Getting Active
Content by: Lee Agbohlah, BS in Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Wanting to add physical activity into your routine? At first this can seem like an overwhelming task. But keep in mind, you aren't training to be a professional athlete, or competitive body builder. It is okay to start slow and work your way up. Learn more about what it takes to create an active lifestyle by reading the article down below, and watching this brief video.
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Increasing your physical activity can seem overwhelming, but what you do makes the difference. You aren't training to be a bodybuilder, Olympic lifter or a professional athlete.
The amount of time you need to dedicate to working out to accomplish your fitness goals is less than 2% of your time each week. Being active isn't meant to cause you any stress, it's there to reduce the stress you already feel.
So what are effective ways to create an active lifestyle?
- You don't need a fancy gym or have special equipment to be active.
You just need to get your body moving consistently. Get started with forms of physical activity you enjoy.
- You don’t need to workout everyday, but you need to be consistent with your activity each week.
Your physical activity is about building habits that will allow you to stay healthy without stressing about it.
- Your workouts can vary by your preferred training style, your fitness level and your goals.
~ The 2 modes of exercise will be resistance training and cardio:
🏋️ Resistance training:
It can be as simple as doing body weight exercises. If you have access to a gym or equipment at home you can involve bands or weights.
👟 Cardio:
It can involve traditional equipment machines, or simply walking around your neighborhood to get the heart pumping.
Working out 3-5 times a week for at least 15- 30 mins would allow you to build successful habits.
- When establishing your active routine it’s important to factor in your typical schedule.
- It will be hard to build habits if they can’t be done consistently, your physical activity has to be prioritized like other events in your schedule.
- Figure out if you prefer to workout in the mornings, afternoon or evenings.
The best time to workout is the time that helps you be consistent.
Schedule your physical activity in your calendar to remind you when you need to be active.
- Your active lifestyle isn’t meant to overwhelm you, it’s a way to elevate your lifestyle.
Enjoy the results you get from your successful habits.
- You don’t have to love being active, but you will love what being active will do for you.
Your active journey starts with you taking action.
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