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Your fitness journey begins with progression

Published in For the Health of It, Exercise Author: Michelle Lee, BS

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that healthy adults should perform 150 minutes of cardiorespiratory exercises at a moderate-intensity each week. Adults also are recommended to train each muscle group two to three times a week using a variety of exercises and equipment. Flexibility and neuromotor (functional fitness training) is recommended two to three times a week as well.

Does this overwhelm you? Me, too!

Here are some tips to get started and build exercise into your life!

Progression is the key to everything.

Fitness professionals educate individuals that exercise and activity should be safe and progressive, but finding a realistic starting point to start your fitness journey can be challenging and needs to be individualized. Each one of us is unique and we start at different places, skills, abilities, health issues, likes and dislikes.

Exercise and activity are not a “one-size-fits-all” endeavor.

  • Fitness fits everyone, but it fits each of us differently.
  • First, it is important to make sure we are not getting caught up in the “all or nothing” or “I want it now” mentality.
  • Adopting an active lifestyle is a slow and steady process and it is important to continue to challenge yourself in your own journey.
  • Re-inventing our motivation to continue to stay active so it becomes a part of our everyday life is instrumental.

When adopting a more active lifestyle, set small, short-term, realistic goals.

  • Determine how these goals will be achieved
  • Gradually work toward new goals

Example of smaller realistic goals:

  • Exercise for 20 minutes, three times a week
  • Add another day once you have achieved your goal for two to three weeks
  • Add five minutes, once you’ve worked your way up to the gold standard of five days a week

Please be cleared by your primary care provider before starting exercise.