I dislike the term exercise, because it conjures up thoughts of having to join a gym and extend yourself in ways that are not always comfortable, especially for beginners.
Joining a gym is not necessarily bad. You can get really advanced with gyms and trainers, but the truth of the matter is, you can do everything you need to do at home. Start out with 15 minutes of movement daily. This can be as simple as going for a 15-minute walk. You can set the timer on your phone for 7 minutes and 30 seconds, walk in one direction, and when the timer goes off, turn around and come back. You should should also incorporate resistance training a least two days per week. Again, start with 15-minute sessions, and this can be as basic as wall push-ups and body weight squats. The goal will be to build up to 20-30 minutes of daily, planned movement or more.
My current regimen:
I am currently using GMB Fitness, and I love it. It is one-stop shopping for all of the areas of fitness that I want to train. The courses and video-based teaching are fun, descriptive, and easy to follow. After 162 sessions, I am not bored at all. Even better to me, is that the programs are one-time fees, not ongoing subscriptions that I pay for and forget about. If you purchase only one, then I recommend the GMB Elements program, and go at your own pace. If you are a beginner, start with “gentle” 15-minute sessions per day.
Currently, I rotate GMB Mobility, GMB Integral Strength, GMB Triple Shot Conditioning, and a rest day. I did not purchase them all at once, but I added them one at a time and incorporated them gradually as my enjoyment grew.
So my rotation can look like this:
Monday – Mobility 15 minutes
Tuesday – Integral Strength 15 minutes
Wednesday – Triple Shot 15 minutes
Thursday – rest day
Friday – Mobility 30 minutes
Saturday – Integral Strength 30 minutes
Sunday – Triple Shot 30 minutes
Monday – rest day
Tuesday – Mobility 15 minutes
…and repeat the sequence
Arbitrary rules i made to motivate myself:
-30-minute+ sessions on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
-15- to 20-minute sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (if I have a day off, I try to do 30).
-Skip the rest day if it falls on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday (because I usually have a bit more time on those days).
-Don’t skip 2 days in a row.
This seems like a lot, but I started with 15 minutes daily, and I’ve increased to usually no more than 30 to 60 minutes per day. I like variety, and this schedule keeps me engaged.
A Note About Deloading
Deloading is a temporary and intentional reduction of training stress to promote recovery. After every 6 weeks of training, I will take about 1 week to deload. I cut the intensity to about 50% of my normal routine or I may also alter the routine or even do some activities like riding bicycles with the kids. Deloading promotes recovery by allowing repair of damaged tissue and reducing the risk of overuse injuries. Allowing for repair and adaptation can also prevent plateaus. I have also found that I need a mental break after about 6 weeks of training, and deloading is a good way to mentally refresh and help make my routine more sustainable.
A Note About Recovery
When I need a day off, I take a day off, and then I pick right back up. If I take more than a day off, it seems to get me out of the habit, so I hardly skip more than a day. But when you need to rest, you need to rest. Other things that I added to my recovery: a visit to huemn (if you are in Houston), creatine, fish oil, magnesium (these 3 can be found at our store link below), Epsom salt baths (which is a good way to get magnesium), and a good night’s sleep, if possible (I’m still a surgeon, so you never know.) I am also quite diligent about getting proper levels of protein in my diet. More of this in the Eating section.
