Find your exercise routine

How to sensibly integrate sport into your everyday life

“This time I’m really going for it – from now on I’m going to exercise every day!” you think to yourself. Full of energy, you jump out of bed, jump into your sports outfit and run. At least in the first few days. Because soon your motivation will decrease and you'll prefer to stay in the warm bed a little longer. Sounds familiar? We say: put an end to lazy excuses! Here you can read how you can create a sports routine that suits you and your life. For more power in your everyday life.

We all know: Sport is healthy – not just for your body, but also for your mind. But is it really that dramatic if you completely forego your training for a while? After all, there are other things in life like friendship, family and job. Don't worry: you are not alone with these thoughts. And if you keep failing with your good intentions and your motivation disappears after a short time, completely different reasons actually play a role.

Why exercise isn't part of your habits: The real reasons

Exercise routine killer #1: You don’t know your true “why.”

Regular exercise helps you with various problems - regardless of whether you want to become more balanced, finally fit into your favorite pants again, prevent certain illnesses or improve your thinking skills . If you know your individual “why” or what exactly you can achieve with the help of exercise, you will stay on task for longer.

Endurance training stimulates blood circulation, lowers blood pressure and thus your long-term risk of a heart attack. When jogging, swimming or walking, the oxygen supply to the brain increases - this has a positive influence on your ability to think. The results: You can concentrate better and increase your job performance. If you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk while working, you probably sometimes struggle with back or neck pain. Studies show: With exercise you can tackle them in a targeted manner and also prevent herniated discs. So that you can spend your free time pain-free and, above all, happily.

With exercise you are not only doing something good for your body, but also for your mind. If your self-esteem is low, you can increase your self-confidence with regular exercise. Are you often stressed or suffer from a mental illness such as depression? In these cases too, scientific studies prove the positive effects of regular exercise . A study with several thousand participants shows that exercise reduces anxiety and other symptoms of mental illness .

Studies also show that even if you are prone to frequent colds or respiratory illnesses, you can do yourself some good with regular endurance training. You also reduce the risk of developing cancer. The reason: With targeted stress, you stimulate your body to produce so-called killer cells. They fight off tumor and virus-infected cells. Infections can no longer throw you off track so easily.

You see: Exercising regularly brings you many benefits. Therefore, create a “roadmap” with realistic goals. Write down exactly why you want to start exercising and how your life will improve with regular exercise. Look back regularly and be proud of what you have achieved so far. This way you can always boost your motivation.

Sports routine killer number 2: You overestimate yourself

You haven't done any exercise or exercise regularly for a long time. Nevertheless, start straight into high-intensity training sessions and don't allow yourself any regeneration phases after exercise. That's not a good idea. Because: If you want too much too quickly, the risk that you will end up frustrated increases. If you overdo it or expect too much, you will feel it clearly. For example, because your stomach still doesn't get flatter even after several weeks. Or because your muscles hurt so much that you can barely walk. You may also suffer from severe headaches and insomnia.

The risk of straining the body beyond its limits is particularly common among beginners. If they repeatedly demand too much of themselves, even experienced athletes endanger the level of performance they have already developed.

Our tip, which is particularly important for beginners: Increase your endurance slowly and integrate exercise into your everyday life step by step.

• Start with daily walks or walking and progress to moderate interval training before jogging.
• Create a realistic training plan that is tailored to your individual fitness level.
• Keep a training diary in which you record how you feel after exercise and how your performance develops. This way you can track your progress and quickly notice if your training performance decreases despite regular training.

Equally important: Treat yourself to rest after exercise , for at least 72 hours. You need this time to recover so that you can hit the ground running again the next workout. If you don't allow yourself time to recover, you could be damaging your body. The reason: When you train, you put strain on your muscles by exposing them to targeted stimuli. In order for them to grow, your lung volume to increase and your body to work more efficiently, your body first has to get used to the strain. If you don't regenerate long enough, your body won't adequately prepare itself for the next challenge. He therefore has to recover long enough after training.

If you regularly take medication or have a chronic illness, be sure to clarify with your doctor which and how much training is suitable for you.

Exercise routine killer number 3: You don't prepare properly

Preparation is the key! If you know that you will quickly abandon your good intentions, good preparation is particularly important. Set an alarm and plan enough time for a morning workout before work. While running, a playlist puts you in the right mood and sets your pace. Fill it with your favorite songs or download a running playlist.

