Fitness Resolutions Worth Sticking To

The most common goals and New Year’s resolutions are those that relate to health and fitness. If you’re looking to improve your fitness this new year, you need some helpful information to get started.

What follows will be a discussion of the importance of exercise and movement and how YOU can begin to implement physical activity into your daily life.

Exercise doesn’t have to be restricted to competitive weightlifting, bodybuilding, and marathon running, nor should it be reserved for only the fittest and most athletic people. Instead, it should be thought of as a new lifestyle adjustment based on your current fitness level. Exercise is for everyone, and what follows is a discussion as to why.

Fitness : The Importance of Exercise

In general, exercise and physical activity are imperative to good health, longevity, and well-being. Not only does it assist in weight loss, muscle building, and athletic performance, but it also improves heart health, mental health, and is linked strongly to lifespan.

Contrary to popular belief, exercise is an activity in which everyone young and old, healthy or health-compromised, fit or sedentary, should participate.

In addition, exercise doesn’t have to be rigorous and intense. It also shouldn’t be defined solely as “going to the gym”. Instead, exercise takes many forms and can easily be implemented in daily activities.

How to Improve Your Fitness

The mistake that many make in the pursuit of exercising more is that they try to do too much too fast. Unfortunately, this course of action typically leads to burnout, injury, and ultimately, failure.

Workout and fitness doesn’t have to be complex. Instead, it can be quite simple; an implementation of small daily habits that make a significant impact over time. In other words, exercise isn’t only defined by your time spent in the gym, but rather by the lifestyle with which you live.

The following are several examples of how you can become more active in your daily life without relying solely on the “gym” :

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Walk wherever you can
• Exercise in between TV commercials (ex. sit-ups, air squats, pushups, planks)
• Get a stand-up desk at work
• Participate in sports
• Engage in hobbies that require physical activity (ex. gardening, dance, cleaning)
• Take your dog for more walks
• Regularly houseclean

Some simpler cardiovascular activity is a great way to start for those looking to take their fitness to the next level yet concerned about being overaggressive.

Activities like walking, machines like the elliptical, and programs involving low-weight, resistance-style training are all great options.

Understanding that exercise and physical activity is imperative to your health and well-being is the first step towards becoming healthier. The hardest part of any habit or goal is starting; as the saying goes, “the hardest part is walking through the door”.

However, by starting small and gradually building your habits on top of one another, you’ll quickly begin to see progress.

Exercise more! Your body and mind will thank you later.

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