Here is a part from the brochure I made for our group for our physical activity promotion day! The exercise namnes are in english, but the explenations and the little text boxes are in swedish too, so either google translate it or use you imagination ;)

How do you get started with exercising AND get the strength to maintain it?

(Always consult with a doctor before starting a new lifestyle)

-          Start slowly!

Kick starting your training with 7 workout days per week is rarely sustainable. Start slowly and steady instead by setting aside ex 2-3 days per week on which you SHALL workout! And when you feel more secure and your body has adapted to working out you can up your workouts gradually! This also applies to those who have been working out regularly for perhaps several years but lost the motivation. To start out too rough will most definitely only cause burnout.

 

-          Try different workout forms!

Everybody doesn’t think alike! Somebody might thing that running and weight lifting with free weights are the ultimate workout forms while someone else thinks it is much more fun to do aerobics and body weight exercises. Examples of different forms of exercise may be group classes such as zumba, boxercise, spinning or yoga, weight training with machines, free weights or body weight exercises, swimming, running, cycling or crossfit! Try different things to find your favorites!

 

-          Keep your workouts varied !

It is neither particularly fun nor good for your body to do the same exercises over and over again. By changing the workout form and exercises occasionally you’ll get more out of your workout since your body won’t have time to adjust (if you have a workout schedule with 10 exercises that you perform every time you exercise, your body will quickly adapt, which means that neither your muscles or stamina will get the challenge they need to develop, and the body won’t burn as much energy (calories).

 

Here is an example of how a variated workout week could look:

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
50 min powerwalk + back	Weights: Legs+butt	REST	60 min Zumba	Weights: Arms + shoulders	REST	Swimming + core

 

-          Workout together with someone – or not?

Some people love working out alone and to be able to fully focus on themselves, while others find it really boring to work out by themselves and would rather train with one or two friends. Sometimes, as when weight lifting with free weights, you may want to have someone who checks your form (to prevent injuries) when you perform the exercises, called a spotter. BUT of course, it can be distracting to workout with someone, especially if you are a beginner, as there is a high risk that your workout won’t be as effective as is could have been. Experiment to see what suits you!

-          Rest! It is more important than you think!

Rest is an incredibly important part in creating a healty body! It is important both for your body and muscles, and for your physical health for you to be able to maintain your fitness activities! Resistance training leads to trauma or injury of the cellular proteins in muscle. This leads the cells to begin a cascade of events leading to muscle repair and growth! (Remember to always eat right after working out to prevent catabolism which is muscle break down) And guess when the muscle growth happens? During REST! So listen to your body! Do you feel like you need to rest, although it is not really a rest day? Rest then! But remember, when You don’t feel like going for a run because it’s raining outside, it is NOT your body telling you that you need to rest, it is your mind and lack of motivation, and you know what we say: listen to your body, not your mind!