Nowadays many people find it hard to keep a steady exercise routine, due to a busy lifestyle or whatever the reason may be. The importance of establishing a workout routine is vital not only to your physical body but also to your overall well being. Exercise helps keep your mind, body, and spirit in great shape, but while any exercise is better than none, you get the most bang for your buck when regular physical activity is part of your daily routine.
Consistent physical activity has many amazing benefits to your health, such as reducing the risk of many health diseases including high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and others. Additionally, regular exercise:
- Helps with weight control
- Extends life expectancy
- Increases energy levels, strength, and flexibility
- Boosts circulation
- Promotes better sleep
- Improves mood
- Builds self-confidence
- Enhances memory and ability to concentrate
- Combats stress, anxiety, and related physical, mental, and emotional symptoms
- Lessens certain types of chronic pain
Exercise has a lot of short-term benefits that may not last very long if you don’t keep it up, so the easiest way to start receiving these benefits is to consistently exercise. If you become inactive, you slowly lose the progress you made. The only way to keep up with your exercise on a regular basis is to incorporate it into your lifestyle as a routine. Think of it as an appointment that you cannot miss.
Time management and a clear exercise schedule are essential if you aim to maintain an effective exercise routine. Experts say that you need to have a minimum of 2.5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity a week. You should delegate those hours into small chunks, either 30 minutes per day, five days a week, or three times per week for 45 minutes. You don’t have to engage in heavy lifting, but even a 10 minute walk each day can do wonders to your health and energy.
Going along with time management, be sure to schedule your workouts! If you don’t schedule it in, then what’s holding you back from canceling on yourself? You will never be able to find the time if you don’t actually make time for it. Scheduling your workouts also plans the details of your workout routine. This ensures that you get the most out of your workouts, and by following a deliberate plan, it’s easy to notice the progress you are making.
One way that can make developing an exercise routine easier is by recruiting a workout buddy! By having someone to lean on in your fitness journey, you can hold each other accountable to meet your fitness goals. If you schedule a workout with another person, you’ll feel more obligated to show up.
Keep in mind that doing the exact same workout day after day is not necessarily a bad thing. Some people like to have a predictable routine. However, many individuals need to push themselves to new heights and try different activities to stay enthusiastic about their workouts. By switching up your exercise routines, you can not only stay physically challenged, but mentally stimulated as well.
Exercise and physical activity are crucial for maintaining overall health and reaping all of the benefits listed above.