How To Build a Fitness Routine You Won’t Quit

Fitness

Apr 9

Quarantine body? We know. Saved home workout TikToks you never revisited? We know. Not enough motivation? We know. And that’s okay, we’re here to help. There’s a fitness routine out there for everyone, whether you’re simply looking to get active or tone your body.

Exercising regularly can improve your mood, promote better sleep and help prevent potential health problems. Here at Parachute, we want to help you be your best, so here are some tips on how to build the best fitness routine for you.

Step 1: Find out your fitness goals.

Understanding your “why” when building a fitness routine is essential. It will be the driving factor that pushes you to keep your routine going.

Ask yourself 🤔

Am I looking to lose or gain weight?
What’s the realistic body type I aim to achieve?
Am I looking for a physical challenge or just something fun and new to try?
Do I want to tone up and build muscle?
Is exercising regularly something I want to incorporate into my everyday life?

Once you figure out your goals and have a clear, end result in mind, it will be easier to construct a fitness routine that works best for you.

Step 2: Do your research! 🤓

Research and understand the types of exercises or athletic activities that will help you reach your fitness goals. Everyone’s routine and bodies are different – so sorry folx, Chloe Ting’s 2-week shred might not work for you.

If your goal is to…

Lose weight → Consider a routine with weight training and cardio two to three times a week. According to a study by PubMed Central, a routine with a focus on weight training reduces more body fat than a routine that focuses more on cardio. While you may burn more calories with cardio, lifting weights is an effective fat loss tool. Look into simple weightlifting exercises, basic muscle groups and practice proper form. You’ve heard it before – form is 🔑!

Build muscle + Tone → You can continue lifting weights and progressively overload to strengthen your muscles over time. Progressive overload is the practice of gradually increasing weight, resistance, and repetitions while training to continue building muscle. If you find yourself exercising with a certain weight at ease, it might be time to up the weight! Incorporate HIIT workouts 2-3x a week. Crossfit is also another way to achieve this goal!

Incorporate fitness into your daily life → Try taking fitness classes that already have routine and structure like pilates, cycling or guided group circuit training. If finances don’t allow, there are many free, no-equipment classes online that are great to easily pop into your schedule as often as you want like yoga and Zumba classes. Classes may be a better fit for those who prefer working out in group settings with an instructor’s guidance. You can also try to increase your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) with activities like walking, hiking, biking or standing at your desk!

These are some examples and basic definitions. When constructing your fitness routine, do your research and implement what you think is best for you.

Step 3: Implement a healthy diet.

The truth is, fitness routines are not complete without a healthy, balanced diet. It’s actually the hardest component to implement if you really want to see your body change. A healthy, balanced diet looks different for everyone! We aren’t here to tell you what to eat, but know that diet is an influential factor in how successful your fitness routine will be.

Now you have your routine, but you need to maintain it!

Tips for Maintaining Your Routine:

PROGRESS TAKES TIME - You won’t see your results overnight. You might not be able to see changes in your body day by day, but taking progress pictures can remind you of how far you have come and push you to keep up the grind!
MAKE TIME - Schedule your active time into your calendar whether it’s 30 or 60 minutes of the day. If you’re extremely busy, treat this time as a meeting with yourself. Exercising is a form of self-care, so don’t cancel on yourself!
BUDDY SYSTEM - Have a #gymbuddy to keep you accountable. Someone who has the same goals as you can be there to push you on days you might not be feeling like getting up. If you need help finding a #gymbuddy, look no further, join Parachute’s online community to connect with supportive women and non-binary people of color.
TURN IT UP - Update your workout playlist regularly to keep you motivated.
TREAT YOURSELF - Go buy that sports bra you’ve been eyeing. Need new shoes? You deserve them. Want a rest day? Give it to yourself! No questions asked.
“COMPARISON IS THE THIEF OF JOY” - Everyone’s fitness journey is different! Some people get to their goals at a different pace than others, and that’s okay. This is YOUR routine, YOUR journey!