Great Workout Programs

Friday, November 1, 2013

3 Tips for Choosing the Best Exercise Program

It's not always easy to figure out which exercise program is best for you. Part of the reason is because infomercials distort reality, and make us think we need more than we actually do.

What I mean by that is: 3% body fat, solid muscle, 6 pack abs, butt of steel, etc., which can only be accomplished by practically killing yourself.

One of the things that makes them so successful at getting us to buy into their philosophy, is that we don't really think about what kind of shape we want to be in.

We just think about getting IN shape. We don't honestly think about how we'd like to look, in a realistic fashion. So, we see these guys in the infomercial and naturally think this is what being healthy and in shape looks like.

The other reason they're successful is because we tend to be impulse buyers. We see a P90x infomercial and think to ourselves, "I've always wanted a body that looks like that!" Most likely, that's the body we wanted when we were a teenager.

Fact is, being healthy and in good shape has nothing to do with those infomercials.  Being healthy is simply eating right, staying within the weight range of your height and age, and exercising 30 minutes a day.

When I say "exercising," I'm not talking about killing yourself, I'm talking about getting in two to three days of aerobics, and two to three days of resistance training. That's honestly all it takes.

So, here are 3 tips to help you decide which exercise program is best for you. Grab yourself a notebook and get ready to write it all down.

1. How do you want your body to look? The best way to decide is to stand naked in front of a mirror. Look at yourself from the front, the back, and from the side. Talk about motivation!

What changes would you like to make, and be realistic. If you're big-boned, don't imagine yourself as a small boned woman. If you're a man, don't imagine having broad shoulders if you don't already have them.

2. Now that you know what you want, write down all the sports activities you've loved through the years. Don't leave out a thing. Did you play basketball, or just love to shoot hoops? Volleyball? Tennis? Bowling? Martial arts? Skateboarding? Skating?

What about non-sports stuff like walking, aerobic videos, jumping rope, hula hoops, dancing or trampoline?

Why are we doing this? Because, the key to finding the right program, is finding something you've always loved to do.

3. Pick out one or more of your favourites. Are they challenging enough to help you meet your fitness goals? Is it a mixture of aerobics and resistance training?

If it's something like volleyball, basketball, etc. you can check your local Community Center and find out if there are any leagues you can join.

Ask friends and see if they know of any leagues, or if they'd like to put something together with you. You could challenge each other's business, church or synagogue.

Whatever you decide, at least now you know what you want for your life, so the next time you see an infomercial tempting you to buy something that's more than you need to meet your goals - you'll be able to say no and save a lot of money in the process.

 

Yochana E Coleman, EzineArticles Basic Author

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yochana_E_Coleman

 

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