Challenging, consistent and planned weight training is one of the most important ingredients in becoming fitter, stronger, healthier and getting the body shape you want, but the real deciding factor in whether you get results long term is actually more to do with your daily activity and less about lots of intense workouts.
I always tell my clients real fitness begins at home. Whether you are starting out at a beginner level or just trying to hit some new fitness goals, what you do day to day is what will truly determine not only your ongoing progression in fitness but more importantly your overall enjoyment of your new healthier lifestyle.
I find the easiest thing to do starting out is to add some extra exercise into your day without adding too much extra time. For example I cycle to work every day. It only takes me about 25 minutes each way and I get a load of fresh air and some decent cardio which helps boost my energy levels and heart health. If I tried to add this in to my gym routine it would mean trying to fit in over 4 extra hours of standard cardio. There’s absolutey no way I would be able do this with work and family commitments but I love my cycle into work as it helps clear my head and gets me around the heavy Dublin traffic.
The point is to look at your daily habits and see where you can add in some new and more active habits that you know you will stick to. Try to add in cycling as a way of getting around, walk to the local shops instead of driving, take stairs instead of the elevators, do more housework etc… Basically move your body as much as possible by creating some habits which are easy, active, enjoyable and that you dont give a second thought to. If you do this then when you actually set aside specific time for working out, you can concentrate planned weight training which will help you improve posture, strength and body shape.