If you're interested in improving your heart health, losing weight or otherwise getting in better shape, you'll want to create a plan you are likely to follow for months or years to come. The key to creating a physical-fitness plan is to identify your outcome goals, set performance goals and periodically measure results to see how you're doing. Putting some thought into how you want to exercise will help you meet your personal fitness goals.
Step 1
Write down your physical fitness goals in order of importance. You might be most interested in improving your heart health, with weight loss and muscle building or toning as secondary and tertiary goals.
Step 2
Research the specific fitness goals you want to achieve, to determine what type of exercise they require. If you are looking to improve heart health, you'll want to start with moderate intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, leading to more vigorous aerobic workouts. If you want to tone muscle, use dumbbells, resistance bands or calisthenics rather than heavy free weights or exercise machines.
Step 3
Review and study the individual exercises you wish to include in your program, looking for videos or drawings to help you learn the correct technique. This will help you maximize the benefits of these exercises while minimizing the risk of injury.
Step 4
Create a list of specific workouts, including the days of the week, duration of the workout, specific exercises, number of repetitions of each exercise per set and number of sets per workout.
Step 5
Create warm-up and cool-down routines. It's important to slowly warm up before and gradually cool down after exercise to maximize the benefits from your workouts and decrease muscle stiffness and soreness, according to fitness expert and author Brian Mac. These routines consist of several minutes of moderate arm and leg movements to first raise, then lower your heart rate and blood flow.
Step 6
Begin exercising, starting slowly. Use lighter weights if you are performing strength exercises, building up to your maximum after one or two weeks. Exercise at a pace that lets you continue for 30 minutes or longer for cardiovascular workouts, building your intensity as you improve your stamina.
Step 7
Track your results. Use a heart rate monitor to track average heart rate and calories burned. Keep track of the length of each workout. Write down the number of repetitions and sets you performed and the amount of weight you lifted. Log miles jogged or cycled and laps swum.
Tips and Warnings
- Check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise or diet regimen.
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