Exercise is very important for a healthy lifestyle, but it can feel overwhelming to begin, espicially if you are new to physical activity or haven’t been consistent in the past. If you want to lose weight, gain strength, improve your overall health, or simply lift your mood, regular exercise provides countless benefits for both body and mind.
Let’s hop into the world of physical fitness and explore the advantages your body has overall when you start exercising daily.
Types Of Exercise
Usually, exercise is divided into four categories:
- Cardiovascular exercise(aerobic)
- Resistant training
- Flexibility and mobility exercise
- Balance and coordination exercises
1-Cardiovascular Exercise(Aerobic)
Cardiovascular exercise helps improve heart rate and the cardiovascular system. These exercises are excellent for burning calories and enhancing metabolism and endurance.
Some cardiovascular exercises are:
- Walking– A low-impact activity you can perform anywhere between work, the park, or just a simple walk in a house.
- Running or Jogging- This is more intense than walking, improves heart health, and burns calories faster.
- Cycling– On a stationary bike or outdoors, cycling is an excellent cardio workout.
- Swimming– A full-body workout helps build cardiovascular endurance and strength.
- Dancing– Fun and engaging, dancing is a great way to work your heart and get moving.
2-Strength Training(Resistance Exercise)
Strength training involves those exercises that work your muscles against resistance to increase strength, size, and endurance. These exercises are beneficial in building lean muscle mass that boosts your metabolism and supports bone health. These exercises include:
Weight Lifting: Using dumbbells, barbells, or machines that target specific muscles.
Bodyweight Exercise: Push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks use body weight for resistance.
Resistance Bands– Elastic bands add resistance to exercise and improve strength.
Kettlebells-Kettlebells combine strength and cardio to work for multiple muscle groups.
3-Flexibility And Mobility Exercises
Flexibility exercise improves the range of motion in your joints and muscles, which helps prevent injuries and improve posture. They also provide relaxation and stress relief. These exercises include:
Yoga: combines stretching, breathing exercises, and mindfulness. It’s excellent for improving flexibility, balance, and mental focus.
Pilates: focuses on core strength, flexibility, and overall body awareness.
Static stretching: Holding a stretch for 20-30 seconds helps lengthen muscles and improve flexibility.
Dynamic stretching: Involves moving parts of your body to stretch and gently prepare muscles for more intense activity.
4-Balance And Coordination Exercises
These exercises are essential for improving posture and body awareness and preventing falls. This helps in enhancing the mind-body connection. These exercises include:
Tai Chi: It is a gentle form of martial arts that focuses on slow, controlled movements and breathing.
Single-Leg Stands– Standing on one leg helps improve balance and stability.
Balance Boards Or Stability Balls: These tools challenge your balance and help strengthen the stabilizing muscles in your body.
Benefits of Exercise
Regular exercise is very beneficial for both physical and mental health. Studies have shown that exercise can uplift mood, boost energy levels, and lower the risk of chronic diseases.
| Category | Benefits |
| Physical Health | Strengthen heart and lungs. Reduce the risk of chronic disease. Help maintain a healthy weight. Improves muscle strength and endurance. Enhance bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Boost immune system function. |
| Mental Health | Reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. Enhance mood by releasing endorphins. Improves cognitive function and memory. Promotes better sleep quality. |
| Energy And Stamina | Improves stamina and endurance over. Reduce feelings of fatigue. Improves metabolism. |
| Flexibility And Mobility | Helps prevent injuries. Improves range of motion. Improves body posture and alignment. |
| Social And Emotional Benefits | Encourage social interaction and teamwork. Boost self-confidence and self-discipline. Provides a sense of accomplishment. |
Risk Of Lack Of Exercise
Lack of physical exercise can prove fatal to your mental and physical health. According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), if you are not performing any bodily activity, that can lead to many health problems, including chronic conditions increasing the risk of dementia and premature death worldwide.
A sedentary lifestyle makes you inactive and increases obesity-related complications. It can result in:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Poor circulation
- Low energy levels
- Weak muscles and bones
- Weakened immune system
Making Time For Exercise
A busy schedule can make it challenging to find time for exercise, but there are plenty of ways to incorporate physical activity into daily life. Making minor adjustments to daily routines can help increase movement without requiring extra time.
