It is often difficult to find the motivation to get and stay in shape, regardless of whether or not you have a fitness coach. One way to get the ball rolling is to conduct some good fitness planning, and that is not as difficult as it sounds. The advantage of having a plan in place is that you can call the shots and do only things that you enjoy, which will make your goals seem far more achievable.
Deciding what your goals actually are is good place to start. Whether your aim is to improve your strength or tone specific areas, or perhaps to just get fit, or even lose some excess weight, you need to plan your routines accordingly. After you know what it is you are setting out to achieve, you need to determine where you are currently as far as fitness goes. A great way to find out is to measure your heart rate after completing a series of exercises.
The first exercise could be jogging a set distance and measuring your heart rate afterwards. Then, after resting, you should attempt to do as many push ups as possible without stopping, and record the number you could do. Alternatively you could do weight exercises in a similar manner.
Once you have a general idea of how fit you are, you can begin drawing up a workout schedule that slots in with your daily activities. Exercising every day of the week can cause injuries and over worked muscles, so it is important to allow time to rest in between. A gradual increase in the intensity of your workout will also help you to ease into it, prevent injuries and keep your motivation high.
Your long term goals, as well as what you enjoy doing should guide your choice of exercises. Weight exercises will build muscle but not necessarily contribute much to fitness. A list of possible workouts will help narrow things down once you choose things you like and things that will help you reach your goals. When choosing drills, bear in mind any ailments or conditions that may prevent you from doing certain things. If you are unsure, it is advisable to consult your doctor first.
When your routine is mapped out and ready, check that you have chosen a variety of exercises so that you are not neglecting any areas of importance or doing the same boring workout every day. Remember to allow for a proper warm up and cool down as well.
Where you prefer to train is your choice as well. Going to gyms works better for some people, while others enjoy group classes or prefer to train at home. Whatever your choice, make sure you have all the necessary equipment, from shoes to water bottles to weights and mats, depending on what you will be doing.
When you have trained for a few weeks and are used to your routine, you can start checking on the effectiveness of your fitness planning by assessing yourself again. If your plan is working, keep it up, or increase the intensity if you would like more of a challenge.
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