With the arrival of each new year we define our resolutions and many of us resolve to be more active and work out more. Working out is a term that combines different categories: strength, balance, endurance and flexibility. Each category has advantages and disadvantages which I will touch on in the coming months, but for now, I want to give you some thought on how working out and exercising in general can be beneficial to your overall wellbeing.

You made it! I think that one of the best feelings is when you have just completed a hard conditioning or strength training session and you are simultaneously exhausted , proud and satisfied with your performance. This positive, happy feeling accompanies you throughout your day. It clearly shows you the type of performance and high energy you are capable of and that you have the power to deal with and manage difficult situations and challenges coming your way. I am convinced that professional athletes who constantly test their limits, manage to face life and meet requirements in family and working life with a lot of inner strength, self-confidence and inner peace. These types of athletes are not satisfied with average performance, instead they want to achieve excellence in all areas of life.

A workout is your time – a break in which only you can focus solely on yourself. You are in your own world, you are concentrated on your body, your psyche, you feel your own power and energy and leave the everyday problems and concerns for a short period behind you. You should never let this precious time be taken away from you, or influenced in a negative way. After a training session you have a clear head again and encounter your everyday life and the existing problems again with confidence and new perspectives

If you are looking to work out and sustain a healthy weight, improve your endurance and do something for your health , you have to keep in mind the following:
• First, you have to determine what kind of sport you like and whether it fits your lifestyle. We are all different and not everyone likes weights or jogging.

• Set a fixed day/s for your workout. Set a goal but make sure it is not too ambitious. Workout should be fun and enjoyable and not add additional pressure. Start with 2 to 3 workouts a week for a duration of 45 to 60 minutes. Beginners generally tend to push themselves too hard. This leads quickly to frustration and the abandonment of good intentions. Start slowly without overdoing it.

• In the beginning make sure you learn how to move correctly and control your posture. If you start with weights, make sure that you start with weight that your body can handle. If you don’t learn to control your posture, the possibility of injuries increases. The same is true for jogging – alternate some jogging with walking until your body is used to this type of workout.

• Decide what it is that you want to work on – strength or conditioning. I consider a combination of strength and endurance training a particularly efficient and healthy combination. When working on strength, make sure that you choose weights that you can comfortably lift for sets of 10 to 15. If you don’t manage to lift 8, then the weights are too heavy. If you manage more than 15, then the weights are too light. Keep in mind that we are talking about a beginner who needs to get used to a training routine.

• In the beginning, there is no right or wrong. After a short period of time you will be able to notice a positive change in your body. As soon as your body has acclimatized to the workout, you should ask yourself what exactly you want to achieve. Do you want to keep yourself fit, do you want to lose weight, build muscle, or do you prefer to focus on endurance. Depending on your goal, make sure you create a workout plan for yourself.

• Good intentions are great, but implementing them is a completely different story. If you have managed the first hurdle, you will realize that working out regularly is a lot of fun and it is satisfying to the mind and body.

• Many are not aware of the fact that working out stimulates the production of hormones. After a workout, you will feel much happier and more balanced. The hormones responsible for this response are the so called Endorphine hormones. These hormones ensure that after each workout you feel completely comfortable and satisfied.

• If you are unsure of where to start, then approaching a personal trainer might be the solution for you. A personal trainer will support and guide you with a lot of sensitivity throughout the hard workouts. He knows your strengths and weaknesses, encourages you to reach for your limits, and shows you what you are actually capable of. I can guarantee that as soon as you achieve a bit more during your workout, more than you felt capable of, you will realize that you can implement this to other aspects of your life. This force urges you to want to experience this success and the resulting feelings of satisfaction and self- confirmation continuously.

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