Any discussion of how to make fitness work for people needs to take into account the fact that most people experience fitness as difficult and boring. That doesn't diminish the fact that staying fit is an important part of staying healthy. Luckily, you do not need to go the extreme. All that's required is a bit of time and effort. You can even make it fun.
Thirty Minutes
Do you think that you are too busy to stay fit? Split your workout by dividing it into two separate sessions. You do not have to increase the amount of time you are working out, just divide it in two. As opposed to running for an hour, run thirty minutes during the day and thirty minutes during the night. With two smaller workouts, you also have the flexibility to do one in the gym and one outside or at home.
You need to set goals if you want to accomplish them. You will want to continue reaching your goals and not think about how hard it is. If you think of a weight loss program as part of a larger life goal, you are less likely to drop out halfway through.
Don't be scared! Biking is also a great exercise for endurance and stamina, especially if running isn't your strong suit. If biking is a realistic mode for you to get to work, it can give you the added benefit of developing fitness. You pay no fare, buy no gasoline. In good weather, it can be a pleasure to bike to work. Biking to work is a great form of exercise since you will be getting exercise in the morning and evening on your way to and from work.
Your abs need more than crunches to look great. A university study found that even if you do a quarter million crunches, you'll only burn a pound of fat. It's safe to say that crunches alone are sufficient to produce the desired results. Rotate in other abdominal exercises to improve your results.
Keep a daily record of everything that you do. Keep notes on everything, including all exercise activities, food and beverages consumed, etc. Also, note the weather every day. You can then change anything to your daily routine that can help you get fit. When you can't exercise on a day, be sure to record why not.
If you want to improve your overall fitness, start counting your calories. Knowing exactly how much you eat each day is important, because it helps you monitor whether you are likely to gain or lose weight. If your calorie consumption is at your maintenance level without exercise, and you lose calories by exercising, you are going to be lean and fit very quickly.
Be sure you've got the correct shoes for your exercises. Doing many kinds of exercises with inappropriate footwear can put you at risk for a lot of different injuries, some of them quite serious. You can also cause foot discomfort post-workout which can prevent you from exercising later.
Exercise burns a lot of calories, but not as much as some dieters wish it would. It can be damaging to go to extremes when it comes to exercise, though. This isn't good because it can damage your muscles and joints. It can also lead to heart problems and dehydration problems as well. Don't push yourself too hard and try to reach a state where fat isn't being metabolized.
Many people try to exercise their abs daily. It isn't recommended for that particular group of muscles. Your abdominal muscles, like other groups, must not be overworked and require rest. You should attempt to let your abs rest about 48 to 72 hours after you work them out.
When you are first starting a weight-lifting regimen, begin with lighter weights. Small muscles wear out before the big ones, so you should start small. Then move on to working out your larger muscle groups using the bigger machines.
In conclusion, maintaining your fitness level may not be super-fun or super-easy, but it can be a little of both if you keep at it. You are not expected to make enduring fitness changes by yourself. Help it out there, but first you have to make the decision to get started.