How to Build an Exercise Plan

Creating an exercise plan doesn’t have to be overwhelming or intimidating. You want to make sure you include the right exercises to help you meet your goals while also making them enjoyable.

A woman’s hand stretches toward a laptop holding a stylus as she builds a fitness plan

We can help you get started putting together your diet and exercise plan with a few simple tips. Keep reading to learn how to create your fitness plan by:

Setting clear goals
Creating a routine
Scheduling exercise
Starting slow
Mixing things up
Prioritizing recovery
Managing expectations

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Have clear fitness goals.
The exercises you include in your plan will depend on the goals you’re trying to achieve. If you want to build muscle, your plan will focus on lifting heavy weights in sets with low repetitions in each set. In contrast, if you want to build lean muscle and trim down, your weightlifting focus will be geared more toward lifting lighter weights with a high number of repetitions for each set. Are you wanting to lose weight or bulk up? You’ll also want to know how to focus your cardio efforts to meet your goals. Set your goals before you start building your fitness plan to help set yourself up for success from the start.

Create your exercise regimen.
Now that you’ve identified your goals, start building your exercise plan. Research the types of exercises you want to do that fit your goals. Remember, simply doing the work won’t get you to where you want to be. It’s best to have targeted exercises to help you along the way. Once you know what kinds of exercises you’re going to do, establish the frequency and intensity at which you’ll be doing them. Are you planning on pushing yourself to run two miles in under 12 minutes three times a week? Do you want to do 100 pushups twice a week? If you’re planning on including weightlifting in your regimen, remember that you’ll need time for your muscles to recover after your lifts, including rest days in between is ideal. If you’re having a hard time knowing what exercises to include in your plan, search online for some ideas.

Schedule exercise into your daily routine.
It’s not always easy to find time to exercise. If it was, we’d all be fit and in shape. Carve out a window of time each day you want to exercise and book it for yourself. For instance, if you want to work out four times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, give yourself the appropriate amount of time on each of those days to change into workout clothes, do your workout, then rest, shower, and change. Be sure to give yourself enough time before and after your exercise to prepare and cool down so you’re not rushing through. It’s best to take your time and do the workout correctly rather than rushing to check it off the to-do list. If it helps, use a free spreadsheet template to help you track it all.

Start slowly.
It’s normal to want to go full-bore right off the bat when you start a new fitness plan. Especially if you were an athlete when you were younger, you’ll probably want to start exercising the way you did at your peak athleticism. Despite being driven to push yourself to your limits right away, it’s best to start slowly. Ease into exercising to help your body ramp up its ability to handle resistance and endurance training. You’ll still have a satisfactory sore feeling the next day, but your body will be able to fully recover, and you’ll avoid injuries.

“It’s normal to feel like, “I worked out, so why does the scale say I still weigh the same?” Remember that it took time to put weight on, so it’ll take time to take it off.”

Try mixing up your exercises.
It’s easy to get comfortable with your exercise routine. But with that also comes complacency and potential boredom. Getting complacent and bored with your workout can make it hard to stay motivated and continue your routine. Try mixing things up a bit from what you’re used to. Moving from walking on a treadmill to cycling or Pilates to yoga can inject a new sense of excitement and enthusiasm into working out.

Build recovery days into your schedule.
It’s normal to be sore when you’re working out. Whether you’re doing weight training or training to run a marathon, you’ll have sore muscles. Take two or three days every week to give your body a chance to recover. You’ll find that you get better results, you feel better overall, and you’ll avoid injuries that keep you from exercising. Of course, you don’t have to wait for your body to be pain-free before getting into your next workout. Keeping your body moving will help with blood flow and stretch your muscles, which helps with healing, but it’s still important to prioritize a couple of recovery days every week.

Manage your expectations.
We live in a world of instant gratification. Internet speeds are so fast that we can hop onto a website, and it loads almost instantly. If it takes even a few seconds longer, we’re probably bailing and going somewhere else. It’s normal to feel like, “I worked out, so why does the scale say I still weigh the same?” Remember that it took time to put weight on, so it’ll take time to take it off. Be patient with yourself and remember that fad diets that claim to help you drop dozens of pounds a week aren’t good for your body. Slow and steady wins the race in health and fitness.

Whether creating a weight loss exercise plan or simply wanting to improve your overall health, it doesn’t have to be a tough process. Follow our tips above, and you’ll be on your way to creating a fitness plan that’s right for you and will help you achieve your goals.