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What are the basics of exercise and physical fitness?

Exercise is anything that gets your body moving. Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. It has many benefits, including improving your overall health and fitness, and reducing your risk for many chronic (long-term) diseases.

Every physical fitness routine is built on a few simple ideas. These include:

Make exercise a habit, as your body adapts to the type of activity you do most often. Regular practice will help you improve. Build up your activity level slowly to help you continue to get stronger, faster, or more flexible without pushing too hard all at once. Challenge yourself by lifting slightly heavier weights, adding a few more minutes to your walk, or increasing your pace. Mix up your workouts to keep things interesting and help prevent injuries or burnout. Show up regularly, even for short sessions, to help you continue to make progress.

What are the different types of exercise?

There are many different types of exercise. Before you start, check with your health care provider, especially if you have trouble moving, balancing, or worry that exercise might not be safe for you.

A few main types of exercise include:

Aerobic exercises such as walking, running, or swimming are sometimes referred to as cardio. This is short for cardiovascular exercise. These exercises increase your breathing and heart rate. They keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve your overall fitness. Strength, or resistance training, exercises use weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight to build stronger muscles. Balance exercises, such as tai chi or standing on one leg, improve your stability and coordination. They may make it easier for you to walk on uneven surfaces and help prevent falls. Flexibility exercises, such as stretching or yoga, help your joints move more easily and improve your posture.

Most people benefit from a combination of these types of exercises. Your provider can help you choose the best type or amount of activity for you based on your fitness level and health.

How can I fit exercise into my day?

Fitting regular exercise into your daily schedule may seem difficult at first. But you can start slowly and break your exercise time into chunks. Even small amounts of exercise can be helpful. You can work your way up to doing the recommended amount of exercise. How much exercise you need depends on your age and health.

To get started, you don't need fancy equipment, but having the right tools can make it easier and more fun. There are a variety of places where you can exercise and create a routine that fits your lifestyle. This includes:

At home. Dumbbells, kettlebells, a mat, or resistance bands are versatile and affordable options for strength training and stretching. A treadmill, a stationary bike, or a workout video are a few options for indoor cardio. A fitness center, gym, or health club. These places offer equipment, classes, and sometimes personal trainers for guidance and support. Ask if you can try the center before you join, and if staff are available to show you how to use the exercise equipment. Outdoors. Try riding a bike, walking your dog, or exploring local parks and trails. Dress for the weather and protect yourself from the sun. If safety is a concern, choose a well-lit neighborhood, a busy park, or even an indoor shopping mall for your walk.

Include activities that strengthen all parts of your body, especially your core, which are the muscles in your abdomen (belly), back, and hips. A strong core helps with balance and stability and can lower your risk of back injuries.

If you haven't exercised in a while, start slowly and talk to your provider if you have health concerns. If you don't feel right, or have any pain, extreme shortness of breath, or dizziness, stop exercising and seek help right away.

How can I stay motivated?

Even with the best intentions, it's easy to fall off track. Here are some ways to keep going:

Choose activities you enjoy. It's easier to make exercise a regular part of your life if you have fun doing it. Exercise safely. Use the proper equipment to prevent injuries, listen to your body, and don't overdo it. Give yourself goals. Your goals should be challenging, but realistic. It may be helpful to reward yourself when you reach them. The rewards could be something big, like new workout gear, or something smaller, such as a new water bottle or movie tickets. Mix it up. Try a new class, playlist, Podcast, or outdoor route when things get stale. Find an accountability partner. Exercise with a friend, join a group challenge, or check in with an online community. Use wearable technology. A pedometer or an app like a fitness tracker on your phone or other device can help you track your progress.

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Adult Activity: An Overview (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Core Exercises: Why You Should Strengthen Your Core Muscles (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish Interval Training: A Shorter, More Enjoyable Workout? (Harvard Medical School) Staying Active at Any Size (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish Strength Training: Get Stronger, Leaner, Healthier (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Stretching (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish Stretching: Focus on Flexibility (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish Three Moves for Functional Fitness (Harvard Medical School) Walking: Trim Your Waistline, Improve Your Health (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Weight Training: Do's and Don'ts of Proper Technique (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish Exercise Activity Calculator (American Cancer Society) MyPlate.gov (Department of Agriculture) Target Heart Rate Calculator (American Cancer Society) Data and Statistics for Physical Activity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) FastStats: Exercise or Physical Activity (National Center for Health Statistics) Definitions of Health Terms: Fitness (National Library of Medicine) Fitness: All Guides (Boston Children's Hospital) Getting Active (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

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