How to Create a Winning Fitness Plan

Creating a personal fitness plan can be a powerful way to transform your body and your life. It's not just about looking good - it's about feeling strong, confident, and empowered.

You may be tired of feeling winded when you take the stairs or stressed because you haven't found the time to exercise. You may be frustrated with a lack of results despite putting in hours at the gym. If so, it's time to build yourself an individualized workout plan.

In this blog, we'll take you step-by-step through the process of creating an exercise plan that will help you overcome your fears, conquer your doubts, and unleash your inner warrior.

Are you ready to reach your full potential? Let's go!

Why do you need a personal exercise program?

I love hearing success stories of people who stuck to a workout program for 12 weeks and saw amazing results. That's cause for celebration!

But for the vast majority of people, following someone else's program 100% is nearly impossible. If you fall into this category, don't feel ashamed or embarrassed. It's not just a lack of discipline or willpower that's sabotaging your efforts.

Common reasons why workout programs fail

Let's get into a few of the top reaons why you fitness and exercise goals fall short. Maybe you can relate to some (or all) of these!

Lack of commitment: Many people start a workout program with good intentions but lose motivation because other comforts and to-do's take priority.
Unrealistic expectations: We often hear bogus marketing promises, like "exercise 30 minutes a week and lose 20 pounds in a month." Unrealistic goals will set you up for frustration and failure.
Lack of time: Busy schedules make it challenging to find time to exercise consistently.
Poor planning: Without a clear plan of action, it's easy to get off track, lose focus, and not see your fitness goals come to pass.
Lack of social support: If your family and close friends aren't on the same page, changing your lifestyle can be challenging. Having a support system of accountability partners can keep you on track.
Injury or illness: Physical injuries or health issues can make it difficult to stick to your workouts.
Boredom: Doing the same exercises on repeat can become monotonous, making it easy to talk yourself out of completing a workout.

Your training plan should be tailored to your lifestyle, physical abilities, and goals. That's why creating a customized fitness plan for yourself is the best way to ensure success.

Also, realize that an exercise plan is VITAL to your health and well-being. Exercise isn't just about weight loss, or chasing goals related to your appearance.

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise helps us to build strength, avoid injury, and boost our mood. It can help us become better versions of ourselves, both physically and mentally. Exercise also provides incredible health rewards, such as:

Improved cardiovascular endurance
Increased muscle strength
Improved flexibility
Reduced risk of chronic diseases
Better sleep quality
Reduced stress levels

Exercising will help you feel great and live your life to the full.

So, what do you need to consider when creating your plan? Here are five essential steps for a successful workout program.

Interested in expert guidance, support, and accountability to reach your goals? Check out our Health & Wellness Coaching!

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5 steps to Get Started on a Fitness Program

Before you hit up Pinterest or search for the latest fitness apps, let's take some time for self-reflection.

After all, you know yourself best!

Although an exercise plan may sound good in theory, you have to be honest about what can work practically for your daily routine.

Here are five steps to finding the exercises and overall plan that will work for you.

1) Assess your fitness level

When you assess your current fitness level, you can create realistic goals and a practial pan. Running a marathon in three months is unrealistic if your only cardio right now is walking from your bedroom to your home office.

Before you jump into goals and plans that sound good in theory, here are some factors to consider:

Age
Current exercise habits (frequency, length, type)
Injuries, illnesses, physical limitations
Weight
Energy levels
Daily physical activity

If you're older or have any health risk factors, this is a good time to make an important appointment with your medical team. A check-up with advice and direction from your doctor will ensure you set yourself up for success and reduce your risk of injuries or complications.

If you do have injuries or other health limitations, consider whether you need any other appointments before getting started.

Here's another idea to make your fitness journey moe fun: create a personal fitness assessment. This allows you to track your progress over time.

For example, you could take measurements such as:

How long it takes to walk/run 1 mile
How many push-ups you can do
How long you can hold a plank
Body weight
Body composition or measurements

If you're a more experienced exerciser, your assessment might include some advanced exercises like how much weight you bench press, how many pull-ups you can do, or a 5K race time.

If certain muscles are weak, that's important to note so you cn strengthen those areas and avoid injuries.

2) Set your fitness goals

Once you've properly assessed your current fitness status, now it's time to brainstorm your goals.

Are you looking to lose weight, gain muscle, increase your energy levels, or reduce stress?

Be realistic when it comes to goal setting. Aiming for a dramatic transformation in two weeks will only cause frustration and discourage you from continuing with the plan.

Weight loss is one of the most common goals out there. The good news is, workout programs will give you all the benefits of physical and mental health that exercise provides, so get ready to reap the benefits!

SMART Goals Are Key

SMART goal setting is a useful technique to help you reach your desired outcome. A SMART goal stands for

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-bound

Goals that aren't SMART tend to focus on general outcomes versus the habits that will help you achieve your goal. These include fitness goals like:

lose 10 pounds
get lean and toned
feel better

On the other hand, SMART fitness goals help you stay motivated. Your goals will define your workout program action steps and physical activity habits. Here are some examples:

I will build muscle by following a 4-day per week weight training program that works all muscle groups.
I will do 45 minute cardio sessions of walk/run intervals three days a week for three months to train for a 5K on (date).

Need help figuring out how to set your goals? Health and wellness coaching can provide guidance, motivation, and accountability for your workout program.

3) Organize your schedule

Before you get too far into your workout plans, take a hard look at your schedule. This step can make all the difference.

One of the top reasons peoples' workout programs fail is because of busy schedule and lack of time. I'm sure you can relate!

