The Best Type of Exercise You Can Do For Vibrant Health, Energy, and Happiness

I was never an athletically inclined child.

At the age of 6, while my parents spent hours lovingly trying to coax me off my training wheels. My 4.5-year-old younger brother proudly zoomed circles around me.

Rollerblades were a disaster. I strapped on every wrist, elbow, and knee pad available and slowly edged my way along the side of the house.

My kid brother gleefully spun circles around me.

In high school and college, I tried all different kinds of sports and group fitness classes.

But I was woefully uncoordinated.

When I was being honest with myself, I dreaded the thought of running for an hour, or 10 minutes even, and I really didn’t want to lift anything heavier than 5lbs.

By the time I’d graduated college, I’d decided that exercising just wasn’t my thing.

I knew it was good for me, that it would probably make me thinner and stronger and happier.

But it was hard.

I hated it. And I wasn’t very good at it.

That doesn’t mean that on particularly low self-esteem days or around the holidays I wouldn’t vow to start again.

I’d loved the idea of a clean slate, starting fresh. But it never lasted more than a few weeks.

Even though it certainly didn’t feel like it at the time, I wasn’t alone.

There are mountains of evidence suggesting that regular exercise is associated with improved weight control, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers, stronger bones and muscles, and improved mental health and mood.

It can even alleviate depression and anxiety, increase self-esteem, sharpen memory, slow age-related cognitive declines, and increase productivity and creativity.

If a wonder drug exists, it’s probably exercise.

Still, an estimated 80% of American adults aren’t meeting physical activity guidelines.

We also know that only 20% of the New Year’s Resolutions crowd in gyms is still working out by the second week of February.

So what’s going on here?

Do people not exercise because they’re unaware of the benefits? Are some people just lazy, unathletic, or not meant to exercise?

No. Just no.

Most people have some idea that exercise is good for them.

And anyone who has a genuine desire to exercise, no matter their age, race, weight or previous experience can most certainly become an exerciser.

The problem lies in believing that one standard exercise plan is going to work for everyone.

Heading to the gym every morning to run 3 miles on the treadmill and then lifting for 40 minutes is the absolute best exercise program for some people.

But it isn’t the best plan for everyone.

The truth is, there is no one best exercise plan.

 

If your goal is to take an active stand in caring for your body and mind, to do something good for yourself and the people around you, the best exercise plan is the one you stick with.

I know you’re probably groaning at this point. Gee, thanks Julia, that’s helpful.

But stay with me.

It doesn’t matter whether you are swimming, hiking, bodybuilding, practicing tai chi, or simply walking more.

The best exercise plan is the one that you actually do.

Fortunately, there are several questions you can ask yourself to figure out the best exercise plan for you. One that you’ll stick with, practice consistently, and maybe even come to love.

What do you enjoy?
Forget the lifting plans, race training, and boot camp DVDs for a second.

Think back to a time when you were moving your body, and it felt good.

Maybe you were dancing, hiking, stretching, gardening, kayaking. Or maybe you were running or lifting.

It doesn’t matter what you were doing, what matters is that you were moving your body and you enjoyed it. Start there.

If like me, you have a hard time coming up with one of those memories, what way of moving your body seems the most appealing?

Trying something new always comes with a bit of fear, but chose something that appeals to you despite the fear or nervousness.

Maybe you’ve watched an episode of American Ninja Warrior and have always been curious about gymnastics, or your brother runs marathons and the thought of running a 5K peaks your interest.

You don’t have to love it yet, and you may have to try a few different types of movement. The goal is to find a way to move your body that you enjoy. I promise if you stick with it, you’ll find what that is for you.

What are your goals?
This step is second to finding something you enjoy, because we’re assuming your primary goal is to develop an exercise habit that you stick with long term.

And in order to do that, you’ve got to enjoy it.

Once you have an idea of a way to move your body that you love, get clear on your why for wanting to exercise in the first place.

Are you doing it solely because your mom, doctor, or partner told you that you should? That might get you started, but it’s not likely to keep you going long term.

Did deep, and get clear on your authentic, compelling, great why for exercising in the first place.

This is what you’ll come back to on the days when enjoying the activity isn’t enough.

Is your plan SMART?
Just because you’re enjoying what you’re doing, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a SMART plan.

Get specific, measurable, achievable, relevant,and time-based with your goals.Is your plan realistic?

Is it flexible enough to accommodate your crazy work schedule? Is setting out to kayak 5 days a week realistic if you’ve never done it before? Maybe start with 2 days/week. How often are you going to practice your new exercise plan? For how long?

Having a SMART plan will ensure you’ll know when you’ve reached your goal AND it’ll make you more likely to get there.

What’s the smallest first step you can take?
Starting to exercise regularly doesn’t mean tomorrow you run 5 miles, or by next week you’re hitting the gym every single day.

Developing a habit takes time, a consistent effort, and small manageable baby steps. Identify the smallest step you can take towards starting your plan.

Maybe it’s packing your gym clothes the night before, researching a new lifting plan, or getting your hiking boots out of storage.

Once you’ve identified the smallest step, do it. Then repeat.

Head to the gym for 20min 1 or 2 days a week, start with a short hike 1x/week, start with a 15 min yoga or dance video, you get the idea.

Breaking things down into tiny, manageable steps allows you to start acting on your goal right away and build the momentum and self-efficacy that will keep you going long term.

Who is going to support you?
No matter if you’re just starting to exercise or looking to get more consistent with your current plan, don’t go it alone.

Ask a friend or partner to join you in a new activity. You’ll get quality time in with them and are likely to feel less awkward when trying something new for the first time.

Have someone keep you accountable to your goal.

The simple act of knowing someone is holding you accountable may be all you need to keep going when you’re tempted to sit and watch tv instead.

But don’t forget to be real with them when you struggle. Their job is to help you through it, so don’t cheat it and only check in when you’re doing well.

How long are you willing to try it out for?
To see results from any program, you have to stay with it.

Commit to your new plan for 6-8 weeks and then reevaluate. As you move on with your plan and start to see results, you’ll be able to tweak the plan and get even more specific with your goals.

But do yourself and your body the favor of giving it the full 6-8 weeks (as a minimum) before wildly increasing the intensity or the pressure you’re putting on yourself.

Build the consistency of the habit first and then move to grow your skills, intensity, and duration.

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Today I lift, run, and practice yoga several times a week.

I also hike and go for long bike rides on the weekends. Since moving to San Diego I’ve even started to learn to surf (my 6 year old roller blading self would be so proud)!

My exercise plan is a far cry from the awkward high schooler who would fake sick to get out of running a mile.

It certainly didn’t happen overnight.

I started by finding something I loved. I found my why and practiced consistently.

Perhaps most importantly, I gave myself permission to do something that wasn’t lifting in a gym or running on a treadmill, but moved my body and made me feel good.

Overtime my confidence, fitness, and skills improved, and I found myself wanting to do more and more.

Where are you at in your exercise journey? Have you found something you love? Let me know in the comments below!