2. It helps prevent injury

“Jumping straight back into exercise and going all out can lead to injuries,” warns Eliza Flynn, personal trainer and founder of The Warrior Method. “Give your body time to adapt to your new routine. If you plan on having a schedule that involves three workouts a week, either start with one and build up or lower the challenge and intensity to start with.”

3. It’s more sustainable

It’s often said that the most effective exercise is the one you’ll actually do – so making your goals realistic is key. This way, you’ll build consistency.

“The ideal when it comes to fitness and exercise is to make it consistent so you can form habits,” says Flynn. “Start with a manageable workout schedule that you can add to and remember you don’t have to jump into it straight away – you can build up to a new routine.”

Start by considering what your aims are – and build from there.

“Before you jump straight into a new exercise plan, it’s worthwhile to first define your WHAT (you want to achieve), WHY (you want to achieve it) and HOW (you are going to achieve it),” says Whitehouse. “This will help you devise a step-by-step plan to making improvements without feeling miserable along the way or running risk of ending up back where you started after just a few weeks.”

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