A BALANCED APPROACH TO FITNESS

FOR A HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIFE

A balanced approach to fitness is the key to a happy and healthy life. Whether you can’t get yourself to workout at all, or you’re pushing yourself too hard without recovery, you need to switch to the center lane. The end game should be being able to do the activities we love without pain as we age.

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO I NEED?

We all know there are countless health benefits to regular exercise. But how much should we be working out? The recommended activity for adults is at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or a mix of the two. Twenty minutes of moderate exercise equals about 10 minutes of vigorous activity.

IF I COULD JUST GET STARTED!

Some people get tripped up at the thought of leaving their comfort zone. Working out looks like it takes a lot of effort, it might make me sweat and what if I don’t do it right? I know this kind of overthinking can cause you to lose valuable time in your fitness journey. You try to get yourself to do it. Failing to start leads to a vicious cycle of negative self-talk, a promise to start on Monday and back again.

The key is to start with a small change- taking the stairs or a walk around the block- and working up from there. You will feel better, you will be proud of yourself, and you will be motivated to continue on. Once you are on a roll, you will be thankful that you started when you did.

IF I COULD JUST DIAL IT DOWN!

Other people exercise out of a sense of obligation. They might do it to “earn” their daily food or punish themselves for overeating. These athletes have very rigid workout schedules, pushing themselves too hard without rest. This can lead to burnout, injury, fatigue and stress. It can also lead to exercise-induced overeating. This mindset can cancel out many of the health benefits they are trying to achieve.

A positive and adjustable mindset towards exercise is a better way to go. Why not focus on how good the process of working out makes you feel? This is more motivating than guilt, unrealistic expectations or comparing yourself to others.

There are many risks to over-training. If you push too hard too much of the time you are likely to get injured or ill. You are also unlikely to feel happy or fulfilled. This is true of any sport.

Here is one example. Studies have found a link between Spinning and female pelvic issues and incontinence. The longer and more often you are in the saddle, the more likely you are to be affected. Cycling is also associated with pelvic problems in men if overdone.

STRIKING A HAPPY BALANCE

We want to strike a happy balance between challenging ourselves and recovering. This will enhance your life, rather than adding more stress to it. It will give you more energy and confidence and lower your stress. So how do we achieve this balanced approach to fitness?

VARY YOUR WORKOUTS

For a balanced approach to fitness you want to challenge your body in different ways. Find as many physical activities you enjoy as possible and mix up your routine. Cross-training will make your life more exciting. It will also lessen your risk of injury, and make it less likely you hit a plateau. Try to include: cardio, strength training, endurance, balance, core work and flexibility.

Variety helps you stay motivated and injury-free. Hard workouts will make you stronger. Mind/body exercises, such as yoga, will make you more mentally resilient. Your daily reactions will improve, and you will be able to manage stress better. All in all you are training for a better life.

VARY THE INTENSITY  

Another way to achieve a balanced approach to fitness is to vary the intensity of your workouts. Following a high-intensity workout with a low-intensity workout, or rest, is the way to go.

VARY THE DURATION 

You can also vary the duration of your training sessions to achieve a balance in fitness. Tabata is a great choice if you are short on time. Work very hard for 20 seconds with 10 seconds rest. Complete eight cycles of four minutes, ideally for a total of about 20 minutes. This type of high-intensity workout burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time. On days when you have more time, you might opt to go for a long run, bike ride or strength training session.

BE ADAPTABLE

You can also achieve balance in fitness by being adaptable. Accept that there will be days where either you can’t work out or it doesn’t make sense to. If you work out first thing in the morning, the chances of obstacles are fewer. On overly busy days, you can adjust by doing two or three short workouts rather than the longer one you had planned. Bound up and down the stairs a few times. Take your little ones for a walk or workout on the playground. Every little bit counts.

Listen to your body. It’s okay to take a day off if you are feeling sick, exhausted or overwhelmed. You will just come back stronger once you have rested.

MOVE MORE THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Increasing the amount of movement in your day when you’re not exercising is a good way to balance fitness. Burn lots of calories doing routine activities. Parking further away, taking the stairs and playing with your kids all count. Having an active mindset takes the stress off of planned workouts.

REST AND RECOVER

Taking a rest day a week from exercise is a good way to achieve a work rest balance. This will give your body time to recover. You will be more motivated the next day and find your next workout more invigorating. If you are the type of person who finds it hard to sit still (say I!), try walking or yoga. Getting enough quality sleep is also very important for recovery.

THE END GAME

A balanced approach to fitness is the key to a lifetime of good health and happiness. We should aim to work out for at least 150 minutes a week. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun doing it! To get started, make a small change and progress from there. Don't put pressure on yourself to reach unrealistic expectations. Instead, focus on the immediate rewards of exercise. More energy and confidence, and less stress and illness, for instance.

Overtraining can curtail the best of efforts so don’t push too hard. Vary the types, intensity and duration of your workouts. Be flexible when life gets in the way, and try to move more throughout the day. It is also crucial that you get enough quality sleep and take time to recover. Fitness, like life, is a balancing act. When you get it right, you function at your greatest capacity -and nothing feels better than that!
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www.health.harvard.edu; mayoclinic.org; thedocguide.com; verywellfit.com; cathe.com; dailymail.co.uk; the longgame.com