From an easily digestible perspective (no pun intended), here are a few points that can help practically plan your exercise routine:

• High intensity exercise is a personal thing. What may be perceived as intense for me may be very easy for you. Whatever the activity, the more effort you put into it, the more benefits you get out of it. High intensity activity burns more calories during the session and hours after the session. How could you define intensity? On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the most intense, you want to exercise at an 8 level and occasionally go for a 9. There is a catch though; before going really intensely, make sure you spend at least 5 minutes or so warming up your body which will make the “go hard” experience even better. Also, on your intense days, try and exercise at least 15 minutes continuously with a 5-minute warm-up built in.

• Going “hard” each time you work out will only set you back and stunt your progress. For every one to three “hard days”, plan a lighter day where you do a similar workout, be it resistance training, cardio, or pilates at a lower intensity level. Rest more between exercises, use a lighter resistance and just don’t push as hard. Your body will replenish and refresh itself for the next exercise session. Always going hard will leave you feeling empty, especially on those days when you are looking for a great workout, but your body just doesn’t want to co-operate.

• Before making a decision of what you are going to do, plan your workout days. Don’t make the mistake of planning your workout and fitting the days around the workout. Plan your days first and fit your workout sessions into your days.

• Finally, regardless of what “science says”, choose an activity that you like to perform even if doesn’t burn as many calories, build as much muscle or give you the most bang for your buck. I love the semi-recumbent bike simply because it allows me to easily read as I work out. Yes, there are machines that are upright and involve full use of the body and burn more calories, but they don’t give me what I want out of a cardio workout – the ability to kill two birds with one stone – to work out and read. So, with that in mind, choose something that you like to do and maximize it. Change things up, go faster, longer or increase the tension. Do what works for you. When you become fully committed to an exercise program, then you can start to use science to foster a better workout and help you reach your immediate goals. Start small and aim big.

Final Words
Just do it! Whether you are a stay-at-home parent, an executive with 200 employees or a regular person who just can’t commit to an exercise routine, you just have to learn how to incorporate exercise into your life. Exercising does not have to be elaborate or for a long duration. If you normally wake up at 6 AM, wake up at 5:45 AM. If you generally retire for bed at 10 PM, go to bed at 10:15 PM and get a 15-minute workout in. If you just can’t do it at home, join a gym near by. If you just can’t find a gym that you like, buy some equipment at home. If you just can’t motivate yourself to work out at home and don’t want to join a gym, hire a trainer. These are all great objections, but when it comes to your health and to improving yourself for both you and the benefit of others, the excuses really do fall short. Don’t concern yourself with the big picture up front, visualize the body and health you want, but practically implement a plan that will work for you today and in the very near future and as your future gets brighter, your program can change to match your vision. Good luck!

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