10 Ways To Start An Exercise Plan.

There’s no denying that exercise is good for your health. But in today’s society, it seems as though we’re given a million different reasons for why we should exercise, how we should exercise, what sort of exercise we should do, etc. Here are 10 ways that you can find what exercise plan works best for you.

1. Acknowledge your goals.

When beginning any new journey in life, it is important to recognize why it is you are doing so. These goals can be general, such as to lose weight or simply live longer. I suggest making even more specific goals, such as running a race or feeling more confident in your swimsuit. Write these goals down so that you can refer back to them when you need motivation.

2. Assess your personality.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I someone who is easily stressed, or am I generally laid back?
• Am I mostly independent, or do I prefer doing things with other people?
• Do I prefer short-term or long-term goals?

The answers to these sort of questions can help you with finding out what your exercise personality looks like. For example, if you’re easily stressed, make sure NOT to let exercise be a source of stress! Instead, use it as a way to decrease stress (Yoga is great for this). Secondly, if your a social person, get a workout buddy. You might be more likely to stick to your plan than if you were to go at it alone. Finally, if you’re a short-term-goal minded person, don’t tell yourself you need to run a marathon within a year. Instead, focus on one small accomplishment at a time. Look into other areas of your personality as well, as use that information to work FOR your exercise plan rather than against it.

3. Find your location.

Do you prefer exercising outdoors, at home, at a gym, or all of the above? Find where you feel the most comfortable and are likely to get the best workout, and base your plan around that.

4. Experiment.

You’ve heard it a million times - you don’t know what you like until you try it! There are endless forms of exercise to try: biking, yoga, running, tennis, swimming, and the list goes on and on.

5. Find what you love

…which is the primary reason of experimenting. You might find that you love 10 forms of exercise, or maybe just 1 or 2. That’s okay! The bottom line is that you shouldn’t force yourself to do something you do not enjoy. I recently learned this about myself when it comes to running, and I’m perfectly okay with that conclusion. You’ll never stick to an exercise routine that you don’t enjoy doing.

6. Switch it up.

With #5 being said, it’s still important to have variety in your exercise routine. If you do the same thing day in and day out, your body will eventually get used to it. Not to mention you’ll probably get bored and give up all together. Keep experimenting because chances are there’s another form of exercise that you will enjoy doing.

7. Know your body.

Is the amount of exercise/level of challenge in agreement with your goals and exercise personality? Is exercise adding to your quality of life or taking away from it? Be sure to remain mindful of this. Also, make sure to pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you feel any sort of pain, whether it be physical or mental, stop! Injuring yourself is not part of the plan. In my opinion, the age-old saying of “no pain, no gain” does NOT apply with exercise.

8. Fuel properly.

First of all, make sure you drink plenty of water. According to SparkPeople.com, our bodies can lose up to 1 quart of water for each hour of working out. Secondly, make sure to eat a proper snack/meal before and after your routine. Check out the following articles for some more information on this, as well as some examples:

• What To Eat Before You Work Out
• What To Eat After You Work Out

9. Write out your plan

…whether it’s loose or structured. Taking all of the above things into account (your goals, exercise personality, favorite form of exercise, etc.), compose some sort of exercise plan; whether it’s daily, weekly, or so on. For example, do you prefer morning, afternoon, or evening workouts? And how does that fit in with the rest of your schedule?

10. Have FUN!

This is important, people: Exercise should ADD to your quality of life, not take away from it. And I mean that not just in terms of your physical health, but also your emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness. Sure, not every exercise experience is going to be pure bliss. But overall, exercise should be a source of joy and accomplishment in your life rather than stress or anxiety.

• What is your best advice for starting an exercise plan?
• Which of the 10 do you agree with the most?