Start a new F.I.T.-ness routine

By CJ Blomquist

OptumCare

“New year, new me.” How many times have we said that to ourselves on New Year’s Day? It’s easy to set a goal, but then not follow through. This is especially true for exercise (at least for this writer). We’re almost into the second month of 2021, so if you’re struggling to keep up with your resolutions, try using the F.I.T. formula.

F.I.T. stands for Frequency, Intensity and Time. Frequency is how often you exercise. Intensity is how hard you work out. Time is for how long you work out each session. These elements are good for everyone, no matter their fitness level. And you can update them as your fitness changes.

If you’re just getting started, you may decide to walk three times a week (Frequency) at a slower pace (Intensity) for 30 minutes (Time). This can help you get into a routine. Set a reward for yourself if you meet your goals. For example, if your goal is to walk three times a week and you do that for a full month, treat yourself to a favorite meal.

As you get more comfortable, you may decide to walk at a moderate pace or for a longer time. Pay attention to how hard you’re working, though. You should be able to walk and talk at the same time. If you can’t talk because you are breathing so hard, then you might want to slow down. And if you can sing while walking, you might want to pick up the pace.

But don’t overdo it right away. You want to push yourself—but not too hard. If your heart rate is really fast or you are feeling sick more than 10 minutes after working out, it may be too intense. If you keep feeling this way each time after working out, check with your doctor. The point of exercising is to build up strength over time.

Track your progress on a calendar to see how much you are improving. Don’t expect to be perfect; we all have our off days. But if you are missing a lot of goals, you might want to think about changing your approach.

Whether you want to lose weight, get stronger or just enjoy being outside more often, the F.I.T. formula can be a useful way to reach that goal.