Overview
Many people scour the internet looking for information about the best ways to exercise and the workouts that will help them get in shape as fast as possible.
While this mindset is partially legitimate, you are probably missing one of the most important components to achieving your fitness goals. In fact, you can spend hours watching videos on YouTube without really figuring out the reason you are not reaching your goals.
Researchers found that having a regular exercise schedule is crucial to achieving any fitness resolutions. You can set up an amazing workout program and a world-class nutrition plan, only to end up indulging in your old, bad habits.
In this article, we will start by covering the importance of a regular exercising schedule, then list a few ways to stay focused on training. After that, we will discuss the role of accountability in this ordeal.
The importance of consistent exercises
Scientists repeatedly confirmed the crucial role of a regular fitness schedule. Just think about it. Would you rather go for a 15-minute jog 2–3 times a week or exercise rigorously once a month?
Despite the low number of calories burned during the first type of physical activity, the results will accumulate, promoting your health and giving you the body of your dreams. Conversely, exercising once a month will have a negligent effect on your body despite the temporary high intensity.
Regardless of your goals, you will benefit greatly from setting up a comprehensive plan that includes your short-term and long-term goals.
How to maintain a regular exercise schedule
1. Focus on your goals
Exercising without seeing results is the most frustrating aspect for beginners.
Here is what you can do if this is your case:
- Re-evaluate your goals to assess whether they are feasible
- Challenge your muscles by lifting some weights
- Create weekly goals and cross them off a list when achieved
2. Be realistic
Shooting for the stars is one of the biggest mistakes that people make when they make their new year’s resolutions.
While it is always a good idea to dream big, you need to focus on the short-term goals and what you can achieve in the next few days/weeks. If you think that your abs will appear after two training sessions, you will be disappointed.
3. Get some help
To stay consistent with your workouts, you may need to work with a personal trainer or a private coach. Someone who will keep you motivated to exercise and guide you throughout this journey.
If you are looking for a more professional approach, you can always hire a personal trainer.
4. Diversify your exercises
If you notice that your short workouts are becoming dull, here are some tips to help you:
Get a new perspective – Ask your friends to suggest new exercise routines. Tweaking your exercises can make them way more interesting and fun.
Challenge yourself – Short, frequent workouts can still challenge your body if you focus on creative exercises that engage the full body.
Come up with new ideas – This is not always necessary. If you enjoy jogging so much, there is no need to do things that you don’t enjoy.
5. Have fun
Ensuring that you are enjoying your workouts is essential to reduce the chances of quitting.
For this reason, you should opt for the physical activity that you enjoy performing rather than the one everyone is talking about.
For instance, if you enjoy taking short walks, you can do this exercise every day to condition your cardiovascular system.
Just focus on your consistency!
The role of accountability in maintaining a regular exercise schedule
While motivation is important to stay focused, accountability is far more valuable. The fact that someone is evaluating your progress will give you the boost to train twice as hard.
In a recent paper, researchers assessed the impact of a supportive accountability measure (SAM) on fitness goals. More specifically, the authors focused on weight loss as a primary factor.
Two studies with 433 participants were analyzed. The results showed that this program has a significant impact on fitness outcomes, especially weight loss. The authors of the study added that using accountability measures as a standard practice of fitness may improve treatment adherence and outcomes.
Being accountable will encourage you to have a regular exercising schedule.
How private coaching can help maintain a regular exercise schedule
In a classic 2003 study, researchers recruited 129 participants in a 10-week program to evaluate the effectiveness of working with a personal trainer.
Analyzing the results demonstrated that one-on-one personal training is quite beneficial in shifting attitudes and increasing the amount of exercise.
As you can see, personal training is crucial to changing your bad habits and improving your exercise attitude.
Here are two more specific benefits of personal coaching in fitness:
Initial assessment
The initial evaluation of your physical characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses is an extremely important step to beginning your fitness journey.
This will allow your trainer to plan short and long-term goals in a realistic way. You see, most beginners make the mistake of setting the bar too high, which leads to disappointment and abandoning the plans.
For this reason, your private fitness coach will make sure that your expectations are realistic and achievable.
Personalized fitness plan
Workout plans are not a “one-size-fits-all” sort of deal.
On the contrary, every person responds differently to certain workout routines due to the physiological diversity of our bodies, which makes it important to create a plan just for you.
Multiple published studies support this idea and suggest that the efficacy of a personalized plan is superior to other plans.
Takeaway message
Consistency and accountability in fitness can promote your health and lead to incredible benefits. Working with a professional trainer is indispensable if you want to accelerate this process.
We hope that this article highlighted the importance of consistency and accountability in the field of fitness.
