How to build a consistent fitness routine

laurachambers86

I'm trying to build more of a consistent fitness routine but I'm finding it difficult as I have lots of different activities that I like doing. I enjoy:

- free weights/machines
- pilates
- spinning
- yoga
- horse riding
- swimming
- boxing

I struggle to fit in everything I enjoy in a week while also allowing time for rest days, so no two weeks look the same really.

My goals are to lose about 1/2 a stone and increase my general fitness/cardio fitness. I have a back condition so keeping my back and core strong is a priority.

In terms of seeing results, is it "better" to focus on say 3 or 4 of the above activities for a period and then swap some out for others? Or does it not really matter? It's not like I'm going to be entering any competitions or anything so maybe I'm overthinking it?

Retroguy2000

For your stated goals of weight loss and general fitness, just do any of them. Whatever you enjoy doing. They aren't all equal with calories burned per hour of course.

Horse riding with a back condition?

If you want to build muscle, the weights will need to be sufficient volume and progressive overload, otherwise you'll adapt quickly and they won't do much for you. That means 10+ weekly working sets per muscle group if you're a beginner. You'll also need to make sure you're getting enough protein.

cwolfman13

laurachambers86 wrote: »

I'm trying to build more of a consistent fitness routine but I'm finding it difficult as I have lots of different activities that I like doing. I enjoy:

- free weights/machines
- pilates
- spinning
- yoga
- horse riding
- swimming
- boxing

I struggle to fit in everything I enjoy in a week while also allowing time for rest days, so no two weeks look the same really.

My goals are to lose about 1/2 a stone and increase my general fitness/cardio fitness. I have a back condition so keeping my back and core strong is a priority.

In terms of seeing results, is it "better" to focus on say 3 or 4 of the above activities for a period and then swap some out for others? Or does it not really matter? It's not like I'm going to be entering any competitions or anything so maybe I'm overthinking it?

As a matter of health and just general fitness, it doesn't really matter. Being active and doing what you like doing is what matters because you're more apt to do it on a consistent basis. The only real "workout" I do is my 3x per week in the weight room...other than that I do a lot of things. I mountain bike, road cycle, hike, walk my dog, kayak, swim, spin classes sometimes in the winter, rock climb, etc.

For my health and general fitness it doesn't matter if I specialize in something or not. I used to be really into endurance road cycling and road events and it mattered then because I was specializing in cycling for the purpose of competing and participating in various events. I'm "retired" from that now, so I just do whatever the hell I feel like doing that keeps me active, engaged, and happy. Being consistently active is a consistent fitness regimen. Being active in a variety of things also has it's benefits in that you substantially reduce the risk of repetitive use injuries...and mentally it's very freeing to have variety.

tomcustombuilder

You're lucky to have so many activities you enjoy. Rotate them. Do a couple until you get a little bored then do a couple of the others and you should be able to stay active for life.

nossmf

For the most part, the only real reason to focus on one activity is to become better at that particular activity. Want to be better at riding horses? Keep riding horses! Want to have better overall health? Be active and eat right!

Enjoy your variety of persuasions. Much better than looking back at life and saying, dangit, wish I'd done more X.

laurachambers86

Thanks for the feedback, I think I was definitely overthinking it! Sometimes I get frustrated because I run out of time to fit in what I think I "should" be doing but from these comments it sounds like I'm putting unnecessary pressure on myself and need to just enjoy it all a bit more.

AnnPT77

laurachambers86 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback, I think I was definitely overthinking it! Sometimes I get frustrated because I run out of time to fit in what I think I "should" be doing but from these comments it sounds like I'm putting unnecessary pressure on myself and need to just enjoy it all a bit more.

YesYesYes.

You're really lucky, honestly. Finding fun active stuff is a goal I often recommend to folks here who're having trouble sticking with a healthy exercise routine. You, in contrast, have a wealth of happy options!

The general health guidelines from most major health authorities recommend a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate cardiovascular exercise (or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, or a mix), plus a couple of times a week of strength exercise.

As others have said, if you want to increase your strength or muscularity, progressive strength training regularly, probably more than 2x a week, is the most efficient route.

Mixing up the choice of cardiovascular (CV) activities is a good thing for well-rounded fitness, so just have fun with the ones you enjoy. If - as I suspect - your base fitness is in reasonable shape, mixing in a small amount of more intense CV exercise once or twice a week has some fitness/health benefits. (All high intensity all the time isn't ideal.)

The Pilates and yoga are good in the mix, for flexibility and mobility, and depending on intensity could fit in well on active recovery days.

Overall, fitness progress comes from keeping just a moderate, fun level of challenge in the activities you do, while avoiding accumulating too much persistent fatigue. That's the sweet spot.

It's so refreshing to see someone here who has "too many" exercise modes they enjoy. Good stuff!