The problem is that most people exercise simply to lose weight. When they don’t see results, they quit. So, how do you find a balance between fitness for weight loss & fitness as a part of your lifestyle? You find a workout program you can stick with!

One of the biggest perspective shifts to achieving permanent, healthy weight-loss is that exercise becomes a part of your lifestyle, not just a way to burn off a 400-calorie, jelly-filled donut.

Some of you are like me: you didn’t grow up being active or engaging in sports, so now you’ve got to figure out how to integrate it into your life as an adult. With so much conflicting advice and workout programs competing with fitness influencers to sell you expensive programs, it’s not easy! So, to help, we have some helpful tips for finding a workout program you can stick with.

One of the biggest exercise myths associated with weight loss is that you need to do hours of endless, boring, painful cardio! The truth? Muscle is going to have the largest effect on your metabolism, so hours of cardio doesn’t cut it.

Weight-training is a must!

For optimal health & body composition (what I like to call giving your body a whole face-lift!), the best thing you can do is to engage in a combination of cardiovascular exercise, weight training, & flexibility.*

 

Cardiovascular exercise
25 mins of intense, interval-style cardio done 3xweek is far more effective than spending hours an elliptical or slowly jogging around a track. Of course, “intense” is different from person to person and it’s always best to start slowly to avoid injury and burnout if you’re just starting out. If you’re new to fitness, don’t plan to head out on a 5-mile run. Instead, start with a brisk incline walk or jogging intervals and work your way up! Just be sure that you’re challenging yourself to get the most out of those 25 minutes.

Weight training
Weight-training 2 – 3 times a week. If you are new to this, give yourself a gift and work with a Personal Trainer! They’ll be able to show you the ropes, ensure you’re using proper form, and design a program made just for you. Just like with cardio, make sure you’re starting slowly to avoid injury. Especially if you don’t have a trainer, be sure to start with light weights (bodyweight is fine, too!) and increase as you get the hang of proper form and pace.

Flexibility
Stretching or yoga are important parts of any fitness routine. Stretching those muscles and working on flexibility with Yoga is important for posture, skeletal alignment, and recovery. As athletes, this is crucial. A healthy, flexible muscle is far more powerful and explosive than a tired & restricted one. Get those sun salutations in daily if you can!

 

Once you begin to feel stronger and see progress, exercise can absolutely be a fun, healthy activity that you look forward to! It’ll just take a little time to learn but stick to it.

A good schedule to strive for if you don’t have one is*:

MON – WED – FRI – Cardio

TUES – THURS – SAT – Weight Training

SUNDAY –  REST

(If you’re new to exercise, start with 3-4x per week and work your way up slowly!)

 

If you have had issues finding a workout program you can stick with, it may be that you:

• Didn’t have a clear goal: Knowing what you want to accomplish is key to success.
• Didn’t have a structure that produced results: Consistency & progressive overload are key!
• ‘Weekend Warrior’d’ it: Cramming all your exercise into 2-3 hour weekend sessions is a great way to burn yourself out.

If you’re sitting all day or just have trouble finding time during the week to get moving, it may take a bit more adjusting or time to find a workout program you can stick with. But, there are a few helpful ways to increase your daily burn on the side!*

• Park further from the door at work, grocery shopping etc…
• Make smaller or call-in meetings walking meetings if you can.
• Take the stairs, not the elevator or escalator.
• Take your kids to the park and play with them
• Go for a bike ride or a family walk after dinner
• Start your morning off with a quick yoga session or giving your dog a quick walk before you start the day!
• If you have to send a quick email or forward a document, get up and go talk to/bring your co-worker the document instead
• Try to get up and walk to get water or the restroom every hour or so
• Take a walking lunch or walk for 10 minutes after you eat (also a great time to grab a water bottle & hydrate!)

 

What If I’m Already Active?

 

 

No matter who you are or where you might be on your journey, it is absolutely possible to find a workout plan you can stick with. Each of us is different and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but there are always options if you’re willing to search for them. Remember, you’re worth it!