Everyone wants to stay fit, but most of us dont have a lot of time in our schedules to devote to working out. And if youre anything like me, you dont particularly love to exercise. So what workout program can best accomplish the results were looking for? The following workout program is designed for people who want to lose weight and stay fit, but who dont have a lot of time and dont love to work out.
The trick to a really effective workout program is variation. Variation accomplishes several things. First of all, it increases the efficacy of the workout program. Doing the same exercise day after day produces diminishing returns. As your body grows accustomed to the exercise, it burns fewer calories and builds less muscle. So varying the type of exercise in your workout program helps keep the body surprised and maximizes the effectiveness of the workout. And of course theres another benefit: you get less bored not doing the same routine every day.
Another very important aspect of a top-notch workout program is that it must combine cardiovascular exercise with resistance training. All too often, we focus mostly (or entirely) on the cardio, and the benefits of that type of workout are limited. Jogging, biking, doing the elliptical or stair machines, or even doing aerobics classes these activities get your heart rate up and burn calories, which are both good. But the benefit ends there. Once you stop jogging, the calorie burn ends. A really strong workout program must incorporate resistance or weight training. This will build muscle, and muscle burns calories more quickly than other body tissues. Thus if your workout program involves good muscle-building exercises, you will continue to burn calories even after your workout is over even when your body is at rest. Dont cheat yourself of the benefits of muscle-building resistance training.
Lastly, if you truly want to maximize your workouts, then you must build rest into your workout program. In exercise, more is not necessarily always better. The best workout programs involve days off, and one or two days of lighter intensity. If you keep the intensity of your workout high every day, and you dont take days off, you risk strain and injury. Then you will be unable to work out at all.
So the best way to work out is to build your own workout program, following these basic principles. Use cross-training to vary the types of activities you do. Definitely incorporate resistance training into every single workout. And dont forget to schedule in rest and recovery time. If you can do all that, youll find that your workout program is not intimidating to approach, doesnt take up all your time, and provides maximum benefits to your health and body.