A growing number of people want to lead healthier lives.
According to statistical data, 48% of those in the US who made New Year’s resolutions wanted to exercise more, 44% wanted to eat healthier, and 41% wanted to lose weight. And as we roll into Spring, many of us are starting to think about the ideal exercise regime to hit our health and fitness goals. But, as always, there’s a catch.
Unfortunately for most beginners, setting up an effective workout regime tends to be a considerable challenge.
Effective and scientifically backed workout plans are expensive. So are personal trainers. And following a generic exercise regime might provide some benefits in the short term. But as you become fitter, it will slowly become obsolete, meaning that all your sweat and hard work will be for nothing.
So how do you create your own workout plan that will set you up for long-term success? This beginner’s guide aims to teach you just that, presenting several strategies you can implement to reach (and surpass) your health and fitness goals.
The anatomy of an effective workout plan
No matter what your fitness tracker or your favorite influencer may have told you, doing the same workout every day doesn’t yield results. Nor does aiming to exercise six or seven times per week. And let’s not even get started with hard-hitting fitness regimes that exhaust your body (and spirit) and give you no time to recuperate.
So, as you look towards creating your own workout plan, you must do your best to include the four elements of a successful exercise regime.
Preparation
The most impactful element of a workout plan that works is preparation. And not in the sense of having a cheat sheet about how many reps of deadlifts you need to do to burn a set amount of calories. But, much more impactfully, in giving your body everything it needs to perform well physically.
In addition to getting sufficient sleep, remember that nutrition makes the basis of a successful healthy lifestyle. So aim to clean up your eating habits, ensure you’re getting enough nutrients per day, and look for smart ways to supplement.
For example, a shot of caffeine before working out can help you perform at a higher intensity. Or, taking Turkesterone might help you improve body composition. Even something as simple as taking a daily multivitamin and probiotic will benefit your physical health, allowing you to achieve your fitness goals without exhausting yourself.
So, before you start lifting or running, make sure you’ve prepared your body and that it’s ready to take on the toll of a new fitness program.
Versatility
Whether your fitness goals include shredding, developing explosive power, or building stamina (so that you can finally run that 5k), you need to understand that the best exercise regimes target more than a single area of your body.
So, as you work to develop your first workout plan, the best thing you can do is follow scientifically-backed recommendations. For example, the World Health Organization suggests that healthy adults aged between 18 and 64 do:
It’s also important for a well-rounded exercise regime to include mobility work. In practice, this might mean 10-15 minutes of foam rolling per day, a 30-45 minute yoga session twice a week, or simply following every workout session with ten minutes of active stretching.
Progress
The second essential part of a successful workout plan is room for progress.
Unfortunately, too many beginners try to do too much when getting started with a fitness plan, risking injury or setting themselves up for failure. But, instead of going all out right from the start, an effective exercise regime needs to make room for continual advancement.
An excellent piece of advice for those looking to create their own effective workout plan is to use every training session as an opportunity to push themselves by a tiny bit. This might mean increasing your load by 5 pounds every time you hit the gym, doing a couple more reps, or even just running 2-5 minutes longer.
Of course, to be able to make gains, it’s a good idea to record your progress after every session. Whether you use a dedicated fitness app or a notebook is entirely up to you. But, having a clear idea of where you started (and where you’re headed) is going to play a key role in motivating you when you (inevitably) hit a slump.
Recovery
Lastly, as you look for the best way to develop an effective workout plan, don’t forget that rest is essential in ensuring you hit your long-term goals.
Ideally, your plan should set aside at least two days per week for rest and recovery. Does this mean you should spend the whole weekend sitting on your couch, munching on chips, and binge-watching your favorite Netflix show? Absolutely not.
It just means that you should take opportunities to make active recovery a permanent part of your exercise regime. Twice per week, consider substituting your visit to the gym with a 30-minute evening walk. Or do a hot/cold exposure session every. Even breathwork can count as a beneficial aspect of your exercise regime, seeing that it’s effective at mitigating the consequences of acute stress.
Final thoughts
As you can see, creating your workout plan isn’t just about determining the number of reps you have to do at the gym every day. Much more than that, it’s about knowing how to get the most benefits out of the least amount of work.
So, as you embark on your fitness journey, make sure you’ve got your bases covered. Nurture your body so that it’s physically prepared. Take on a versatile regime. Track your progress. And, most importantly, set aside enough time for recovery.
