What exercise program is right for me?
Finding a good exercise program is absolutely essential when developing healthy habits. It’s important to look for what’s going to work best for you in terms of effectiveness, enjoyment and blending it into your current lifestyle. It’s key to have a base of at least 30 minutes of exercise, 6 days a week. The best programs are also going to focus on overall body health using a combination of target workouts such as: cardio, strength training, and balance/core work.
Most people live completely different lifestyles with all different responsibilities, jobs, and availabilities. The awesome thing about exercise programs is that they are not standardized- finding out what works best for YOU can be fun! Just be sure to find a good way of holding yourself accountable. It’s a common struggle beginners to the most advance have so it’s important to find a good support system. My new VIP accountability group is up for grabs these next 30 days. It’s a great way to be held accountable with one of the packages having someone help you and encourage you along the way.
1) Make it fun!
The biggest lie people tell themselves is that a great exercise program must be all work and no play. You actually don’t have to spend an hour wasting away on a treadmill every day to get a healthy amount of cardio in. Cardio is well known for being one of the hardest fitness plateaus to overcome, but there are awesome alternatives to the standard cardio workout. Spend time thinking about what would be FUN for your to do, then let your mind wander from there to settle on a workout you’d like to try. For example, I LOVE LOVE to dance. Girl, you can find me at the club any weekend if you gave me $100 and a babysitter! So of course I love our hip hop and modern dance cardio program, Cize. It combines targeted moves to produce an awesome program that’s so fun it’s difficult to say where the actual exercise starts. Or maybe dancing scares you and you like a more yoga or pilates feel? Then I would suggest something like PiYo, a Barre class or Hot Yoga. Finding something you enjoy is hands down the best way to keep you coming back for more and staying on track in your fitness journey.
2) Know Your Goals
Is there a target weight you wish to achieve? Looking to tone up, slim down? Do you just want to feel overall healthier? Establish your fitness goals! Goals are wonderfully versatile and can be applied to every aspect of our lives. Though when you do set your goals, be sure you’re focusing on something clearly defined and achievable. Not only will this absolutely help with accountability, it fights back against the awful B word: burnout. Too many people set their goals too high without taking into account their current lifestyle and throw in the towel before they had an honest chance. You can do this, just don’t give up!
3) What’s it Bringing to the Table?
Find a program that encourages an overall healthy lifestyle. No gimmicks for loosing drastic weight, drastically fast or crash diets. Does it have a great mix of different workouts or does it leave you feeling unsatisfied in terms of fitness? Finding a great program will leave you feeling challenged, yet accomplished. Feeling and looking better is a result of a gradual process that stems from a list of healthy choices.
Do you tend to shy away from cardio? What was your favorite part of current or past programs you’ve tried?