Important: Charge your smartphone or mp3 player overnight so that you can start running straight away in the morning. Then you don't have to worry about running out of musical accompaniment halfway through. If the sportswear is already ready to hand in the morning, even those who don't like mornings have any excuse. The favorite sports trousers in a double version are ready in just a few steps.

Also pack your gym bag the night before. For example, your smartphone and a drink belong in there. If you do weight training, don't forget that on some training days you will need special equipment such as pull-ups or weightlifting shoes. If you forget these things, it can ruin the fun of your workout. So think about what you need when exercising the next morning the evening before.

You should eat a small, carbohydrate-rich meal two to three hours before exercise. Try overnight oats . You prepare them the night before. They are delicious and real energy boosters!

Exercise routine killer number 4: You're too hard on yourself

Do you set high goals for yourself and are disappointed when you don't achieve them? Then we recommend that you change your perspective, be proud of yourself and reward yourself for small successes - even if, for example, you only master a small training stage. Healthy rewards include bananas, crunchy carrot sticks or a handful of nuts.

@Arturs Budkevics/shutterstock.com

You can also make exercise a habit without being too hard on yourself. This works using various tricks. With so-called “habit stacking,” for example, you combine exercise with everyday routines that come naturally to you. An example : Do ten squats every morning right after brushing your teeth. Your body combines exercise and personal hygiene - and soon squats will become a daily occurrence for you without overtaxing yourself.

Sport in everyday life: This gives you sport before and after work or during your lunch break

Very important so that you stay on task during training: Your routine must fit your individual lifestyle. An important prerequisite for this is that you know yourself well enough. You know that you're just not a lark who's in great shape in the morning - no matter how hard you try? No problem! Try exercising during your lunch break or after work. With our tips you can easily integrate your training into your everyday life.

Exercise before work: This is how you benefit from your morning workout

Exercising before work gives you a real motivation boost. The reason: The level of the long-term stress hormone cortisol is highest in the morning. When you train in the morning, you reduce stress hormones early. If you lower your cortisol levels early, you can take it easy for the rest of the day . And since you also increase your ability to concentrate with exercise, you start your day at work full of energy and perhaps even with lots of good ideas.

Another positive effect of exercising in the morning, especially if you train outside: There are few people around - you have peace and quiet and are undisturbed. And even nocturnal people have to admit: it feels pretty good to cross exercise off your to-do list so early in the day.

Exercise during your lunch break: balance out the stress at work

Exercising during your lunch break will clear your head. This is particularly useful if your job is stressing you out and you urgently need to change your mind. Working out during your break is also a good counterbalance to sitting - especially if you have an office job. This will help you prevent back and neck pain. Be sure to plan enough time for this - there should be at least an hour of break time. You need them to change clothes without stress and to warm up your muscles before your workout. If you have enough time, train in peace and then do a relaxed cool-down with stretching exercises.

Sport after work: The perfect workout time for “owls”

To clear your head before you meet your loved ones, exercising directly after work is particularly suitable. Do you concentrate most in the evenings, like to go to bed late and enjoy the peace and quiet that comes when everyone else goes to sleep? Then try a late evening or night workout! Athletes particularly benefit from evening training, as muscle temperature reaches its peak in the late hours. Then you will be particularly productive and will surpass yourself during training. You also have a lot of peace in the evenings or at night. Deadline pressure and stress? None!

Sports routine: Our tips for your training success

From the perfect time to the right preparation to getting to know your real “why” : In order to integrate sport into your everyday life in the long term and achieve lasting training success, there are a few things you need to consider. Don't worry: We'll accompany you on your fitness journey and be by your side every step of the way - regardless of whether you like to do sports in your free time with friends, regularly build muscles in the gym or are a real competitive professional.

SOURCES

Pfeifer, K. (2004). Expertise in preventing back pain through exercise-related interventions. Retrieved on February 21, 2021, from
https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/fileadmin/files/BSt/Presse/imported/downloads/xcms_bst_dms_15359__2.pdf

Wegner, M., Helmich, I., Machado, S., Nardi, AE, Arias-Carrion, O., & Budde, H. (2014). Effects of exercise on anxiety and depression disorders: review of meta-analyses and neurobiological mechanisms. CNS & neurological disorders drug targets, 13(6), 1002–1014. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871527313666140612102841

Baum, M., & Liesen, H. (1998). Sport and immune system. Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 95(10), 46 - 49.
https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/9761/Sport-und-Immunsystem

Baum, M., & Liesen, H. (1998). Sport and immune system. Deutsches Ärzteblatt, 95(10), 46 - 49.
https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/9761/Sport-und-Immunsystem