Apps and online workouts can be helpful……but they’re even better if they’re supplemented with a personalised smart watch that guides you through the exercises and gives you feedback on how well you’re doing them. We have found that people with these watches exercised more and were less likely to give up than the people without them.
Think about exercise intensity
It is vital to teach people how to exercise.
- If you are doing light exercise, you should be able to sing. If you’re doing high-intensity interval training (i.e., VO2 max), you should not be so breathless you cannot speak.
Need to know…
Exercise intensity is really important. Monitor your breathing to establish how hard you’re working.
- Focus on eating well and doing cardio. Start with online apps and workouts – find one that you enjoy and aim to exercise twice a week.
Exercising before breakfast could be helpful
Some evidence suggests that if you exercise after a meal, the body burns more fat, but not more carbohydrate.
There is no ‘best exercise’
Only what’s best for you
- Think about how much time you have, how hard you want to work, and the sorts of exercise you enjoy
- A 20-minute high-intensity interval session can be just as good for you as a 30- to 50-minute walk
Sit-ups alone will not give you a six pack
You need good nutrition, low levels of body fat, and frequent bouts of long, low-intensity cardiovascular exercise.
Aim for two sessions a week
People who exercise two times a week improve their fitness more than those who exercise once a week or not at all.
- The improvement is similar to that seen in people who train three times a weeks.
- Here’s how to make sure you’re doing it right.
Stay motivated
Set yourself an achievable goal. Start small and build up incrementally.
