Workouts often involve going to the gym, lifting weights, or running. This can be an obstacle to exercise and staying fit, particularly if we dislike going to the gym, lifting weights, or running. There are many activities that improve muscles and cardiovascular health – and help you stay fit long-term, without quitting due to burnout.
Fitness Plan Creation: How to Make it Enjoyable
There is more to creating an effective fitness routine than just typing in a quick online workout or watching some fitness videos. To develop a strategy that sets you up for continued success, there are a few additional steps to follow.
To create a fitness plan centered around activities that you really enjoy and that fits your lifestyle, follow these simple steps:
Determine Your Fitness Goals
Build your strategy around your fitness goals.
Want to lose weight? Tone up? Gain strength? Make your body firmer? Are you trying to achieve functional or aesthetic goals? Maybe both?
Start by looking at the reasons why you want to exercise – then, come up with a plan that helps you accomplish your goals.
Choose the Activities You Actually Like
Whether you’re a runner, hiker, figure skater, or boxer, there are plenty of ways to stay active while enjoying these physical activities. Make a list of activities you enjoy or take a look online for more inspiration. Incorporating an enjoyable activity into your everyday routine will make quitting less likely.
Include These Four Elements
Fitness plans can include a wide variety of activities, but when designing a well-rounded fitness plan, you should stick to four main types of exercise. While you don’t have to do them all every day, make sure to incorporate each on a regular basis.
Four elements of a good exercise plan are:
- Cardio
- Strengthening
- Mobility & Flexibility
- Recovery
Heart, lungs, and circulation function are improved when you practice cardio. Cardio exercises can be performed at a low-intensity level or at high velocities. You just need to exert enough strain on the large muscle groups to get the blood pumping faster.
You don’t need a gym to do cardio exercise. Walking up and down the case of stairs, dancing, and shoveling snow are all ways to get cardio exercise.
A strength training program helps build muscle, strengthen muscles, and increases endurance. It also helps improve metabolism. Additionally, it helps prevent injuries caused by other activities and promotes healthy bone growth. You can do strength training exercises using your body’s weight alone, or you can use free weights, machines, or resistance bands.
Flexible muscles and mobile joints are able to move freely through their range of motion. Exercise and stretching are both necessary components of an overall fitness regimen, and both should be incorporated.
Stretching, yoga, foam rolling, mobility exercises are examples of flexibility and mobility activities.
Last but not least, make sure you rest between workouts. In order to become stronger, muscles need time to repair and heal. You can, however, still be active during the recovery process. You should choose low-intensity exercises that allow you to talk while exercising, such as walking, hiking, or light stretching.
