With summer well on its way in South Africa, many people are wondering how long does it take to get fit? You might be trying to get into shape for your well-deserved year-end holiday. Besides looking your best, being fit means participating in many activities without feeling winded or sore the next day!
But getting fit isn’t as easy as just going to the gym once or twice and seeing and feeling a difference in your body.
Also, it is a misconception that losing weight and looking toned means being fit! Fitness is about stamina.
Being fit means committing to exercise, healthy eating and drinking habits, and working toward a goal of being healthy and strong. So, how long would ‘fitness’ take for the average person?
At Least 12 Weeks
These days, we’ve been conditioned to think that getting fit not only doesn’t take much time, but is also as easy as buying a particular product. This is because there are so many scams and ‘magic formulas’ on the market.
The truth is that if you want to get fit, you are going to have to put the work in. There is no special pill or type of miracle exercise that will speed up the process. Getting into shape is a unique journey for each person and body type.
We are constantly inundated with adverts and fitness products that promise you results in 7 days – but seeing any result from proper diet and exercise should take nothing less than 12 weeks.
This means that your results are permanent and that you aren’t just losing water weight. Instead, you’re losing actual fat and gaining healthy muscle.
Remember that fitness and overall health are not a race – it is a lifelong journey that requires loads of perseverance.
Even when you reach your fitness goals, you will need to maintain your levels of fitness by constantly changing your fitness routine and committing to eating a well-balanced, healthy diet.
Unfortunately, getting unfit and falling into bad habits such as a sedentary lifestyle is easier than getting fit and will happen faster.
The Science Behind Getting In Shape
So, what happens when you start your fitness journey? Regular exercise allows you to decrease up to 3% of your body fat per month.
But, this will vary from person to person because many variables impact how much you lose and how safely you can lose weight in a specific timeframe.
These variables include:
- your gender,
- your age,
- your current activity level,
- your muscle mass, and
- your hormones.
All of these impact your metabolism.
When it comes to the weight loss aspect of fitness, losing no more than a kilo weekly is a safe and sound rule of thumb, says We’re Never Alone Blog.
How Long Is A Complete Workout?
Well, that depends on intensity. The time you spend exercising will vary depending on the amount of energy you are burning.
Walking is a low-intensity workout, but it is still worth doing if you are starting your fitness journey. Walking keeps you mentally alert and feeling good (getting those lovely endorphins), but the output of energy is low.
Walk for at least an hour to ensure you get your heart rate up and challenge your body a bit to increase your fitness level. You want to sweat.
However, a higher endurance workout like High-Intensity Interval Training should be as short as 20 minutes if you take fewer breaks in between.
How To Start A Routine Towards Fitness
Even if you have never had a fitness routine in your life, it is never too late to start taking care of your body and getting it to be the best it can be.
Remember, you can be fit and healthy in any shape or size. Getting your body moving and giving it the best nutrients is not about how you look, but about health and feeling good about yourself.
Start by writing down a workout schedule that includes 150 minutes of exercise for at least the first two months. Schedule 30-minute workouts five times a week, or two 15-minute workouts, five days a week.
Include backup days and times for your activities if you have to cancel one or more.
Create workout routines that raise your heart rate to a level that causes you to breathe harder than average, close to your maximum effort. Use exercise methods that increase your heart rate to moderate intensity or let you exercise for at least 15 minutes for the first several weeks.
Plan each day’s eating using food labels and online resources that give the calories for nonpackaged foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Spread your daily calories among breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks. Make sure you’re including a healthy amount of calories in your diet.
Then, increase the length of your workouts by five minutes each week until you can exercise for 30 minutes without stopping. Perform short intervals of high-intensity exercise during your workouts when you can exercise at a jogging speed for 30 minutes or more, which could take up to two months.
Add 30-second to 60-second bursts of high-intensity moves every 10 minutes, then every five minutes, as you improve your conditioning. Follow every interval with one or two minutes of slower recovery. Change your workouts every two weeks to avoid a plateau.
Medical Society is passionate about nutrition and fitness. Contact us today and find out how we can assist you in getting your lifestyle and fitness on track.
