Weekly Action Plan

Now that you have your skills, we can finally talk about the actions or “practices” to build them. This is the fun part because there is no single right answer! It’s all about what works for YOU. Let’s imagine my client, Armida (lol wag ka na makelam sa name HAHA), an “intimidated beginner” from Makati who works from home.

Armida s 12-month goal is to feel stronger and more energetic. The main skill she wants to build is Consistent Movement. She feels too shy for a gym, so she’s looking for how to start a workout for beginners at home. Instead of a crazy plan, we built it up slowly:

• Week 1: We didn’t even do a formal workout. Her only task was to walk around her condo building for 15 minutes during her lunch break, three times that week. That’s it! The goal was to just start moving.
• Week 3: Armida felt more confident. We introduced a 20-minute bodyweight workout at home, just twice a week. We focused on simple moves like squats, lunges, and planks.
• Week 8: She was enjoying the routine! We increased her home workouts to three times a week and added light dumbbells. She started noticing she wasn’t as breathless going up the stairs anymore. Perpek!

See the pattern? We focused on the skill (Consistent Movement) and chose small, doable practices that fit her life. The practices changed and evolved, but the skill-building was constant. This approach allows you to be flexible. Had a super busy day? Maybe the 30-minute workout is too much, but a 10-minute walk is still a win!

This method of building small, consistent actions is the core of creating a fitness habit that actually sticks. If you want to dive deeper into this, check out my article on the 6 steps to build lasting habits.

Ready to Create Your Own Game Plan?

Most diets and fitness fads fail because they just give you temporary rules. They don’t teach you the skills to sustain your progress when life gets messy. By focusing on your vision, identifying the necessary skills, and choosing flexible practices, you create a plan that can bend without breaking.

This is your journey. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to start. And if you feel like you need a guide—someone to help you choose the right skills and practices for your unique life—that’s what I’m here for.

Stop waiting for the “perfect” time. Let’s turn your “sana” into reality, together. If you’re ready for a clear, supportive, and no-judgment path forward, learn more about my personalized online coaching program. We’ll build your game plan, step-by-step.

You got this. Lezzgow!