For beginners, 3 days a week is the sweet spot. It gives your muscles time to recover between sessions while building a consistent habit. As your fitness improves, you can increase to 4 or 5 days. At Elevate, our trainers help you plan a weekly schedule that fits your lifestyle, not one that burns you out in the first month.

Your first day should be about orientation, not exhaustion. Arrive early, meet a trainer and get a walkthrough of the equipment. Do a light warm-up, 10 minutes of cardio, followed by 3 to 4 basic exercises your trainer recommends.

A combination of cardio and light resistance training works best for fat loss and toning. Group fitness classes, Zumba and treadmill intervals are great starting points for cardio.

Most people begin to feel a difference between better sleep, more energy and less stress within 2 to 3 weeks. Visible physical changes typically take 6 to 8 weeks of consistent training and reasonable nutrition

Before a workout, aim for easily digestible carbohydrates and a little protein, such as a banana, oats, or eggs, about 60 to 90 minutes before training. After a workout, your body needs protein and carbohydrates to recover, think a protein shake with fruit, rice with chicken or Greek yoghurt.