I hear from many of my readers, friends, and family that they want to exercise more. However, despite best efforts, many of us struggle to do so. In particular, when it comes to creating exercise routines and sticking to them in the long-term, we often have a hard time staying consistent. In this post, I am going to walk you through some key considerations for to help you craft your fitness vision. This is not meant to be an exact recipe, rather it lays out the areas to consider as you develop your plan.
The Why
It is important to be clear on why you want to exercise and what the primary benefit you are seeking is. Exercise has amazing physical health benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure, stronger muscles, better bone density, weight loss, among others. Equally important is the impact on mental health. Exercise improves mood and attention, lowers stress, and even reduces risks of psychological disorders. It can also be a way to build social connections whether it is meeting new friends at the gym or spending quality time with family hiking. The exercise benefits are plenty, but the best way to achieve results is to be clear on which benefit is most important to you. Once you are clear on that, keep it front and center as your very own ‘why’ to keep you going.
The What
What exercise is best for you? In my view, it’s the one that you can do regularly in the long-term. The best fitness and health results are achieved through consistent practice, and it’s less important what the activity is. Pick one that you enjoy the most and that is most accessible to you. In your decision, think through whether you prefer to exercise on your own or with someone, indoors or outdoors, with equipment or without. Think about the level of intensity you want and are able to do due to injuries or health issues. Think about the practicalities of where you will need to go, how much you will need to spend, and how it fits in your schedule. Don’t be swayed by friends, trends, or athletes on social media, decide what you enjoy and what’s most practical for you.
The When
You will hear a lot of opinions about this one. Some people prefer to exercise in the morning, others exercise to unwind after work. Some people squeeze in a lunch time workout. Again, the most important is what works best for you. I am a morning person and love getting my work out in right after I get up, as I have the most energy then and it gives me a sense of accomplishment from the start of the day (see more morning routine tips in this blog and in my guide). I also usually make healthier choices throughout the day when I exercise in the morning. However, if you are not a morning person or your mornings are hectic as it is already, pick a time of the day that works better for you and that you can stick to regularly.
Start Now
I hope these simple prompts help you think through your individual interests, needs, constraints, goals, and available resources and tools. We all could use a little more exercise, but everyone can get there in a different way. Design your own, test it, refine, but most importantly keep moving and start today. Don’t wait for New Years, don’t wait for that easing in your work schedule, don’t wait for the kids to be on break. As they say, the best time to start was yesterday, the second best time is today! You can do it, I believe in you!
