We all have different reasons to exercise. While you may want to achieve your target weight, someone else may exercise as they want to manage their diabetes or hypertension. All these different end goals of performing can only be achieved when we choose the right exercise for ourselves.

While you may like to include more cardio exercises within your fitness routine, others may be more fond of weight training. But, more than affinity, it is important to understand various other factors that contribute to the selection of the right exercise for you.

Whether you plan to exercise to increase your physical fitness, for general health benefits, or to maintain or lose weight — perhaps all 3 reasons are your motivation. So, it is important to select types of exercise that you can continue to do, week-in and week-out. Remember that the results aren’t a miracle or a one-time wonder as they require consistency of workout.

So, what are you waiting for? Brace yourself for some simple tips that can help you plan your physical fitness routine.

1. Include more than one type of exercise

While you are planning your physical fitness routine, do include both aerobic exercise (such as walking, jogging, cycling, aerobics, or sport that involves running) for cardiovascular health, and gym-type sessions for muscular and bone health. This combo will cover all aspects of your health and fitness.

By performing different exercises, you will add variety, and by working on different muscles on different days, you will reduce the risk of injury, as well as prevent monotony.

2. Go for an exercise that accommodates any of your health problems

If you are aged over 45 or overweight, have been inactive for a while or have existing health problems, old or recent bone, muscle or joint injuries, you must choose the right exercise wisely under doctor’s guidance. Resuming exercise post an injury or disease is a vital part of rehabilitation.

For instance, people with asthma may achieve high levels of fitness through swimming, as the air they breathe during swimming is warm and moist in contrast to the cold, dry air that triggers an asthma attack.

Issues such as high blood pressure can be improved by exercising daily, and the risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes or osteoporosis can also be reduced.

3. Choose the exercise that fits your daily life

We are all busy bees, so exercise that fits within your lifestyle can be termed as ‘the right exercise for you’. You do not necessarily need to join a gym or go the extra mile if you make a few changes in your usual routine. For example, climb up the stairs rather than taking a lift.

If you Increase the incidental activity in your day, it can itself bring health benefits by burning calories. The best way is to rely less on machinery for household chores and doing all the tasks by yourself.

4. Choose exercise that you enjoy

One of the major reasons why people find their exercise programme fall by the wayside is boredom. Don’t let that happen to you. If you find going for a walk pleasurable, turn it into a daily health and fitness opportunity. Tag along with a friend to make it even more enjoyable. By making it an everyday ritual to walk with them, you are more likely to do it and less likely to let other things stop you.

If you enjoy going to a gym for strength training exercises, keep that commitment level up by going along with a companion. You can also try exercising at home by incorporating new activities to keep yourself interested and motivated.

5. Vary the intensity of your exercise

When you look at highly trained athletes, you will find that they often train according to the ‘hard-easy’ principle whereby one day of intense exercise is followed by a day of low intensity exercise. You can also apply this principle if you have a lower level of fitness, as it will help avoid injury and will allow your muscles time to recover from hard work.

If you are aiming for an exercise programme that addresses all aspects of physical fitness — aerobic fitness, flexibility and endurance, muscular strength — you will have to select variety of exercises anyway, such as weights training for strength, walking, jogging or cycling for aerobic fitness and endurance, and yoga or stretching exercises for flexibility.

6. Plan the right exercise with LongiFIT Test

If you have been working out for quite a long time, but not able to see the desired results, then the LongiFIT test can be the best guide for you. Wondering how? Read on.

It is a DNA test designed to optimize your fitness levels by providing personalized exercise recommendations. The test takes consideration of your general structure to suggest exercise and fitness plans that can increase your muscle strength, improve energy levels and workout results.

The list just doesn’t end at the tailor-made fitness recommendations curated just for you, it also covers the following parameters:

• Sports & Athletic Performance
• Dietary Requirements (Vitamins, Minerals & Supplements)
• Cardio-Gastro Health risks
• Metabolism & Exercise
• Neural Traits: Personality traits & Cognitive functions
• Food Reactions & Eating behaviour
• Skin Health
• Genomic Counselling

With so many parameters included in just one single test, are you still giving any second thoughts about it? You better not as your perfect fitness plan and exercise routine is just a LongiFIT Test away.

Key-Takeaways

Whichever exercise options you go for, and whichever ways you use to keep yourself motivated, remember to start off slowly and build up gradually. Don’t push yourself too hard, too fast: results in fitness occur over weeks and months, not days. Include only one exercise variable at a time and do keep a tab over how long your exercise session lasts (duration), how hard you work during the exercise (intensity) or the number of exercise sessions each week (frequency).

About Bione

By utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing and an array of other unparalleled scientific technologies, Bione is Asia’s first direct-to-consumer genetic testing organization. With the aim of making preventive healthcare a norm in everyone’s life, it provides personalized microbiome and genetic testing. Founded by Dr. Surendra K Chikara, the first person to mark genomic testing on the Indian map, Bione has been making a significant mark in ensuring a healthy lifestyle to numerous households.