Consider these Factors Before You Start a New Fitness Routine

With health and fitness on the rise, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the excess of information. Trending fitness routines are in magazines, on television, podcasts, and more. The health industry is booming and those wanting to start a regimen, but are unfamiliar with where to begin, can feel like giving up before even starting. While it can be overwhelming, it is also beneficial in giving a wide variety of options to choose from.

When it comes to choosing a fitness routine, the lists are endless. The fitness industry has evolved drastically in just the past few decades, creating new styles that not only keep us in shape but consistently are switching up the routine to keep it exciting. Even some of the old-school trends are sticking around. Finding the right fitness routine is about exploring what exercises we like to do and what works best with our bodies. In some cases, trial and error are to be expected, as everyone's body reacts differently to workouts.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is very popular as it is high-intensity cardio in short bursts. It also takes up less time and 30 minutes a few times a week is enough to keep you in shape. Others enjoy the benefits of weight lifting and building muscle, but it does require switching up the muscles being trained. Training the same area too often without a break for recovery can cause you to overdo it and injure yourself. A great way to relieve stress is going for a run, which can burn fat, but it doesn’t burn nearly as many calories as an exercise as HIIT does and it’s much harder to build muscle this way. Combining running with light weight training a few days a week would be a great addition to an exercise regimen.

Assessing Concerns/ Health Conditions

Exercising is an important part of having a healthy routine. While it can prevent some health issues, it’s crucial to take into account any potential problems that can arise before starting a new exercise routine. From heart conditions to previous injuries and even having asthma, can worsen if not careful during exercise. Someone with a knee injury, for example, should probably consider switching out running with a different type of cardio such as swimming, biking, or even low-resistance circuit training.

Weight/Health Goals

For many (especially those looking to improve their health), weight and health goals are set alongside diet and exercise regimens. Whether you're looking to lose weight (or even gain weight and build muscle), it’s important to look at these goals first. Unfortunately, when individuals create weight loss goals, too often do they go in blindly without a plan as to how they're going to successfully execute them. While everyone’s body is different, someone going to the gym, walking for 30 minutes a few days a week probably won’t see the scale budge much, but a sedentary individual who has also changed their diet with it, may see a small decrease in their weight at first. Depending on what fitness goals you have in mind, it’s important to sit down and figure out a schedule you can: 1. Stay committed to and 2. Incorporate both cardio and muscle building. When beginning an exercise routine, always start slow and work your way up. You can continue to challenge yourself as not to plateau, but give your body time to adjust each time you increase weight or intensity of exercises.

Exercise has its array of health benefits including preventing diseases, clearing the skin, weight loss, and improving memory and concentration, therefore starting a fitness routine is one of the best things you can do for your health. Pick exercises that you enjoy such as dancing, pilates, or weight lifting and you will have way more fun doing it while still getting fit.