Building A Workout Plan // Blueberry, Strawberry, & Jicama Salsa

With so many different types of exercises and workout plans, knowing the most effective way to exercise can be confusing. The most important part of exercise is that you are doing it. The rest is icing on the cake! It is common to run into certain barriers when starting a workout plan. To be successful, you need to break through these barriers or find a way to work around them. Consider these solutions:

Exercise is too hard. You don’t have to spend hours at the gym. Thirty minutes on most days of the week is the recommended amount. Even a 10 minute walk on your lunch break or after dinner can be enough to get you started. Make a start and gradually build from there.
It takes too long to see results. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome with exercise is realizing that results take time. You won’t see results after just one day of exercise, but you will feel them. Focus on the positive feeling of knowing that you did something good for yourself. Stick with it and you will see results!
Exercise isn’t fun. It is up to you to make exercise enjoyable. Don’t force yourself to do something you hate. Instead, find forms of exercise that you enjoy or take steps to make exercise work for you. Find a workout buddy and use exercise as an excuse to spend time with a friend, join a sports team, or listen to your favorite music while moving around.
It is too expensive. Exercising doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it can be free! If a gym membership or fancy equipment aren’t in your budget, don’t sweat it. Walking around the block or on local trails is free. Using your own body weight to do a resistance routine is free. Dancing to music at home is free. You can also find plenty of free workout videos online.
It takes too much time. If you feel like you don’t have time for exercise, make time. Reprioritize your responsibilities to allow yourself 30 minutes a day. If you have to, do it ten minutes at a time. Get up 10 minutes early and do a quick HIIT circuit, or run around the block, walk up and down the stairs on your lunch break at work, or lunge and squat around the park during halftime of your child’s soccer game.

Another great way to combat these barriers is to build a workout plan. An organized workout plan can give you a sense of direction and help keep you motivated. Use the outline below as your guide:

Monday
- Aerobic Exercise and Resistance or Strength Training
Tuesday
- Active Rest Day
Wednesday
- Aerobic Exercise and Resistance or Strength Training
Thursday
- Active Rest Day
Friday
- Aerobic Exercise
Saturday
- Family Activity Day
Sunday
- Active Rest Day

You can adjust the days as needed to fit your schedule. Try to mix up the workouts so you aren’t doing the same thing too many days in a row. Check out the image below for an easy way to get started. Also, click here for aerobic, resistance training, strength training, and stretching routines.

The American Council on Exercise tells us that exercise should be something you enjoy and something you look forward to every day. Keep this in mind as you build your workout plan. Reset your schedule and your attitude to make it happen!

After you finish building your workout plan, fuel your body with something healthy. Try Blueberry, Strawberry, & Jicama Salsa. Serve it with homemade tortilla or pita chips, on top a bed of rice or with grilled chicken or fish.