All people exercise to get results, whether it is to feel better (emotionally or mentally), function better, be stronger, lose fat or gain muscle.
So while doing the exercise is great and creating that habit is ideal, if you’re not reaching your goal, it will get harder for you to keep the habit. Most people like to see progress.
You will want to take a look at the rules below to ensure you are applying them.
The basic rules with exercise to get results are:
- exercise at least 3 – 4 times a week
- include strength training sessions – lift some weights and/or do body weight exercises.
- include some high intensity interval training – you can do this with low impact work too, it’s all about moving fast and maybe even using as much of the body as possible. Big movements = higher heart rate. Only 1 or 2 sessions a day, and never consecutive days. You need to recover in between
- Be mindful of how you eat and drink. Some people people believe in the 80:20 rule. Whether or not this rule holds true for all people is debatable, but it does highlight for a lot of people that it’s what you do more often that gets results. and for a lot of people eating is done far more often than exercise.
If this doesn’t work for you, there may be something else at play that needs investigation. Different life phases, health concerns can also play a role in the results you get. Pay attention to how your body feels and when. This can provide great insight into where your efforts could be getting derailed. Seeking professional medical help may be needed.
Take a look at this post for further details on where to look for further help in reaching your goals.