It’s Day 1, you got this!

Building the habit of activity is always more fun with a friend - you can help motivate each other along the way!  Find an accountability buddy today!  Someone to be active with, or just someone you can report to and commiserate with.  Like any new routine or habit, it will take effort and planning to make it happen.  Having the buddy for support gives you an extra insurance policy for your good intentions!

 If you already have an accountability person, take time to discuss the expectations in the new year for the relationship. Maybe it’s a mutual check in where you can report to them when your activity is finished. Maybe you need to check in with them in the morning with your intention, and then later they check in with you to make sure you followed through. Or use it as a mutual restart, It’s day 1, challenge each other to do something easy and feel successful.

Take a walk, dance in the house, or maybe try something new like stretches, yoga, or swimming.  You will build confidence if you do “something”, it will help build the habit and you will feel success. Take January as a time to keep it simple, verses diving all in. Start small like I discussed in January 8th’s blog post and over time build the habit.

If you want to level up your current workout, I suggest doing a video or YouTube routine you have around the house or that you haven’t done in years.   Your familiarity with it will make it fun!  You can also challenge yourself and your accountability buddy to attend a new class at your local fitness center.  Another idea is to take your walk/steps to a new level with intervals or add in a jog to increase the intensity. 

Here’s the simple definition of an interval. Interval training by definition involves alternating between periods of hard exercise and rest.

Your starting level should be determined by the Talk/Sing test. It is simply:

 You should be able to talk, not sing during activity.  If you cannot talk you are working too hard, if you can sing – work a bit harder.

If you don’t know your target heart rate range, use this worksheet to figure yours today! Note if you are on medications that limit heart rate (use a perceived exertion scale), or have a medical diagnosis, please consult your provider for safe ranges. This worksheet is for those who have been cleared by the Provider for physical activity without restrictions.

I challenge you to pick a cardiovascular activity (walk, bike, elliptical, swim, jog, etc.) and start the session with 1-2 minutes at a low intensity (bottom end of your THRR, such as walking before a jog or a brisk walk).  Then for 30 seconds speed up to a fast walk or jog, then recover for 1 minute at the initial pace.  Do 4 bouts of 30 seconds fast, 1 minute recovery.  That is a very simple interval that you can apply to any cardiovascular workout.

Interval training is sometimes also referred to as a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout.  HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low-intensity recovery periods.  Interval training is typically done with cardiovascular exercise of any kind.  Swimming, biking, walking, running, or rowing for example.  Your current fitness level should determine how intense you make the burst/sprint portion.  The recovery period can be extended to get the heart rate back to 65% or at the lower end of your THRR.  (refer to the THRR worksheet you can download with the button above to figure out your range)

A HIIT workout using a stationary exercise bike could consist of 30 seconds of cycling as fast as possible against high resistance, followed by several minutes of slow, easy cycling with low resistance.  This would be considered one “round” or “repetition” of HIIT, and you would typically complete 4 to 6 repetitions in one workout.

The specific amount of time you exercise, and recover will vary based on the activity you choose and how intensely you are exercising for your current fitness level.  Regardless of how it is implemented, high-intensity intervals should involve short periods of vigorous exercise that make your heart rate speed up followed by recovery periods.

Interval training is simply alternating short bursts (about 30 seconds) of intense activity with longer intervals (about 1 to 2 minutes) of less intense activity for recovery.

For instance, if your exercise is walking and you're in good shape, you might add short bursts of jogging into the brisk walks. The actual interval you choose can be sprinting, jumping rope, or doing other body weight exercises like jumping jacks for your interval, followed by walking to bring the heart rate down.  There are so many ways you can use intervals to beef up a familiar routine.

Interval training is typically used with the more traditional cardiovascular exercises, such as running/jogging, rowing, cycling, and swimming.  The idea is to work harder than you can during a continuous effort to increase the ceiling of your endurance.  It’s also a great way to boost metabolism and get off a weight loss plateau if you do the same thing over and over.  Our bodies respond to these simple changes.

 Today start with 10 minutes (or any increments of 10) of something that you are familiar with and encourage your accountability buddy to do it with you!  Feel successful and start building the habit. Track it and check in with your accountability buddy, share how the workout made you feel. Share your goals for this week and celebrate today! Challenge each other and support each other every day.

When we surround ourselves with like-minded people who are striving towards or have accomplished the healthy habits we desire, we set ourselves up for success.

Make the rest of your life the best of your life,

Janelle

PS I included the Target Heart Rate Range (THRR) formula worksheet with the button above.  Most wearables figure your THRR out for you, but if you do not have a wearable device, you should figure your THRR out, so you know what your range is.  Over time you “feel” it, but it’s good to know! AS you become more fit, it will take more to push you into your ranges too!  You will build endurance! (this is also the only way you can increase HDL GOOD cholesterol!)