How to get more out of exercise and resistance training for a healthy and happy life

“A healthy person wants a thousand things; a sick person only wants one,” Confucius. 

If you have ever enjoyed exercise, wanted to exercise more, or wanted to know why it is a good idea to exercise, you need to read this article. By spending less time sitting and more time moving, you can enjoy the many benefits of exercise. Exercise is one of the single best preventative treatments against inflammation.

 

Inflammation is a chronic condition where the body’s immune system attacks itself. The body constantly fights off a chronic state such as mental stress, excess body weight, frequent alcohol or drug use, poor quality and duration of sleep, or arthritis. Ultimately this bodily resistance does more harm than good, increasing the risk of more severe health conditions such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease if left untreated.

74% and 43% of US adults are overweight and obese, respectively. Excess body fat affects our ability to live at our best, with a high risk for the health conditions mentioned.   

 

 

 

 

What even is exercise? And why does exercise classification matter? 

-The World Health Organization’s guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior (WHO, pager 8, 2020) Define exercise as 

“planned, structured, repetitive, and purposeful in the sense that the improvement or maintenance of one or more components of physical fitness is the objective.’ 

We can exercise to improve any of the five main components of fitness (ACSM, 2011).;

–Body composition – exercise improves body composition, especially resistance training 

-Muscular strength -Bodyweight, Dumbbell, TRX, or Barbell exercises

-Muscular endurance – Planks, battle ropes, jump squats, 

-Flexibility/mobility – Yoga, Pilates. Redcord, or stretching

-Cardiorespiratory fitness – Rowing, biking, running, or skiing

Examples of cardiorespiratory exercise include but are not limited to walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, hiking, and sports such as tennis and basketball and combat sports like MMA. Muscular-focused example activities include:

• Lifting weights.
• Using resistance bands or cords.
• Performing bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups.

Mobility exercises like pilates, yoga, tai chi, and qigong can improve flexibility and mobility. The WHO exercise guidelines recommend all adults should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. Additional exercise, over the recommendations, provides other health benefits (WHO, pager 12, 2020). 

 

Why does classification matter? 

Given that 74% of US adults are overweight, exercising for fat loss is one among many reasons to exercise. Fat loss of 10% is a realistic goal. Still, improving the other components of fitness strength, muscular endurance, flexibility/mobility, and cardio will also significantly improve our health.

Current exercise rates stand at only 53% of US adults meeting the aerobic guidelines for exercise. However, strength training is essential for the most benefit. Only 20% of the US population is doing sufficient aerobic exercise of 150 minutes per week and strength training 2x per week.

Aerobic exercise will help prevent cardiovascular disease and heart attack as we age. To avoid a loss of independence, frailty, and increased risk of hip fractures, we need to strength train early and often. 

 

How can you exercise enough to reach the guidelines? 

Decide on a realistic, specific, and measurable goal that regular exercise helps you achieve. For example, exercise to avoid the history of brittle bone disease in your family, have more energy for your partner or kids, or feel better about your unique body. Decide on a goal that is personal and meaningful to you, then decide on the most minor and most achievable steps you can take towards this goal.

Forget achieving a goal that sounds good which you haven’t made your own goal. If you skip deciding your why it will be easier to think of excuses for it down the line when your motivation inevitably drops. 

Aim to make exercise a consistent part of your weekly routine. Consistency is key to noticing any results and progress towards your personal goal. A regular habit is essential.

“repeating a behavior in a consistent setting increases automaticity“ the more automatic a habit, the easier it is to maintain the routine. A practice of planning reduces common barriers to exercise, which often prevents us from realizing the progress towards the health goals we want. 

 

Use facilitators to reach your exercise goal, such as;

• Putting out your clothes the night before 
• Booking your sessions in advance
• Scheduling into your calendar 
• Creating a reminder notification on your phone  
• Exercising with a reliable buddy, such as partner training 
• Get a personal trainer 

 

 A facilitator helps you form your desired habit, the opposite of a barrier such as unprofessional program design. Barriers are also significant, preventing us from completing our desired habits.

Suppose we don’t plan, organize our workout gear in advance, have a workout plan, or personalize. In that case, this will become a barrier to regular exercise. Record your exercise journey to note successes, wins, setbacks, and pitfalls to avoid.

If you have ever used a journal, you will know how much we forget and let slip that is useful for future situations. A journal for exercise will leave breadcrumbs of success to keep you on track and progressing towards your health goal. It can be a weekly review that will give a lot to review. 

Ask for help when you’re feeling stuck, at a plateau, or need support. Social support is instrumental in providing an essential sense of social inclusion, social support provided by service staff such as personal trainers, and accountability. No person is an island, and asking for help is a sign of emotional awareness. Help is essential as somebody has experience with the challenge you are currently facing.

Support will help alleviate some of the stress you’re feeling. For example, a personal trainer can help you not feel alone or boost your morale with some words of advice. Support can come in many forms from your partner, colleague, or expert advice, such as a personal trainer. Social support can reduce our time worrying about a problem, e.g., should I exercise. It can increase our time spent engaging in our desired activity, e.g., exercise, potentially restoring our mental ability in stressful times. The best athletes don’t know how to do everything themselves. The best can effectively collaborate and seek guidance when facing a challenge, and your fitness journey is no different. 

 

“Ask for help, not because you are weak. But because you want to remain strong.”

To increase our activity levels and maintain them, the WHO has some practical points to aid your fitness journey to boost consistency and results: 

• Doing some physical activity is better than doing none. Over time, every small amount of activity compounds. Long-term exercise transforms our ability to fully live life, especially as we age into our 90s!

 

Trainer Lucia on the SkiErg cardio machine

 

• The recommendations of 150 minutes per week may be too much initially, but we can work up to them once we get started. A personal trainer will meet you at your level and help you progress at your own pace. 

 

• Adults should start by doing small amounts of physical activity and gradually increase frequency and intensity. Applying the fundamental workout principle of progressive overload, as is used at CustomFit, ensures you make consistent progress towards your training goals (Kraemer, 2003). 

 

 

The one message to take away today is exercise is medicine. Any small amount done regularly will benefit your health by improving your quality of life. It’s never too late to start exercising and live with more quality of your days and quantity through less pain (Such as low back pain), better mood (anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, and mood-enhancing effects), and more energy (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, body composition). Support is critical to forming a regular exercise routine, avoiding injury, and seriously improving your health. At CustomFit, certified trainers will customize a work plan to your fitness level to help you get more out of exercise and live a happier, healthier life.