New Fitness Routine
When the New Year rings in, many Americans make big health plans. I’m sure you know all to well what it’s like to resolve better health by promising to work out five days a week. Not only do we promise ourselves a 5-day routine, but we also want to go all out and work out for a solid hour — five days straight.
This is a set up for failure if you’re new to fitness. Most people find they easily become burned out and overwhelmed after just a week or two of following their new regimen. Of course, this isn’t just a New Year’s problem. It happens every time we eat a little too much ice cream or put on an unwanted 5 pounds.
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There is a much simpler way to get started which increases your chances of sticking with your new routine and turning it into a habit. Here are the do’s and dont’s of creating a fitness routine you can stick to.
Do…
- Keep your workouts short, but intense. It’s been proven that working out longer than 30 minutes does not lead to increased weight loss. In fact, most studies show that exercising for 60 minutes, versus 30 minutes, leads to decreased weight loss. It is best to keep your workouts under 40 minutes and to exercise intensely.
- Workout 2 to 3 times a week. The old thinking that more is better no longer applies to today’s knowledge about training and weight loss. As a beginner striving to get into a routine, working out for 30 minutes a day, three times per week is sufficient. You’ll still see really great results, even if you aren’t training every day. Once you’re ready to bump up your routine, you can increase your number of workout days.
- Schedule your workouts. If you want to hold yourself accountable, be sure to pencil-in your workouts. If it’s in your planner, there aren’t any excuses for forgetting.
- Workout with a buddy. Having an accountability partner is a great idea if you’re new to your exercise routine. Having someone there with you to try new fitness classes or to talk to on the treadmill makes the experience more much more fun and easier to keep up.
- Don’t ditch your hobbies. Jumping into a new fitness routine can be exciting and fun. However, be sure to stick with the activities and hobbies you previously spent time doing. If you find that you’re dedicating the majority of your free time to working out, chances are you’ll be less likely to stick with it. Whether you’re ordering new mustang parts for your ’64 or knitting scarves for Christmas, keep up with your previous hobbies for continued success.
Don’t…
- Set unrealistic goals. You’ll set yourself up for disappointment by aiming to lose 5 or more pounds in your first week of working out. When it doesn’t happen, you may no longer be motivated to continue working out. A more realistic goal is losing 1 or 2 pounds a week. It may not seem like much, but those pounds add up and you’ll soon enough be at your goal weight. Slow and steady weight loss is also safer for your body.
- Weigh yourself daily. The temptation is to constantly weight yourself. It’s really easy to become obsessive with every little pound lost or gained. Instead, notice how your clothes may fit a little better or increased stamina when working out. Besides, it’s very normal for your body weight to fluctuate throughout the day.
- Forget to stay hydrated. Many beginners push through their workouts without drinking water and staying hydrated. This is very dangerous, as sweating means your body is losing water faster than normal. It is essential to replace this water loss. You’ll also want to drink sports drinks or coconut water to replace lost electrolytes from sweating, as well.
- Quit. Keep yourself motivated with your health and weight loss goals. Remember why you’re making this life change. If you skip a workout day, don’t use that as an excuse to quit altogether, continue to strive until working out is a normal part of your fitness routine.
We all have to begin somewhere. Constantly remind yourself that your starting point won’t be your endpoint, if you stay committed and motivated to making a positive life change. Keep pushing!
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