What is the Optimal Exercise Routine for You?

Hey there friends! It’s been a minute since my last post. Life really gets crazy in the summer months, but with most of our major events behind us this season, I am excited to get back to some regular blogging! And what better place to start than talking about getting into an exercise routine that works best for you!

As a personal trainer, the heart of my career is helping people discover the optimal exercise routine for them. And in a world where there is an abundance of wellness information being thrown at us in the news, in books and podcasts, and my personal least favorite– on social media, it can make finding an optimal exercise routine feel overly complicated, when in fact, this process can actually be boiled down to a few important points. 

But before we can even begin to piece together what the optimal exercise routine is, we need to make an important distinction between a good exercise routine and the optimal exercise routine. Because the truth is, there are MANY good exercise routines, which are well-rounded routines that lend themselves to general fitness, but they may not be sustainable, effective for reaching a specific goal, or feasible for every person. Whereas an optimal exercise routine is one that is individual-specific, and I’ve outlined more of what that means in the sections to follow. 

Putting together an optimal exercise routine requires laying out the following information:

1. Types of movement or exercises included

2. Frequency and intensity of those exercises 

3. Location in which the exercise can be performed

So how do we determine what will satisfy these parameters? Typically I spend about 30-40 minutes with every new client asking them about their wellness background, previous exercise habits, work/life balance, hobbies, previous barriers to exercise, fitness goals and so much more. All of this information is then used to satisfy these four simple guidelines for creating an optimal exercise routine that is:

1. Simple to follow, based on your preferences, schedule and abilities 

2. Can be followed and progressed over a period of time

3. Has some sort of functional value or lends itself to a helping you achieve a goal

4. Brings you joy (or is, at the very least, tolerable in nature)

Despite having this formula for creating an individual-specific exercise routine, there are a couple important notes: 

For some people, exercise just sucks– and honestly, that’s okay. Sometimes it gets better with time, and sometimes it doesn’t. For these individuals, I like to compare starting an exercise routine to a child learning to eat vegetables for the first time– you don’t have to love it, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and do it because it's what’s best for you. And just as there are many kinds of vegetables out there to try, there are many ways to move your body. If you try enough of them, surely you can find some ways that are more tolerable, and maybe even enjoyable!

It’s also important to recognize that what is optimal for you this week, or month, or year, may not be what is optimal for you next week, month or year. Just like with everything else in life, we have to be flexible. Different barriers, goals, or life milestones will arise, leading you to alter your current exercise routine, and that’s okay! Just think back to the 4 points above and allow yourself to adapt your process to the current season of life you are in.

And when in doubt, having a personal trainer, coach or other fitness professional to help walk you through the process, whether it be a long-term commitment or a one-off consultation, can be largely beneficial to creating a sustainable and optimal program for you.