Simplifying Fitness For Everyday Life
Along with the rise of remote work, streaming services, video games, and social media apps, the need for physical fitness is becoming increasingly more important.
It's becoming too easy to hop from screen to screen, hardly moving a muscle, staying engaged in the next thing that will absorb our attention and provide us with entertainment.
All this convenience and instant gratification isn't good for us. And we know it.
But the good thing is that physical fitness doesn't have to be difficult or time-intensive. You can get yourself into reasonably good shape in just a few hours per week. That said, you need to make sure you're focusing on 3 key areas of fitness for everyday life.
The 3 key areas of fitness for everyday life:
Strength
Endurance
Flexibility
Strength training is the use of resistance (your body weight, exercise bands, weights, etc.) to challenge your muscles through a specific range of motion. The bigger the muscle group or the more muscle groups involved, the more effective the workout will be, especially regarding time. You can make your strength training as difficult or complex as you would like, but my suggestion is to pick 5-7 exercises that hit at least every area of your body (legs, core, upper body - push & pull) at least once. Once you have those exercises defined, try to start with 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions per exercise, using a weight that is challenging enough to make the workout strenuous but not too heavy to break down your form. Then, ensure that you are tracking your workouts so that you can modify or build upon them for your next session. Aim to get 1-2 strength training sessions per week, with at least 1-2 days of rest between those sessions.
Endurance training is the use of aerobic exercise (running, biking, swimming, etc.) to challenge your heart and increase your capacity to do more work for longer. Endurance training is most closely associated with weight loss, but there are so many other benefits that come from regular aerobic exercise. You can make your endurance training as difficult or complex as you would like, but my suggestion is to pick an aerobic activity that is easy to schedule into your day and start small. If you can't run yet, start with walking. If you can only walk for 10 minutes, start with that. Define your foundation, and build from there. Aim to get 3 days of aerobic exercise per week and be consistent.
Flexibility training is the use of static or dynamic stretching to increase your range of motion and improve your mobility. Sitting for extended periods, repetitive movement patterns, and the general nature of aging can wreak havoc on our overall flexibility and decrease our quality of life. It's important to address this reality early and often. You can make your flexibility training as difficult or complex as you would like, but my suggestion is to pick 5-7 stretches that hit at least every area of your body (legs, core, upper body) at least once. Slowly ease your way into each stretch, being careful and mindful of your form and your current range of motion, and hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds. Aim to stretch daily for 5-10 minutes, at whatever time of day that works best for your schedule.
Here's an example of a weekly breakdown using my suggestions:
Monday - Stretch (5 minutes) & Strength Training (30 minutes) = 35 minutes
Tuesday - Stretch (5 minutes) & Endurance Training (30 minutes) = 35 minutes
Wednesday - Stretch (5 minutes) & Recovery = 5 minutes
Thursday - Stretch (5 minutes) & Endurance Training (30 minutes) = 35 minutes
Friday - Stretch (5 minutes) & Strength Training (30 minutes) = 35 minutes
Saturday - Stretch (5 minutes) & Endurance Training (45 minutes) = 50 minutes
Sunday - Stretch (5 minutes) & Recovery = 5 minutes
Total Weekly Investment = 200 minutes OR 3.33 hours
In less than 3.5 hours per week, you could simplify your physical fitness for everyday life and be well on your way to better health overall.
The most important key to your success is consistency, so start with a plan that you can stick to and keep showing up for. Once you've established consistency, work on progression.
And remember—this is a lifestyle, not a fad. Trust the process, think long-term, and enjoy the journey.
