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Originally Posted On: https://www.iwantapersonaltrainer.co.uk/creating-a-sustainable-fitness-plan-tips-from-a-personal-trainer/

Are you someone that wants to get fitter and healthier but you often start with the best of intentions and then fall away?

In my years working as a personal trainer, I have come across many people like this. They start out making good progress then over a period of a few weeks or months, start to drift from their exercise plan.

Creating a sustainable fitness plan that you will stick to is easier said than done. However, I have some tips that will help.

Be goal oriented

I’ve written about setting clear goals a lot, so I won’t spend too much time on this. However, starting your fitness journey by setting out what you want to achieve is paramount to creating a sustainable fitness plan.

It gives you something to work towards and ensures you will see continued progress.

You can read my blog – How should you set your fitness goals? – for more information on how to do this.

Enjoyment means commitment

I’m a firm believer that the building blocks of a sustainable fitness plan is to do something you enjoy.

You will be far more likely to keep to your plan if you actually enjoy what you are doing. While you should have a varied exercise schedule that targets different parts of your body while allowing others to recover, activities and workouts that find pleasure in will help massively.

Also, sports or workouts that you like doing will help you keep motivated to achieve your goals.

Start with gradual exercise

I often see people go all in with their new workout plan. While this is all well and good in the beginning, it can mean they run out of steam pretty early on.

I think it is better to start gradually. So, if you aren’t attending the gym at all, don’t go straight into a 5-day a week workout. This applies to your actual workouts too. Build yourself up on a gradual basis especially if you don’t have an existing high level of fitness.

This will help you to get into a firm routine, allow you to see your progress, and it will help create a more long-term sustainable plan.

Don’t forget about recovery

Resting between training sessions is crucial.

Not only does it give your muscles time to recover but it reduces the chances of picking up injuries too.

I also think that adding in strict recovery days helps to maintain a sustainable strategy for regular exercise over a period of weeks, months, and even years. Allowing for proper physical and mental recovery is vital and it’ll help you to stick to your workout plan going forward.

How to create a sustainable fitness plan

I’ve found that some people don’t have an issue with starting to get into shape or get fitter, it is sticking with their plan over a longer period that is the problem.

So, to create a sustainable fitness plan, I recommend:

• Setting your goals at the very start
• Basing your exercise around something you enjoy doing
• Start slow and gradually increase the frequency/duration of your workouts
• Ensure you add in sufficient days off to recover

A personal trainer can help create a sustainable plan for you based around what you want to achieve, the kind of exercise you enjoy, and ensure that rest days are factored in.