Developing a new exercise regime

Below is some advice on how to develop a new exercise routine. The best advice is to be pragmatic - recognize your current level of fitness and time.

Assessing your existing exercise routine

A good place to start when developing a new exercise regime is to assess any existing regime. Questions to ask include:

Am I doing enough exercise?
Do I schedule exercise now?
Am I good at following through on an exercise program?
Are some parts of my exercise routine more successful than others?
Do you say you want to do more of something life yoga but don’t?

We need to be honest with ourselves in developing an exercise regime. I have done it before where I create an elaborate exercise program only to work out there was no way I could achieve it. If that is you, I encourage you to start small and build up momentum. Aiming for too much at once is a recipe for overload and failure.

What do you want from your exercise regime?

Before developing a new exercise regime, think about what you want from your exercise regime. For example, do you want to:

regularly exercise to remain healthy
lose weight
work towards a particular activity e.g. a hike or marathon
be more flexibility for ageing well.

What is your current fitness level?

You need to gauge your fitness level and then think about your goals. Taking a fitness baseline can be good so you can measure your progress. When I started yoga, I could barely make it through a 15 minute YouTube video but gradually worked up to 40 minutes. It takes time to increase fitness.

If you are unfit or have a medical condition, it is wise to consult with your doctor. You could also enlist professional help like a personal trainer to develop a program for you.

You should consider your body type when thinking about the types of exercise to add into your routine. I am a hiker - I have strong legs and stamina when walking long distances. I really struggle for cardio classes like step or running - it just does not suit my body. Therefore, I tend to schedule in walking and strengthening exercises.

Think about the season you are in - what is realistic

Some seasons of life are busier than others. When thinking about developing a new exercise regime you need to be realistic about the season you are in at the moment. Maybe this is not the season to run a marathon when you have started a new job? Maybe you cannot squeeze in exercise four days a week as you job and commute does not have much space.

Some seasons are busy and it might be a matter of squeezing in small amounts of exercise each day , for example, walk from the train to work.

An example of squeezing exercise in your day is to put a small set of dumb bells in the kitchen. When you are making your morning coffee you could do some repetitions.

Choose activities that you like

Choosing exercise activities that you like or do not mind (as not everyone likes to exercise) will help keep you interested and motivated. I sometimes walk my neighbour’s dog. I find it enjoyable, and he sets a good pace.

Another way to make exercise more fun is to do it with someone else. I sometimes do a walk and talk with a friend, and I find I barely notice the hilly part as we are walking and talking.

For a well-rounded exercise regime, you might have to do exercises you do not like but are good for you. For example, strength training or flexibility exercises.

Developing a new exercise regime requires being pragmatic to recognise the time you have available.

Create a schedule, put it in your calendar and track your progress

Putting a regular exercise plan into your schedule can help you implement it. Tracking progress can help you work out if the plan is working or needs adjustment. Even better, put getting healthier/fitter as a goal and put it in a place you regularly see it.

Many books suggest that starting small is a good approach rather than going all in with an exercise program. Starting small might also be safer - if you do too much and your body is not used to it you could suffer an injury.

There is lots of advice online about starting to exercise. Watch out for advice that seems ambitious - work out what suits you.

Can you add 20 minutes of walking in your schedule a week (maybe 10 minutes each day of the weekend)? Or 10 minutes of strength training twice a week?

Consistency is important so where possible create a routine. For example, Tuesday get up 30 minutes earlier and take the kids out for a 20 minute walk. Saturday afternoon walk with a friend.

Review the exercise programme every two weeks

It is important to review your exercise program every two weeks. What is working and what is not working? Can you add some more exercise - even if it is just 5 minutes more?

Do not beat yourself up if you have a week where it just did not happen

I have many weeks where I make plans and the week does not work out how I planned. If you miss some exercise - do not beat yourself up. Think about why you missed it, was the exercise scheduled too ambitious or in reality not at a good time (e.g. after a long day of work).

Can you set yourself a reward for achieving a week of exercise? For example, a coffee at your favorite cafe?