How To Get Fit

How to get in shape, stick to a workout routine, and achieve the results you want when exercising at home.

It doesn’t have to be difficult to figure out how to get in shape. Simply put, getting in shape necessitates movement. Running, cycling, dancing, walking, weightlifting, and stretching are all fantastic forms of movement that get the heart pumping and help with simple tasks like carrying groceries or climbing a flight of stairs when the elevator is out of commission.

On the other end of the spectrum, being fit can help you climb a mountain, run a marathon, or win gold at the Olympics, so being fit can mean different things to different people.

Joanna Ebsworth, a personal trainer and gym instructor, will explain what it means to be fit and how you can successfully start and maintain a home fitness routine so you can enjoy the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of regular exercise.

HOW TO START TO GET FIT

So you’ve decided to get in shape. But what does that actually mean? After all, there are numerous definitions of fitness, including aerobic fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility. Each type of fitness uses a different training approach to work the body, and each has a very different effect on the body through dedicated training.

Cardiovascular fitness, also known as aerobic fitness, is a measure of how well the heart and lungs can provide enough oxygen-rich blood to the muscles to allow the body to perform aerobic activities such as a longer rowing session or running on one of the best treadmills (opens in new tab).

Aerobic fitness refers to your ability to perform quick, powerful bursts of activity (such as running for the bus or lifting a heavy object), and it can be improved by sprinting, weightlifting, plyometrics (also known as jump training), and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), which requires you to alternate bursts of movement with short rest periods.

Muscular strength is the amount of force required to lift a heavy weight, whereas muscular endurance is the number of times you can lift a weight before becoming fatigued. It is also known as weight-bearing exercise and has several health benefits, including a lower risk of osteoporosis (opens in new tab) and an increased resting metabolism (opens in new tab).

Flexibility is the range of movement in your joints and muscles that allows you to bend, twist, and reach. While we often think of flexible people as bendy contortionists or yoga devotees who can put their feet behind their heads, being able to do simple tasks like tying your shoelaces is also a sign of flexibility.

A well-rounded workout program incorporates all of the above approaches; even long-distance runners must train for strength and flexibility to improve cardiovascular performance and prevent injuries. It’s no coincidence that professional CrossFit athletes are dubbed the “fittest on the planet” because they must sprint quickly, run long distances, lift heavy weights, and perform gymnastics-style movements such as handstand walking.

Treat your workouts as if they were important work or doctor appointments, and put them in your calendar so you don’t double-book yourself and cancel.

Of course, when considering how to get fit, a lot depends on what you personally want to gain from being fitter. Do you want to cross running a marathon off your bucket list? Or do you simply want to get in shape so you can keep up with your children?

This is the point at which you must establish your fitness goal, because without one, you may lack the direction, focus, and motivation required to achieve it, whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned athlete. Setting goals the SMART way (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-constrained, such as ‘I will lose 6 lbs /2.72 kg in four weeks’) has long been regarded as an effective motivational tool. However, in addition to focusing on the long-term destination goal, such as “I want to run a marathon in eight months,” you will need to set short-term “process” goals along the way, such as “I will run four times per week” or “I will add two minutes to my run today.”

If you’re going to devote time, energy, and money to getting in shape, it’s worth spending 30 minutes each week thinking about your short- and long-term goals, what you want to achieve, and how you’ll get there. Also, treat your workouts as if they were important work or doctor appointments, and schedule them in your calendar so you don’t double-book and cancel.

HOW TO GET FIT AT HOME

Purchase some equipment.
Try out HIIT workouts.
Design your own circuits routine.

According to new IHRSA data (opens in new tab), 22 percent of US fitness facilities have already closed permanently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many others still in danger – a possible indication that former gym-goers are hesitant to return to the gym and prefer to stick to home workouts instead.

Of course, if you don’t have enough space or can’t afford an at-home treadmill, there are plenty of bodyweight workouts you can do at home that will get you in shape and require little or no equipment at all, as long as you have some room on the floor to lie down on.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a type of exercise that consists of short bursts of intense exercise followed by a period of rest. HIIT workouts can last as little as 15-20 minutes, and research suggests that they may burn more calories than longer periods of steady-state exercise.

Burpees, jogging on the spot, jumping jacks, lunges, mountain climbers, shadow boxing, and walking planks are just a few of the equipment-free exercises you can use for HIIT workouts. To keep boredom at bay and your body guessing, try some new exercises each workout.

You can also design your own circuit training workouts by setting up stations for different exercises and performing each move for the same amount of time before quickly moving on to the next station with little to no rest to keep your heart rate from dropping. You can complete the circuit once or several times, depending on your fitness level and the time you have available to train, but try to alternate upper body moves like press-ups with lower body exercises like squats, and mix in cardio moves like burpees to work different areas of the body. You can even perform tricep dips on your sofa or run up and down your staircase to increase your heart rate – the possibilities are endless, so get creative and have fun.

That being said, when wondering how to get fit, one thing you must seriously consider is the type of activity you’ll be doing because you’ll need a workout that will help you reach your goals while also suiting your personality and lifestyle.

Exercise should improve your life and be enjoyable. If it isn’t, and you despise every minute of your workout, you’ll lose motivation to train and won’t get the results you want. Take some time to consider the activities you enjoy and are naturally good at, but don’t dismiss an entire sport because of a bad experience in school. You may have despised cross-country in the past, but with a fresh perspective, the right equipment, and a good training plan, you may discover a passion for running you never imagined possible.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET FIT?

The amount of time it takes you to get fit depends on a number of factors, including your starting fitness level and the frequency and duration of your training sessions. Personally, I’ve found that it can take weeks, if not months, for me to notice the effects of a new training program. On other occasions, such as during a week-long fitness bootcamp, I noticed a significant improvement in my fitness in seven days (as measured by the dreaded bleep test at the beginning and end of the vacation) because I was exercising for up to eight hours a day, every day. However, even for professional athletes, that level of training without adequate rest and recovery can be unsustainable in the long run. It will also be more difficult to stick to your workout program if it is not sustainable.

Many fitness celebrities, including Danyele Wilson(opens in new tab), agree that it can take six to eight weeks to see results from a new training regimen, and up to 12 weeks for measurable fitness gains. Routines that claim you can drop a dress size in two weeks can be dangerous, so patience and dedication are required for true fitness success.

The time it takes you to get fit depends on a number of factors, including your starting fitness level.

If one of your fitness goals is to lose weight, try not to weigh yourself more than once a month. What’s the reason? Simply put, muscle is more dense than fat, and while a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, the scales may indicate that you are staying the same weight or even gaining weight when you begin exercising with weights, despite the fact that you are getting fitter, burning fat, and losing inches.

Instead, it’s a good idea to assess your fitness before you begin training by performing a few simple tests to determine your current cardio, strength, and flexibility levels. This way, you’ll have a starting point from which to improve, and you’ll be able to choose a workout plan that corresponds to your beginner, intermediate, or advanced level of fitness, because starting out with a 10k running plan when you should be starting with a 5k plan could lead to feelings of inadequacy, a lack of motivation, and even injury.

Regular exercisers may want to measure themselves against the Army Physical Fitness Test (opens in new tab) (APFT), which determines your fitness score based on criteria such as age and gender. Whatever you choose, the important thing is to keep track of your results. Retake them every four weeks to track your progress and give yourself a boost of motivation when you see improvements in your numbers.

Getting in shape and seeing the desired results may take longer than you anticipated. But if you do your homework, stick to a training schedule, and most importantly, have fun, you’ll be well on your way to getting in shape.