Do you find yourself struggling to achieve your weekly cardio minutes? Most people find themselves falling short or not being able to 'fit in the time' in regard to reaching their required cardio minutes per week. Some simple tips can include:
• Involving your circle of influence
o Your circle of influence has one of the greatest impacts on you achieving your goals. Getting them involved in physical activity is one of the most motivating ways to exercise. The best part about organising events around physical activity with your friends and family is that you don't even realise you are getting in cardio! Be the positive influence that your circle of influence may need
• Keeping your family active
o It is important to not only keep yourself active, but your family too especially your children. Your children's health is a great reflection of your own health and what we want is to set a good example for our kids for the beneficial outcomes for their future. Not only limiting to our kids but every member of the family.
• Parking your car further away from work
o Adding an extra few minutes to your morning to get those steps and minutes in before the day of work begins
• Intermittent walking throughout the day
o If you are struggling to fit in the minutes to do a big block of cardio (eg. Walking) then consider splitting it up into smaller blocks throughout the day. For example, try walking 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes during your lunch break and 10 minutes in the evening. This ends up equating to 30 mins by the end of the day and a portion into your weekly goal
• Group classes at the studio
o Training with like-minded individuals who have similar goals makes cardio more entertaining as you all experience the same amount of enjoyment together
• Buy a dog
o Buying a dog is not essential but can be very helpful in motivating you to get up and go for a walk/run - as well as trying to keep up
• Register in a fitness event with your trainer
o Setting a big goal for a fitness event is a great way to stay accountable to your weekly cardio minutes by preparing for the event Training sessions and schedules with help you plan and out when you will be exercising throughout the week
• Cardio PT sessions with your trainer
o Utilising a personal trainer enables you to be pushed into higher levels of intensity to get the most out of your training. Your trainer is also there to help motivate you to keep going and keep pushing through your training!
• Join a local sports team of your interest or start a new hobby
o Team sports are great for social interaction as well as keeping you accountable to the team and participating in exercise (games or training) on a weekly basis
• Choose an activity that you enjoy
o Exercise adherence for ongoing participation in exercise has been proven to be most effective when individuals actually choose an activity that they most enjoy. For example, if running or cycling gives you too many quad cramps and you start to not enjoy it as much, choose another activity such as swimming which is another great way to get the heart rate elevated.
• Train with a purpose
o Knowing and understanding the reason behind your exercise regime is most important for training. It is another step towards achieving your goal. Setting a great goal whether it be short or long term and breaking it down into smaller goals makes cardio all the more worth it.
For more information or strategies on planning your cardio for the day/week/month specific to you, speak to your trainer today!
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
