We all know that nothing is more important than having a good health and for that a regular exercise of atleast 30-45 min is must that we can do for our health. However, strong determination and discipline is required to put it into your daily routine and to get stick to it. Certain strategies can help you keep it up.
If you exercise regularly, you’ll begin to see changes and feel the benefits it can have on your body.
Now, if you have made up your mind and don’t know where to start then don’t worry, you have landed up the right place, this article will take you through all you need to know about starting a routine and sticking to it.
First of all, lets understand what is this exercise and why it is so important ?
Exercise is referred to as a physical or mental activity performed to maintain, restore, or increase normal capacity and it is done as it shows to improve health significantly.
Its primary benefits include helping you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight and muscle mass and reducing your risk for chronic diseases.
Additionally, research has shown that exercise keeps you motivated, positive, confident, energetic and can lift your mood, boost your mental health, help you sleep better, and even enhance your sex life.
Various types of exercises
Strength. These exercises help increase muscle power and strength. Examples include resistance training, weightlifting, and sprinting.- Aerobic. The core of any fitness program should include some form of continuous movement. Examples include swimming, running, and dancing.
- Calisthenics. These moves are usually performed without gym equipment using large muscle groups. They’re done at a medium aerobic pace. Examples include lunges, situps, pushups, and pullups.
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT). This type of exercise includes repetitions of short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by low-intensity exercises or rest periods.
- Boot camps. These are timed-based, high-intensity circuits that combine aerobic and resistance exercises.
- Balance or stability. These exercises are designed to strengthen muscles and improves body coordination. Examples include Pilates, tai chi poses, and core-strengthening exercises.
- Flexibility. These types of exercises help muscle recovery, maintain range of motion, and prevent injuries. Examples include yoga or individual muscle-stretch movements.
Now how to get started.
Before start get your health thoroughly checked - It’s important and recommended to consult your healthcare provider/doctor and get a physical medical examination before starting an exercise routine.
- This is particularly important for those new to strenuous and vigorous physical activities.
- An early checkup can detect any health problems or conditions that could put you at risk for an injury during exercise.
- It can also help you optimize your workout, making it easier for you and your personal trainer, if you choose to work with one, to understand your limitations and create an exercise plan tailored to your particular needs.
- Make a plan and set realistic goals
- Once you decide to start exercising regularly, try to create a plan that includes attainable steps and goals.
- One way to do this is to start with a plan of easy steps to follow. Then you can continue building on it as your fitness level improves.
- Starting with small achievable goals will increase your chances of success and keep you motivated every step of the way.
- Eventually it will turn into a habit
- Another key component of exercise success is to stick to your routine.
- It seems to be easier for people to maintain an exercise routine in the long term if they make it a habit and do it regularly.
- A review of studies concluded that replacing an unhealthy behavior with a new healthier habit is an excellent approach to maintaining it in the long term.
- Furthermore, making a schedule or exercising at the same time every day are good ways to sustain your routine and make it last.
- Always keep yourself motivated
- This is biggest challenge, I have personally seen many people, who have left exercising very soon just because there weren’t able to see any changes in their initial days of start. But the fact is, this is a human body not machine, and it takes time to mature , requires hard work, dedication, it’s not like one can make body in one or two months. This needs constant hard work for many years then only results can be seen.
Now important tips for the beginners.
Stay Hydrated
- It is always recommended and advisable to drink more and more fluids throughout the day as it is essential for maintaining healthy hydration levels.
- Replenishing fluids during exercise is essential for maintaining optimal performance, especially when exercising in hot temperatures.
- Moreover, hydrating after your workout can help you recover and get you ready for your next training session.
Well Balanced Nutrition
- Be sure to consume a well balanced diet throughout the day to support your fitness program.
- All food groups are necessary to sustain healthy energy levels and get the most out of your workout. Carbs are vital, as they can fuel your muscles before exercise.
- Carbs are also important after exercise to replenish glycogen stores and assist with the absorption of amino acids into your muscles during recovery.
- Additionally, protein helps improve muscle recovery after exercise, repairs tissue damage, and builds muscle mass.
- Lastly, regularly consuming healthy fats has been shown to help burn body fat and preserve muscle fuel during workouts, making your energy last longer.
Warm up
- It’s very very important to warm up your body before starting the workout. Doing so can help prevent injuries and improve your athletic performance.
- It can also help improve your flexibility and reduce soreness after your workout.
- Simply start your workout with some aerobic exercises like arm swings, leg kicks, and walking lunges.
- Alternatively, you can warm up by doing easy movements of the exercise you’re planning to do. For example, walk before you run.
Cool down
- Cooling down is also important because it helps your body return to its normal state.
- Taking a couple of minutes to cool down can help restore normal breathing patterns and even reduce the chance of muscle soreness.
- Some cool-down ideas include light walking after aerobic exercise or stretching after resistance training.
Always Listen to your body
- If you’re not used to working out every day, be mindful of your limits.
- If you feel pain or discomfort while exercising, stop and rest before continuing. Pushing through the pain is not a good idea, as it can cause injuries.
- Also, remember that working out harder and faster is not necessarily better.
- Taking your time to progress through your fitness program can help you maintain your routine in the long term and make the most of it.
- Always your breath in control, like while lifting heavy weights, try to breathe properly as it will increase the blood flow and oxygen to the muscles and resulting the muscle will grow faster.
Now let’s see some Common Barriers to Exercise
- First of all, Exercise isn’t fun at all. And the another fact is many people have hated exercise since their beginning of school days. People look for many other options or an activity that they really like and pair it with something pleasurable such as going on a hike with a friend. Things they’re more likely to do.
- Pain. Enduring pain isn’t the spoon of everyone. If someone has been recently injured or have a condition that contributes to chronic joint pain, like arthritis, he/she may worry that activity will make pain worse. But, “The truth is, movement is medicine”. In fact, regular, gentle exercise is one of the most effective ways to break a cycle of chronic pain.
- Time. “It can be difficult enough to balance work life and family life without adding in time to exercise,” but those who are already doing it from many years one must learn from them.
- Fatigue. If you are fully tired and your day was so hectic that makes you totally restless and you can’t even go out for a walk? Contrary to what many people assume, exercise itself is a potent pick-me-up because it releases endorphins, or brain chemicals that boost your mood.
- It seems too late to start. It’s never too late to become physically active, no matter your age, weight, or fitness level. Even starting exercise later in life is highly beneficial. As per study done in 2019, people who’d been inactive early in life saw a 35% lower risk of dying if they stepped up their activity in their 40s, 50s, or even 60s.
- It’s hard to make it a habit. Habits can be hard to break, and they can be hard to create, too. This is often because people don’t understand what goes into a habit. Once you understand why your brain goes on “autopilot” during certain activities, you can make better efforts to change it.