Pull out your calendar and account for the following:

Work schedule
Family and relationships
Personal commitments
Daily to-do's, errands, chores, etc.
Sleep needs
Meal prep time

Phew! By the time you plug all of that in, regular exercise may seem daunting. But taking a hard look at your calendar will ultimately help you be successful.

Next, it's time to plan your physical activity.

The top times for working out for most people are:

first thing in the morning
lunch break
after work

If you can put it some formal exercise at those times, great! If you don't have that time available, consider some alternative workout ideas like:

doing a low intensity activity like walking or riding a stationary bike while you're on a phone call
break things up into mini workouts of 10-15 minutes; smaller workout session throughout the day can be just as effective as longer workouts
choose workout options you can do with family or friends

When it comes to organizing your schedule, be realistic! Don't plan a 6-day per week program if you know that you only have 4 days available. As we talk about in the next section, consistent movement throughout your day is one of the most important factors for getting fit.

4) Design your fitness program

Now let's talk about physical activity guidelines. Some of the key recommendations from the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition are:

Move more and sit less throughout the day
150-300 minutes (2.5-5 hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, 75-150 minutes (1.25-2.5) of vigorous aerobic activity per week, or an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous
2 or more days of strength training per week, including all major muscle groups.

This edition of the physical activity guidelines also emphasizes the value of moving more throughout the day. In addition, going beyond 300 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week may offer even greater health benefits. This is especially important if losing weight is one of your key goals.

Based on the above guidelines, you can design your fitness plan based on your goals and schedule.

Incorporate the following elements into your weekly workouts.

Warm Up: Always give your body a chance to warm up, even for mini workouts. Get your heart rate elevated with light movement and gradually increase intensity.
Strength Training: Strength training helps build muscle, burns calories during the workout, and increases metabolism throughout the day. Focus on all muscle groups including legs, glutes, back, arms, chest and core. Train each muscle group 1-2 days a week with rest days in between.
Cardio: Cardio helps build endurance and aerobic capacity. Walk, run, bike or swim — the options are endless! You can do jumping jacks, jump rope, or calisthenics if you don't have much space or equipment. Aim for 30-60 minutes of cardio 3-5 days per week.
Cool Down and Stretch: Always take time to cool down after each workout session; this is a great way to help your body transition back into daily activities. Stretching helps to increase flexibility, reduce soreness and injury risk.

5) Evaluate and adjust

You've done your assessment, envisioned your goals, set your schedule, and designed your program. Everything should be perfect from here on out...right?

Not so fast!

Just like anything else, you'll need to periodically assess and adjust your program. This is the only way to find what works best for you, stay accountable and ensure that you're progressing toward your goals. Plus, you'll run into holidays, get sick, go on vacation, or have other situations that disrupt your workout plans.

Try to plan ahead when possible and adjust your workouts when you have a busy schedule. Remember, something is always better than nothing!

Start slow; don't set expectations too high in the beginning. Do an evaluation after each workout session:

How did you feel before, during, and after your workout?
Did you push yourself too hard?
Have you been following your program?

Adjustments may include:

increasing or decreasing intensity
duration or frequency
introducing new exercises
recovery
stretching sessions
changing up the time of your workouts; etc.

You can also incorporate active rest days for full body recovery throughout the week.

By taking the time to stay in tune with your body and adjust accordingly, you can make sure that you're continuously working toward a healthier, fitter you!

Start slow and progress your routine gradually

It may sound boring, but if you're brand new to working out or you've been "off the wagon" for a while, you need to put safety first.

Whether you want to lose weight, get stronger, or simply feel better, remember that you need a long-term strategy. Getting injured isn't worth it, and will delay your results in the long run!

Here are some tips to stay safe and make exercise a habit that sticks:

Learn proper form. Know how to perform each movement correctly and pay attention to your posture.
Start out gradually. Increase your time and intensity slowly to give your body time to adjust and warm up properly. High intensity interval training can be effective, but take time to work up to it.
Listen to your body. If you feel pain, dizziness, nausea, or any other negative sensations during exercise - STOP! Talk to a professional and get guidance if needed.
Practice progressive overload. Progressive overload means you increase the intensity of your workouts over time. Typically by increasing weight, reps, or sets with strength training.
Include variety. You don't need a gym required at all times! Be sure to get outside and have fun fitness activitites you can do in your own home. Try something new in your routine periodically.
Rest. Give your body time to recover between workouts. Allow for full recovery days in addition to active rest days for proper physical and mental rejuvenation.

Can exercise help you lose weight?

Weight loss is usually one of the top goals when it comes to fitness. But don't get your goals backwards.

You'll miss the other benefits of fitness if you're solely focused on how to lose more weight. When you're thinking about calories burned and numbers on the scale, exercising becomes a chore–even a punishment.

It also causes you to disconnect you from your body and lose sight of overall wellbeing.

You also have to ensure that you're eating healthy to improve body composition. You can't spend enough time in the gym to compensatefor a massive calorie intake.

Another thing when it comes to mindset: you can't stop training the second you reach your goal weight! Exercising should be a lifelong habit.

When you focus on fitness, weight loss will follow, and you will also begin to reap all the other goodness your body, soul, and spirit gains from exercising.

As you progress your workout routine, you'll find that your muscles get stronger, your mood improves, and being in shape FEELS great!

An Exercise Program to Feel Great

As you stick with your training program, you'll see fantastic progress over time. All your exercise time in the gym, outside, and at home will pay off as you build strength, achieve a healthy body composition, lower risk of chronic disease, and improve your mood.

You'll also set a great example for your family and loved ones. Research shows countless positives for sticking with your fitness plans, so use this guide to get started today!