You begin to exercise hoping to better yourself physically. Every time you exercise, you exert effort, you allot time, and you spend your hard-earned money to reach your fullest potential physically. Let’s be frank though. You know that your enthusiasm for exercise is not enough to get you to exercise consistently. You need help in maintaining that enthusiasm for exercise. You need help in making your exercise feel fun and not become a burden. Believe it or not, research was conducted to find out which strategies optimize your workout routine.
Before starting your workout routine, you need to set your goals. You need to know what skills are you trying to develop. Write it down. This will give you a benchmark which you can measure your progress with. You can begin by monitoring your pulse rate before and after you perform an exercise. You can monitor how long it will take you to run or walk a certain number of miles. Or you can also get yourself physically assessed when you perform. Listen to their feedback be it positive or negative. Write all these down. Keep a notebook to monitor your progress.
To optimize your workout routine, research studies show that the time when you perform your exercise matters. It differs from one person to another. There is no one size fits for when you perform your exercise. Observe yourself. Take notes. Make comparison. For some people, exercising in the morning is the best. Studies show that exercise done in the morning burns more body fat. And since exercise releases dopamine and serotonin or the happy hormones, these hormones will set you up for a productive day since they will increase your creativity and fuel you to be more focused on your work.
For some night owls, exercising in the afternoon work best. Studies suggest that people’s joints and muscles are more limber in the afternoon. They also use the exercise to re-energize and power through the day. Instead of taking a snack break, night owls would prefer to exercise distracting them from whatever treat they are craving. Some people exercise both in the morning and in the afternoon. And it works for them, especially for beginners in exercise! It is easier for them to break their exercise routine. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. And the totality of the hours spent exercising still contributes toward a person’s personal goal of x number of hours spent exercising.
Research studies also show that keeping hydrated is one sure way to optimize your workout routine. You should be drinking water throughout the day and not just before performing an exercise. Remember, you sweat a lot when exercising. Meaning you lose your body’s fluid. You need to replenish what your body lost by keeping yourself hydrated. Drink a couple of bottles of water after every exercise.
Sleeping seven to nine hours every single night also optimizes your workout routine. Your body not resting well will work against you and your workout routine. Lack of sleep will block your body’s ability to recuperate faster after a workout session. Sleeping allows your body to rest and recover.
Research studies also support listening to music during exercising and after exercise optimizes your workout routine. Listening to music while working out will keep you pumped up to perform. Listening to music during your exercise will boost your energy to continue and finish your workout routine. Listening to music (slow music and not fast-paced music) after your workout session will help your blood pressure and heart rate go back to normal. Create a during and after music playlist before going to the gym.
Keeping your exercise fun will also optimize your workout routine. Your exercise will not become a bore and you will continue looking forward to performing each exercise. You avoid an overuse workout injury. You get the same benefits from performing the same workout routine if you include something different every now and then. You can also make your workout fun by being creative. Incorporate activities that you enjoy in your workout routine. Like a hike in the nearest mountain. Or walk around the park. Or go bicycling. Go wall climbing. Try bowling. The list can go on. But we know you get our drift.
Exercise with a buddy or a group of friends who share the same goal. Research shows that trained lifters appear stronger and can lift heavier when they are surrounded by people than when they lift alone. Your buddy/buddies can rally you to finish strong in your workout routines. They can become your instant and in-house cheerleaders.
Keep cool down holy. Research suggests that a few minutes of active recovery enhances your performance long-term. Always include in your workout routine a time to keep moving as your body cools down. This can be done by walking a few laps after an intense workout session. Or trying yoga on some days.
Apparently, massages and going to saunas also optimize your workout routine. They not only relax your muscles after a workout, but they also release specific proteins in the body. Now, you have a legitimate reason to enjoy a good massage. You are welcome.
Feed your body the correct amount of carbs and protein. Exercising without a proper diet will not work out. To see results, exercise should always be paired with the right amount of carbs and protein. It is as simple as eating a banana after a workout. Or enjoying a healthy green salad with low-fat dressing. It is important to note that protein helps with your muscles’ recovery.
Lastly, monitoring your progress will optimize your workout routine. In this way, you will know what exercise to increase or decrease depending on your personal goals. If you find out that your current exercise takes you farther away from the goals you have set, then you switch exercises and find out which exercise will suit you more. Keep in mind your goals and continue pacing yourself to reach those goals. In no time, you will see that you will find an exercise that will not only keep you healthy but exercise that you will keep for a lifetime.