The Best Type of Exercise is the Same for Everyone

No, you didn’t read this incorrectly.  It’s true. There is one single answer that applies to all of us, regardless of gender, age, fitness background or logistics. The absolute best type of exercise is… Get ready… the one you’ll do. Seriously. Clients ask all the time what the best cardiovascular activity to engage in would be for weight loss. Or what’s the best thing to tone the abs?  Or how can I reduce the extra fat I seem to carry on my hips/thighs/belly? There is no one single activity that possibly be the only way to do ‘X’, certainly, but ultimately, if we choose an activity we actually enjoy versus one that feels punitive, it’s simply a lot more easy to make it a priority and make it a habit. We see new fitness trends in the form of different classes to get you sweating in a group setting; if this is what suits you, then go for it!  If, however you find that you prefer the solitude of a long run on the trails and abhor the idea of training with others right next to you, then the hot new dance cardio class may not be your best bet. Similarly, when a new client tells me how much they hate going to the gym, and then follows up the statement by mentioning that they just joined a great new gym near their house, we’ve got to take a step back an reassess. Think about kids playing on a playground.  They’re laughing, skipping, hopping and jumping and having an incredible amount of fun. So should we, when we’re doing our version of ‘play’; and that’s really what it is…play. Free time is so precious these days; why not spend it doing some form of physical activity we enjoy, which makes us smile, makes our bodies feel good and perpetuates good eating habits? Whatever it is you like to do that gets you moving, therefore, is truly the best form of exercise there is. For everyone.