Time To Get Moving~ What A Successful Exercise Plan Looks Like
Exercise, you either love it, or love to hate it; however, despite this, we all need it in order to lead a healthy vitalized life. The benefits of exercise include improved circulation, better skin, cardiovascular health, better sleep and mental focus; and, of course, a sexy body!
In light of the fact that I tend to fall under the “love to hate” category, I went and found myself a personal trainer. And, although I am no stranger to exercise; in recent months I have found that I have been guilty of challenging myself less and less. You could say that I have been putting all my health eggs in my nutritional basket; and as vital as nutrition is, it’s only a part of the total equation. Exercise AND nutrition must be present in order to be healthy; one is not incomplete without the other- you could say that exercise is Tom Cruise and nutrition is Renee Zellweger, they complete one another.
I cover nutrition here on the blog extensively; but what does a successful exercise plan look like?
- At least 30 minutes of heart pumping exercises
- 3-4 times per week, two or three of those days should contain strength training
- Interval training; such as one minute sprint two minute walk, which burn more calories and builds more cardiovascular strength than simply running for thirty minutes.
- 10 minute stretch.
Workouts should be challenging; being able to carry on conversation means you aren’t working hard enough- plain and simple.
One of the less favorable results of a strenuous workout is soreness. We’ve all been there, the day after a workout where getting out of bed seems harder than the workout itself. This turns so many people off of exercise; but it shouldn’t- soreness is a part of the deal. However, there are ways to minimize soreness associated with exercise. I posted a video on the Vitality Guide Facebook Page detailing how I, and you, can reduce the soreness we experience.
Summer is around the corner, and with that it’s time to get moving; so what are your exercise tips for women just like you, who are eager to get bathing suit ready?
I hired a trainer, too! There’s muddling through on your own and then there’s hiring a professional to make sure you do it right.
I weight-train four times a week (about 15 minutes at a time) and do cardio three times a week (about 30-40 minutes at a time). I used to do yoga once or twice a week, too, but had to drop that for time reasons. I’m considering starting it up again for the summer, now that my schedule has slowed a bit.
I also use http://www.fitocracy.com as a way to measure my efforts and find inspiration to try new activities! (That, and my friends and I like to compete and cheer each other one.)
No kidding; I was done farting around in the gym without any real focus. And vanity also stepped in and said “Bianca, summer is almost here- call in the pro’s!”
Thanks for your comment!