-Tips for Staying Active with a Busy Schedule:
- Identify car journeys that can be replaced with walking or cycling. If driving to work is necessary, try parking farther away and walking the rest of the way.
- If using public transportation, consider getting off a stop or two earlier and walking the remaining distance.
- Take the stairs instead of elevators or escalators whenever possible.
- During screen time, limit prolonged TV watching and incorporate light exercises like stomach crunches or jumping jacks.
- Try active video games encouraging movement, such as fitness-based games on the Nintendo Switch or VR fitness programs.
- Engage in vigorous housework, gardening, or stair climbing while doing household chores—these activities count as physical exercise and contribute to daily movement.
- Choose enjoyable activities that fit into your lifestyle to stay motivated and consistent.
-Simple Ways to Incorporate Exercise into Daily Life:
- Take a brisk 30-minute walk at least five times a week.
- Walk your dog more frequently or go for walks or jogs with friends.
- Try swimming as part of your routine, even if it’s just once or twice a week.
- Join an exercise class that is fun, engaging, and social.
- Consider martial arts or dance classes—beginner sessions are often enjoyable and low-pressure.
Exercise should be done in a manner that you will enjoy and should not be intense or time-consuming. You must start gradually and slowly increasing its intensity so that it doesn’t put much pressure on your body. Keep yourself hydrated during and after exercise. But if you have an injury, don’t rush yourself into high-intensity exercises, as they can affect your injury. It is better to consult your doctor before starting any new fitness routine.
Any movement is better than none if you have a sedentary lifestyle. Try to start with small and simple exercises like walking, running, or performing daily chores yourself, which can also make a huge difference in your mental and physical health.
How To Start Exercising: A Beginner Guide
Initially, it can be overwhelming if you haven’t exercised for a long time and are unsure where to begin.
1-Set clear goals
The first step in starting anything new is to set goals. Ask yourself Why do you want to exercise? Your goals will help you stay committed and motivated. To keep yourself consistent, prioritize some health goals like:
- -Weight loss
- -Improving cardiovascular health
- -Building muscle health
- -Increasing flexibility
- -Improving metabolism
While starting your physical fitness journey, instead of expecting instant results, focus on long-term health goals. For example, rather than saying, “I want to get fit,” try, “I want to work out three times a week for 30 minutes each session”.
2-Find The Perfect Exercise For You
Everybody’s body is different, and choosing the right type of exercise is very important according to your body’s needs and lifestyle. Think of one that aligns with your goal. For example:
- If you are focused on losing weight, include cardio exercises in your routine, like running or cycling.
- If you want to build muscle mass, strength training with weight exercises will be more effective.
- Yoga and pilates are the best options to relieve stress, enjoy your body, and be more flexible.
- If you want to stick to your exercise routine, it will be better to choose the exercise that you will enjoy and side by side; it will benefit your health.
3-Start Slow And Progress Gradually
Suppose you haven’t performed any exercise for a long time or are entirely new to it. In that case, it is essential to start slow so that your body doesn’t feel instant pressure and gradually increase your intensity and duration. Doing too much can even lead to injury or body burnout.
Begin With Shorter Workouts– Initially, start with 10-15 minutes. It will help your body warm up and slowly increase the duration as your stamina improves and your body gets used to it.
Incorporate Rest Days– Rest is just as important as exercise. Ensure your body has time to recover, especially if you have started an exercise routine after a long time.
4-Plan Your Workout Routine
- Consistency is the key to anything. If you are looking for long-term results, stick to a workout schedule that works for you, whether exercising in the morning, during lunch, or after work.Â
- Having a fixed routine will help you form a habit, making it easier to make exercise a regular part of your routine.
- Start scheduling 2-3 days per week of exercise and gradually increase to 4-5 days as your body adapts.
5-Prepare With A Warm-Up And Finish With A Cool-Down
Before starting any workout, warming up your muscles and preparing your body for exercise is better. Good warm-up improves blood circulation, raises your heart rate, and reduces the risk of injury. Some exercises for warm-up are:
- Light cardio exercise like walking or jogging.
