On this post, I will share the last two steps of exercising by your own 🙂

- Step 4: Decide what exercises you will do and create your exercise program
- If you are not able to enroll, take a group exercise class or have a personal trainer, then your other option will be to create and design your own workout routine.
- Make sure you include the following:
- Always have a warm-up and cool-down
- Warm-up:
- Warms your muscles for the workout and gets you ready for what’s to come.
- Make sure you include exercises that are similar to what you will be doing. Ex: if running, then choose a light jog/walk.
- Make sure you choose exercises that use major muscle groups such as squats, lunges, jumping jacks.
- Intensity should not be too high. You can include some cardio exercises to get blood circulation to your legs
- You can include dynamic stretching
- Cool-down
- Brings your circulation back to normal
- Brings your heart rate back to normal
- Lower intensity exercises
- Stretching
- Conditioning:
- You perform the exercise that produces fitness benefits, such as calorie burning, building endurance or muscle strengthening
- It encompasses the main portion of the workout
- Aerobic activities include: running outside or treadmill, elliptical, stairs inside or outside, jump rope, cycling
- Each of these activities will have a warm-up and cool-down
- If using a treadmill, elliptical, bike, or stairmaster, you can pick one of the workouts offered by the machine
- Or
- Design your own workout
- Here is a sample running workout I created for you. It is designed to run on a treadmill
- Remember, on treadmill 5% grade (incline) means to add 5.0 on the incline, 10% grade is to add 10 on the incline, 15% grade is to add 15 on the incline
- This workout is based on your fastest pace being 6mph. This means that the fastest pace you can run in one minute is 6mph.
- Sample Workout #1: Running on the Treadmill
- 30min workout at 1% grade (incline)
- Warm-up: walk/jog for 5 mins 2.5mp to 4mph
- Conditioning: 20mins
- 4mins: 1min jog/run 4.5mph-1min walking recovery-Repeat X 2
- 4mins: 1min run 5mph-1min walk-Repeat X 2
- 4mins: 1min run 5.5mph-1min walk-Repeat X 2
- 4mins: 1min run 6mph-1min walk-Repeat X 2
- 4mins: 1min run 5.5mph-1min walk-Repeat X 2
- Cool down: 5mins 2.5mph (make sure you stretch at the end of the workout)
- Sample Workout #2: Running Outside-Track and Field
- You can use your local high school or college track and field.

- Warm-up: walk/jog for 2 laps
- Conditioning:
- Run one lap-walk one lap-Repeat x 4 to 5 times. If performing 4 times, you’ll walk/run approx 2 miles. If 5 times, you’ll walk/run approx 2.25 miles. 1 lap is about 0.25miles
- Cooldown: walk and stretch
- Sample Workout #3: Run Outside-Track and Field and Stairs: If the track and field has access to stairs, use them too!
- Warm-up: walk/jog for 2 laps
- Conditioning:
- Run 2 laps, stairs 5 times (climbing to the top of the stairs and coming down)-Repeat the laps and stairs X 3-4 rounds
- Cool-down: walk and stretch
- Sample Workout #4: Cross-Training-Stairs, jump rope, and run
- I personally love doing this workout since it is very simple and provides a great burn. You only need a jump rope, stairs, and space to run
- Warm-up: 5mins walk/run
- Conditioning: 5min intervals
- 5mins run, 5mins stairs, 5 mins jump rope-Repeat X 2-3 times
- Cool down: walk and stretch
- This is total leg killer!!


- Circuit Training Workout
- A circuit workout consists of a series of exercises performed one right after the other with little or no rest in between. The word circuit refers to the series of 8 to 12 exercises that make up the workout.
- Circuits can be based on repetitions and time. For example, you can do each exercise for 12 repetitions or each exercise for 30secs
- Cardio Based Circuit: body weight
- Warm up: 5mins-squats, jumping jacks, lunges, high knees-30secs each X 3 times
- Conditioning: 5 mins-Every Minute on the Minute (complete exercises in the 1 minute time; if done before 1-minute strikes, break)Â
- 20 skater jumps-R & L (right and left) one rep
- 30 modified V crunches
- 20 Burpees
- 30 Lunges-R & L-one rep
- 30 Push Ups
- Recovery 1 min
- 5 mins-Every Minute on the Minute
- 20 Jump lunges-R & L-1 rep
- 30 Mountain climbers-R & L-1 rep
- 30 Squat Jumps
- 40 Bicycles-R & L-1 rep
- 30 High Knees
- Here are pictures of some of the exercises



Step 5: Repeat and Repeat
- The key is consistency, and for you to continue to exercise. I know there will be times where life happens, and you may miss your workouts. This is OK!! 🙂 what matters is that you go back to your workouts!!
- Even if you absolutely don’t have time to go to the gym or workout on your own, stay active by making small changes like:
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible
- Park far when going to the mall or grocery store
- Whenever you feel you are sitting for too long, stand up and move. Get a potty break, move around, start cleaning your apartment or home and do something!
- Organize fun and healthy hangout activities with your friends like going hiking or working out together.
- Making these small steps can make a huge difference in your lifestyle and the MOST important thing is that you are taking control of your health and doing something about it!! 🙂
- Remember, exercise should be fun! Find an activity you enjoy and commit to it!! You got this!!
