How Do I Develop a Physical Fitness Plan?

Developing a physical fitness plan starts with identifying your fitness goals. These goals should be realistic and specific: instead of saying, "I want to lose weight," say, "I want to lose ten pounds (4.5 kilograms) within three months." Your fitness goals will be tailored to you, so decide what exactly you want to do and begin researching exercises and activities that will help you achieve those goals. Weight loss exercises will be different than muscle-building exercises, though the two often go hand in hand during a physical fitness plan. Be realistic about results, and be sure to allow for rest days during which your body can recover.

Remember too that an important part of any physical fitness plan is a proper diet. You will need to examine the foods you eat and consider changing some of your dietary habits. This does not necessarily mean changing your diet completely or cutting out all the foods you love; doing so can in fact be counterproductive and make your physical fitness plan frustrating and ineffective. Instead, cut down on fatty foods, sugars, and other foods that can slow metabolism, cause heart problems, slow muscle growth, and so on.

If you are new to fitness activities, it may be a wise decision to consult a physical trainer to help you design the best physical fitness plan. A trainer is an expert that can recommend exercises, draw out a specific workout plan, and even teach you to do the exercises if you have never done them before. A trainer can also provide much needed motivation, especially when the training becomes difficult or results do not seem to show. Most importantly, a trainer can help ensure that the exercises you do are safe, beneficial, and progressively more challenging as time passes.

It may or may not be necessary to join a local gym, depending on your fitness goals and the availability of workout equipment at home. Many exercises in a physical fitness plan can be done at home, but if specialized equipment is necessary, consider taking a tour of the local gym or fitness center to see if it will suit your needs. If a membership at the gym is not possible, begin researching exercises that can be done with little or no specialized equipment, and remember that stretching exercises are a good place to start. These exercises will immediately begin to improve muscle function, balance, mobility, and so on.