Dear America: Exercise Frequently

Everyone should exercise frequently because it can improve mental health, strengthen bones/muscles, and reduce risk for heart diseases. Exercise can look very different depending on who you are. Exercise can range from daily walking on a treadmill for 15 minutes  to climbing an entire mountain. 

You don’t have to do intense workouts when you first start exercising. For example, when most people start weight lifting, they go for the heavier weights. When you start out, you have to lift smaller weights to get the form down in order to prevent injury.

A lot of people who are trying to get into exercising assume you have to push your limits right away, which is what is holding a lot of people back. It’s very hard to get into a routine of exercising often, and you have to start out small. You don’t have to spend five hours at the gym or train for a marathon. Take a walk through your neighborhood, follow along with exercise videos online, and stand more often. It’s the little things that help you get into a consistent routine and increase the level of your workouts as you progress. 

Results don’t appear right away. It takes time to be where you want with your exercise journey. It’s very hard to have a set routine. It’s very hard to be consistent. It’s very hard to get started and keep going. Once you get past those challenging points, exercising becomes fun and seems so much easier.

All of the hard work is definitely worth the results. Not only does not giving up and continuing to exercise help with your fitness journey, but it also helps with everyday life. Exercising has taught me that you have to work hard to achieve what you want. Not everything in life is handed to you, and the only thing stopping you from achieving your goals is yourself.

I have a few routines/programs listed depending on what intensity or style of exercise you prefer.

Beginner: As a beginner you want to focus on developing a routine that you feel confident doing and expanding upon it as you progress. You don’t want to go too hardcore, but you don’t want something too easy. You workout a few days a week. It’s important to have fun while you exercise, because your first impressions will stay with you throughout the process.

A few beginner exercises include: knee push ups, planks, sit-ups, walking, jogging, squats, etc. Of course the duration of the exercises look different for everyone depending on their schedule and intensity level. A few popular programs include: Beach Body, Nike Training Club, and FitOn.

Advanced: As an advanced beginner, you want to focus on expanding off of those original exercises, and practicing harder variations of them. You now have a set routine and want to push yourself a little harder. You workout a majority of the week. A few advanced exercises include: running, push ups, planks, sit-ups on a decline bench, weighted squats, etc. 

Expert: As an expert, you have been exercising for a really long time, and have mastered all the basic and advanced exercises. You are committed to fitness, and want to push your limits and challenge yourself. You have multiple routines for different muscles of your body. You have been working out almost everyday of the week.

Some expert exercises include: pike push ups, weighted split squats, side plank, burpees, pull ups, sprints/running, long distance jogging, etc. Most of these exercises don’t require weights, but of course there are tons of other exercises that include weights for each level.

Part of seeing exercise results is eating a healthy diet. Eating the wrong foods before exercising can put a major delay in your journey. Some of the wrong food choices include: fizzy drinks, spicy foods, refined sugar, dairy, avocado, etc. These foods can make you feel sick before a workout. Instead you could have: oats, proteins, fresh fruits, yogurt, smoothies, bananas, etc. These foods help give you more energy for your workout and can reduce sugar dips.

It is highly important to stretch before exercising. Stretching before can help reduce injury risk. Stretching after a workout is pretty beneficial too. Stretching after can decrease soreness, especially if you haven’t worked out in a while. It can also help get rid of the lactic acids in your muscles.

Overall, exercise adds so many benefits to your life, and it can be very rewarding.