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If you’re trying to manage your own fitness and exercise routine, whether you’re just starting out or you want to be more consistent with your efforts, it’s important to pay attention to these three areas. If you don’t, you may find yourself not making any progress at all. In order to make sure your fitness and exercise routine is effective, keep these three areas in mind. Create a flexible plan It can be tempting to try to create a very specific, detailed plan. You might know how many times per week you’ll work out, how long you’ll spend in each exercise session, and when you’ll do which exercises. But it can also be dangerous: Life doesn’t always follow our plans perfectly. If your workout sessions are all scheduled for 7:00pm on Mondays, for example, you may get a lot of pushback from family members or co-workers if you have to cancel at short notice because of something unexpected that comes up. Be realistic about what you can do If you’re trying to manage your own fitness and exercise routine, whether you’re just starting out or you want to be more consistent with your efforts, it’s important to pay attention to these three areas. If you don’t, you may find yourself not making any progress at all. It can be discouraging when your aha! moment turns into nothing but excuses. However, while starting a new fitness routine may seem simple on paper—go for a walk or run every day—the reality can be much different. Don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself by thinking that you can start exercising regularly right away. Instead, try setting small goals and slowly work your way up from there. For example, if you haven’t exercised in years, start by walking around your neighborhood once a week. Once that becomes easier to do consistently, increase how long you walk each time until eventually walking becomes running. Don't forget about sleep: While nutrition and exercise are essential components of an effective fitness routine, getting enough sleep shouldn't be overlooked either because it's equally as important as other factors in keeping fit. Keep the pace up When it comes to fitness and exercise, consistency is one of, if not THE most important factor in achieving your goals. A recent study suggests that there's a positive relationship between how many days per week you work out at a high intensity (40 percent or more of VO2 max) and long-term weight loss. In other words, if you're not exercising for at least three days a week at a high intensity (the equivalent of jogging or using an elliptical), you're really going to struggle with losing weight. If you don't plan on sweating regularly, it's probably best that you just take up any other form of exercise; even half an hour of walking will be better than nothing. But don't overthink things! Take care of yourself during rest days Recovery is an essential part of fitness, but many people don’t give it enough attention. Making sure you get enough sleep and don’t overdo it on rest days can help keep your progress steady. If you tend to push yourself hard during every single workout, it may be difficult for your body to recover completely from one session before jumping into another one. Over time, pushing yourself too hard in every workout will actually cause you to burn out faster, which can make it even harder for you to meet your goals when that happens. Enjoy the journey (yes, really!) For many, there’s a tendency to either go all-in or give up entirely when it comes to fitness goals. If you want your fitness routine or exercise program to be effective in getting you where you want to be, take a step back and enjoy what you’re doing now rather than obsessing over reaching your final destination. Enjoyment of your activity will make it easier for you to not only stick with it but also find ways of improving it so that it works better for you. If enjoyment isn’t enough of an incentive, think about how much progress will be made by taking small steps rather than trying something completely new every day. Small improvements add up!