While you may think three gym visits an impressive weekly total, it is thought that over 80% of regular exercisers don't do enough to achieve long-term benefits. Are you one of them?
"The bad news is that exercise does not appear to be a great way to lose weight even if done regularly," says exercise physiologist Professor Glenn Gaesser. "This is because women in particular seem to compensate by either eating more or subconsciously doing less during the day, thereby negating much of the effect of exercise. The energy equation can be balanced by increasing either the duration or intensity of exercise, but longer duration can usually be tolerated better than higher intensity. Once you start to exercise it's not so bad to just add a few extra minutes each time, especially if the intensity is not exhausting."
The quicker, albeit harder, route is interval training. Pick one weekly session where you introduce short periods (say between 30 seconds and three minutes) of high intensity into your normal workout by increasing pace, weight or resistance, then resume your normal pace. As your fitness improves, you'll be able to keep the high intensity up for longer, then introduce a second weekly session.
2. Ring the changes
The body adapts to the type and frequency of activity that you do regularly, so the exercise soon becomes less challenging. While this doesn't mean major declines in fitness, you won't see improvements either because you're not subjecting your body to enough stimulus for change. Variety is vital to avoid physical and mental stagnation. If you can't vary the activity itself, vary things like speed, intensity, or even the way you progress round the gym. Doing your programme backwards can really stimulate you, mentally and physically. If you're stuck for ideas, try writing a list of activities on bits of paper and pulling one out of a hat each day, or book a session with a personal trainer. Studies show that people who work out with a personal trainer achieve their goals 30% faster than those who don't, while health club members who have at least three one-to-one sessions come three times as often as those who have had no guidance.
3. Make equipment work for you
This means using it correctly, taking the time to adjust machines to your size and developing good posture and technique.
Whenever you are performing a resistance-based exercise you need to ensure that your whole body is in the correct position, not just the area you are exercising. Protecting yourself in this way will ensure that the correct muscles are being trained and help you to achieve your long term goals.
Common mistakes include using momentum to help you swing a weight through its full range, and not maintaining correct posture throughout. Many people also hold their breath as they lift a weight, which increases blood pressure and the risk of accidents caused by light headedness."
As a general rule of thumb, breathe out with the effort and in on the return.
4. Get competitive - with yourself and others
"Exercising with a partner of roughly equal fitness and ability can really help to make a workout go faster, and improve adherence to a programme," says sports psychologist Andy Barton of The Sporting Mind in London. "A partner also can inspire you to push yourself a bit harder when your energy level is flagging, but it's important to pick the right partner. If they are much fitter than you, then you may feel demoralised, but if they're not fit enough then you won't be inspired to perform."
If you find it hard to meet like-minded souls, then consider joining a sport-specific club. They usually provide structured sessions and specific drills to improve fitness and technique. Competing against yourself also works well, says Barton. "Monitor your own improvements by seeing how much further or faster you become over a set period, or how many more repetitions you can manage in the gym."
5. Train your brain, not just your body
Mind over matter really is crucial for a successful workout, so start by reminding yourself that it's worth it. Exercise-induced endorphin levels drop after just two or three days of non-activity, reducing mood and energy and making you less inclined to work out. If you miss three or four sessions you'll start to lose physical fitness, making the routine harder the next time you go back. After about two weeks, you'll be 15% less fit than you were when you stopped. Next, stop looking for excuses.
"For most people, it's not the workout itself which is the problem, but peripheral things such as cold changing rooms which puts them off exercising," says Barton. "You know you'll enjoy it and feel better once you actually get there, so keep a positive commentary going in your head and don't allow yourself to go down the 'should I or shouldn't I' route."
Goal-setting such as entering a race or getting bikini-ready for a holiday also works well as long as you choose an accessible goal and monitor your achievement along the way.
6. Select the right sport and surroundings
It may sound simple, but you are far more likely to keep up a good level of training if you spend somewhere you actually enjoy going to and with people you like. If using a club is part of your resolution realisation, follow a simple checklist to ensure you don't become another statistic: choose one you like, offering facilities you'll use, in a place you can get to easily, where well-trained staff will provide (and frequently update) a programme that challenges but doesn't intimidate you. A study from the University of Florida has found a strong link between personality and an individual's willingness to stick to an exercise routine, so it's well worth the effort to find something you enjoy and which fits into your lifestyle.
7. Get technical
Make use of heart rate monitors, bathroom scales that measure body fat percentages as well as weight, digital displays and preset programmes on cardio equipment. That way you'll have a better idea if you're doing enough or too much, as well as to keeping a precise track on your progress.
Note that the formula for calculating maximum heart rate long promoted by the fitness industry (220 minus your age) can be wildly inaccurate. It is based on studies to determine safe levels of exercise for recovering heart attack patients, and was not intended as a guide to exercise intensity in the general population. The best way to measure MHR is a 15 minute treadmill test with a personal trainer or exercise physiologist, increasing the intensity level every 30-60 seconds until you reach your max.