Getting moving again, starting from zero.
This page is not for athletes. It is for you if you have not been physically active for a long time, or ever, and would like to change that without kidding yourself about how big the first step is. No performance, no promises about your body, no invented numbers.
The TakeBack Move app is in development. This page, though, is usable right now.
What we will not do
Three precautions, and they have practical consequences.
No promises about your body
No “transform your shape”, no weight target, no “before / after” photos. The only result we care about is that moving takes a regular place in your weeks again. What it changes for you is measured on you, not on an average.
We cite reference points, we do not prescribe them
For adults, the WHO gives a reference point of about 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening on two days. It is a population reference point to place a long-term goal, not an instruction for your first week: if you are starting from zero, beginning well below it is exactly the right way to go about it.
No performance metrics
No performance figures and no body-measurement targets to “hit”. Metrics like these put most beginners off and say nothing useful at the start. The only indicator that matters early on is simple: did you go back this week, yes or no?
Why it is so hard to get started
The obstacles are ordinary, which is good news: they can be dealt with one at a time, without heroic willpower.
The inertia of a sedentary life
A body used to being still sends back tiredness and heaviness, not eagerness. Waiting until you “feel like it” means waiting for a signal that comes after movement, not before. You start first, and the motivation sometimes follows.
The all-or-nothing trap
Aiming for three one-hour sessions in the first week sets up giving up in the second. A goal that is too big makes failure likely, and an early failure kills motivation more surely than anything else.
Lack of time, often overestimated
We imagine we need to block out an hour, get changed, travel somewhere. In reality ten minutes count, and count even more when they hold up over time. The obstacle is not the time available but the size of the step you set yourself.
The beginner’s discomfort
Being out of breath, clumsy or feeling watched is unpleasant and perfectly normal. This discomfort eases quickly, but it is easier to get through at home, outdoors, or somewhere other people’s eyes do not weigh on you.
Where to start this week
Four concrete actions, in this order. None needs a subscription, equipment or an app.
Start ridiculously small
Smaller than you think you can manage: ten minutes of walking, a handful of floor movements, going up the stairs once. The goal of the first week is not to progress, only to go back a second time.
Attach it to an existing habit
A new movement sticks better when it is grafted onto a moment that is already fixed: after the morning coffee, on getting home from work, before the shower. You do not have to find a slot, you use one that already exists.
Aim for regularity, not intensity
Ten minutes three times beats an hour once. It is repetition that builds the habit; intensity and duration will add themselves later, once going has become normal.
Plan for the obstacle in advance
It rains, you are tired, the day ran over. Decide now on the fallback version: the walk becomes five minutes instead of twenty, but it happens. A reduced session kept up beats a perfect session cancelled.
TakeBack Move
The app will carry over what already works in TakeBack Quit: very small goals, tracking of regularity rather than performance, reminders built on your existing habits, and no guilt-inducing metrics. It is in development and has no announced release date. We would rather promise nothing than promise a date.
Read next
I've never exercised: where do I start?
Never exercised? Here is how to start very small, with no gym and no equipment, and without aiming for performance. Concrete first steps.
Read the guideHow much should you move each week? The guidelines, without guilt
The WHO physical activity guidelines explained simply: a long-term horizon, not a starting point. And how to make progress without feeling guilty.
Read the guideWalking: the best way to start (or restart) exercising
Why walking is an excellent starting point if you are sedentary, and how to fit it into your week with no equipment and no pressure.
Read the guideFAQ
How much activity should I aim for?
In the long run, the WHO gives adults a reference point of about 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus muscle-strengthening on two days. It is a long-term goal, not a starting point. If you are starting from zero, ten regular minutes are worth far more than a 150-minute target you never reach.
Do I need a gym or equipment?
No. Walking, climbing stairs, a few floor movements or a short guided video session are more than enough to start, at home or outdoors. Equipment and a gym are options for later, not conditions for getting going.
Does walking really count?
Yes. Walking at a good pace is endurance activity in its own right and is often the best starting point: accessible, no equipment, easy to graft onto an existing journey and free of technical discomfort. Plenty of lasting progress starts there.
I feel too old or too out of shape to start.
There is no minimum age or fitness level for starting to move a little again, and it is precisely when you are starting from far back that the first effects are most noticeable. Activity adapts to you, not the other way round. If you have a health problem, simply ask for medical advice before increasing the effort.