How to Make an Exercise Plan
Some people can plunge into a new project without planning ahead. Others find that writing a plan is helpful and keeps them on track. When it comes to motivation, the first few months are crucial. If you can stick with physical activities you enjoy, it's a good sign that you will be able to make exercise and physical activity a regular part of your everyday life. An exercise and physical activity plan might be a good way to help you do the following:
- Stay motivated to include physical activity as part of your daily life.
- Be organized, so you can fit exercise and physical activity into your current lifestyle.
- Know what you need to move forward. Do you need to get new exercise shoes or clothes? Do you need equipment, like weights or a tennis racket? Will you have expenses (like health club fees) that you need to fit into your budget?
What to Include in Your Physical Activity Plan
- Your reasons for being physically active
- Your short- and long-term goals
- The activities you plan to do (Include all four types of exercise—endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility.)
- When, where, and with whom you will be active
- Things you need to do to get started and keep going
How much exercise should I plan to do?
Aim for moderate-intensity endurance activities on most or all days of the week. Try to do strength exercises for all of your major muscle groups on two or more days a week, but don't exercise the same muscle group two days in a row. For example, do upper-body strength exercises on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and lower-body strength exercises on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Alternatively, you can do strength exercises of all of your muscle groups every other day. Don't forget to include balance and flexibility exercises.
Make it a plan that works for you.
When you are deciding on your activity plans, you'll want to do the following:
- Make your plan realistic based on your current activity levels and the amount of time you can dedicate to exercise each week.
- Make your plan specific. Include all of the details of who, what, where, when, and how you'll be active each week.
- Make physical activity a priority. Put it on your to-do list every day.
- Make being active easy and fun. Do things you enjoy, but pick up the pace a bit.
- Make it social. Ask a friend or family member to be your exercise buddy.
Review and update your plan regularly.
Adjust your plan as you progress or if your schedule changes. You may find that things like vacation or illness can interrupt your physical activity routine. Don't get discouraged! You can start exercising again and be successful.
- Go easy on yourself. You are not alone.
- The sooner you resume some sort of activity, the easier it will be to get back into your routine.
- Think about the reasons you started exercising.
- Believe in yourself!
If you are finding that your current activities are getting easier to do, find ways to challenge yourself. You can push yourself a little further by
- Adding new physical activities to your exercise routine
- Spending more time being active
- Adding distance to your normal routine
- Increasing the intensity of your activity
Stay motivated! Find your inspiration to be active. Remember to check your progress monthly to see if you need to step your exercise plans up a notch!
Quick Tip
Find an exercise buddy or buddies to help keep you motivated and maintain your exercise routine. Having a standing date with a friend or family member can help you stick to your plan.
U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Go4Life. (n.d.). How to make an exercise plan. Retrieved November 28, 2018, from https://go4life.nia.nih.gov/