- Some stretching exercises like leg swings or arm circles.
And after exercise, it is also very important to cool down as it helps the body to recover. Performing some light exercise reduces muscle stiffness and makes your body more flexible.
6-Respect Your Body’s Signals
Always listen to your body’s needs and pay attention to how your body responds before and after exercise. You can feel slight discomfort after exercise, but if you feel pain, then stop and rest. If you continue exercising after pain, it can lead to injury.
Common Challenges And How To Overcome Them
Starting an exercise routine can be difficult, and people have a lot of excuses that stop them from getting into any routine. Here are some ways that can help you to overcome your excuses:
Lack Of Motivation
Keeping yourself motivated is necessary, but falling off track is easy. Here are some tips to keep yourself motivated:
Track Your Progress: Use a fitness app or journal to keep track of your workout improvements.
Work Out With A Partner: Having a friend or partner makes your exercise routine more enjoyable and keeps you motivated and committed to your fitness goals.
Mix Things Up: Dont stick to a single workout routine; try different workouts to keep things more interesting and prevent boredom.
Time constraints
Finding time for exercise can be tricky if you have a busy schedule. If you do have not enough time, you can try the following:
Shorter, More Frequent Workouts: A 20-minute walk is better than no workout. Try for shorter and more frequent walks in between work.
Morning Workouts: Exercise in the morning is more beneficial as it improves your mood throughout the day and makes you more active.
Don’t Panic About Not Seeing Instant Results
It’s important to keep realistic expectations, but results take time. If you aim for sudden changes in your weight loss or muscle gain, stay consistent and focused on the process rather than the outcome.
Conclusion
Exercise is essential for a healthy lifestyle, but it’s crucial to approach it with a clear plan and realistic expectations. Start slow, set achievable goals, and gradually increase the density of your workouts as you get used to them and become stronger. Above all, if you want to stick to your exercise routine for a long try to find out those activities that you will enjoy doing that will benefit your health, make your exercise routine more enjoyable, and prevent you from making excuses to skip your workout getting bored or exhausted from your workout.
Remember, it’s never too late to start. Whether in your twenties or fifties, regular exercise can lead to a longer,healthier life. The key is consistency, and patience-the result will come with time!
Frequently Asked Questions
1- What time of day is best to work out?
The best time to work out is whenever it fits into your schedule! Look at your daily routine and choose the best time for you. If you have a flexible routine, workout when you feel more energetic or motivated. Morning workouts can be a great way to kick start your day, while some people find exercising in the afternoon or evening more effective. Ultimately, consistency matters, so instead of time, focus on working out when you feel like doing it or feel more energetic, making your exercise routine more enjoyable.
2-Is warming up necessary before exercising?
I can understand that diving straight into exercise can be very tempting,espicially if you are short on time. However, proper warm-up is necessary as warming up and cooling down improves blood circulation and reduces the risk of injury. A proper warm-up prepares the body for exercise and improves flexibility.
3- Which exercise can be performed after a c-section?
After recovering from a c-section, when you don’t feel pain, start with gentle exercises like deep breathing, pelvic floor exercises,s and short walks. Avoid high-impact movements and listen to your body as you regain strength.
4- Which exercise burns more calories?
High-intensity exercise like running, jumping rope, and HIIT(High-intensity interval training) helps you burn more calories. Cycling, swimming, and rowing are also very effective in burning calories. The exact amount depends on intensity, duration, and factors like weight and metabolism.
5- How often do we need to rest after a workout?
Rest is very essential after a workout for muscle recovery and growth. The professionals recommend 1-2 days rest per week after intense exercise. The frequency depends on workout intensity and fitness level.
6- What should I eat before and after a workout?
Before a workout, eating light food that provides energy and protein, like bananas, oatmeal, eggs, or yogurt, is recommended. After a workout, consume food that helps muscle recovery and replenishes energy, like chicken, brown rice, sweet potato, etc. Most importantly, keep yourself hydrated throughout your exercise routine.
