By Causenta Wellness
It’s a new decade! 2020 can be the start of an exciting, productive time in your life.
You had great ideas at the end of 2019 and in January about getting fit – eating better, exercising more regularly – but something is holding you back and now you’re feeling mad at yourself and defeated, making things even worse.
What is keeping you from starting an exercise regimen that will help you reach your fitness goals?
No matter your excuse, here are some ideas from our team of wellness and exercise experts that will get you off the couch and into the gym!<
“I don’t know how to get started!”
Knowing how to get started can feel like a real hurdle, but it’s an easy one to overcome.
First of all, any sort of movement and activity is better than just being a couch potato, so you can start with something simple like walking every day.
“Based on research, we know that the more active a person is, the less likely they are to develop serious health issues down the road,” says Dr. Tom Incledon, Founder & CEO of Causenta. “So, I always urge people to be active.”
Often with creating an exercise regimen, starting the habit is the hardest but most important part. Once your body gets used to the movement and the way you feel afterward, maintaining the activity isn’t as difficult.
And, if you have certain fitness goals you are looking to achieve, you can enlist the help of a personal trainer or have a virtual session with one Causenta’s exercise experts. You can even watch Dr. Matt demonstrate some exercises on our YouTube channel.
“I can’t afford a gym membership.”
You don’t have to exercise in a gym to be effective in achieving your fitness goals and creating a worthwhile exercise regimen.
There are a lot of resources online, including workout videos on YouTube, to help you develop an exercise plan that you can do either at home or outside. Be sure to use reputable sources and consult a physician if you have any health concerns. Some great ideas for toning your body easily at home are:
- Lunges
- Pushups
- Squats
- Dumbbell presses
- Situps
- Planks
- Calf raises
The great thing about these exercises is that they will strengthen your body while helping you look more fit. Strength training has a lot of long-term health benefits, including better brain function and balance. You can also increase the difficulty level by adding more reps and more weight as you go.
There are also a lot of apps that you can use that will help you push yourself while walking or running. They can help you track your speed, progress, give ideas for interval training that can boost the metabolism, and more.
Also, just using your house and things you normally do can help you get started with an exercise regimen. You can jump rope, use your stairs for stair stepping (if you don’t have stairs, use a really big book), or have a dance party.
Staying active and being healthy shouldn’t rely on your ability to pay for a gym membership. Get out there and make the world your gym. You’ve got this!
“I’m too out of shape/fat to exercise.”
No one is too out of shape to get started with an exercise regimen and start on a path to wellness. The American Heart Association recommends that everyone get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which can be broken down into 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week.
If your weight or prior inactivity will not allow you to start at this level, start small and work up to it.
If mobility is an issue, start sitting down. You can use light hand weights to begin strengthening the arms and upper body; you can always do leg lifts while sitting in a chair. Even these seemingly small movements will help to increase your metabolism and help your body gain mobility.
Walking, water aerobics, and stationary bikes are also excellent exercise options for people who are overweight or obese. It is important to stay motivated and focus on the small wins and progress you are making, not on the things you feel you cannot do.
Creating an exercise regimen is a lifestyle change that will come with ups and downs; embrace that from the beginning to help you achieve the right mindset for your new fitness goals.
“I can’t stay motivated.”
Creating an exercise regimen that will work for you long-term can be difficult especially for those who are not “workout nuts.” In order to stay motivated, keep a few things in mind:
- Find a workout buddy. Having accountability can be a huge motivator and game changer in keeping up with a new exercise regimen. If you know you are meeting someone to walk or ride bikes, you are much less likely to blow it off and stay in bed.
- Set goals for yourself. Sit down and create a plan with real goals in it that you can work toward. Would you love to run a 5K or marathon? If you stick to your exercise regimen, will you buy yourself that pair of skinny jeans you’ve been eyeing?
- Do activities you enjoy. If you choose an exercise regimen that is centered around an activity that you do not like, you are not going to with it. So, if you love swimming, think about how to incorporate that into your exercise plan. Or, if you really love to dance, is there a cardio dance class near you that you can try?
- Find a time that works best for your schedule. If you are not an early riser, but you decide that you are going to exercise first thing in the morning, the chances of you maintaining your exercise regimen are not good. Can you exercise after work? Or, can you squeeze in 30 minutes at lunch time for a midday boost? Whatever the time, figure out what works best for your lifestyle and habits in order to help you stay motivated to keep your exercise regimen part of your daily life.
“I don’t know the best exercises to do to meet my fitness goals.”
The first step to overcoming this objection to regular exercise is defining your goals. Are you trying to:
- Lose weight fast
- Build muscle mass
- Increase flexibility
- Decrease stress
- Strengthen and tone
- Improve aerobic capacity
- Get outside more
While these are just some of the things to take into consideration, knowing which of these you are trying to achieve is important. So, now that you know what your fitness goals are, how do you know what exercise(s) will best meet those goals?
If you are looking for on-going or hands-on help, you can join a gym and get a personal trainer. If you have a more limited budget, just get a few sessions with the coach to learn the best exercises to do and then work on it from there by yourself.
If you are more interested in just knowing what types of exercises work best for various goals, you can always do online research. Again, be sure to pay attention to the sources and use reputable ones for your information.
But, a quick rundown from our expert team is:
- Cardio exercises can help you lose weight.
- Resistance training will build muscle mass.
- Yoga can help increase flexibility and reduce stress.
- Try core conditioning if your goal is strengthening and toning.
If you are interested in learning more about how to start an exercise regimen of your own based on your wellness and fitness goals, contact us for a 30-minute consultation. Our caring and knowledgeable team can help you get started on your exercise journey.
