Even though burning legs and burning lungs feel like torture, the subsequent endorphin rush is well worth it. Not to mention that by incorporating just half an hour of exercise a day into your routine, you are reducing your risk of getting 13 different types of cancer (including cancer of he colon, breast, liver, and stomach)! This risk in cancer reduction is related to the fact that exercise boosts your immune system, regulates your hormones, and helps with weight control.
We’re not expecting you to become the next Eliud Kipchoge (although we’d recommend watching his movie, The Last Milestone, for some serious inspiration), but we do want to see you lacing up those running shoes (or the equivalent for swimmers, cyclists, and the like) and getting in some mileage!
As many of you have probably learned the hard way, going full throttle into exercise without being adequately conditioned is a recipe for injuries. So, for those of you that have put exercise on the backburner for a while (we totally get it, life is busy!), we’ve come up with a 4 week exercise plan that is a healthy mix of cardio and strength training. It will do wonders for your physical health and your mental health, it’s fun (yes, really), and it’s free!
*replace ‘walk’ with your aerobic exercise of choice (swim, run, cycle, dance!)
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| 30 minute walk | 30 minute Yoga for Beginners | 20 minute walk | 20 minute walk | 20 minute Hip Strength Pilates | 40 minute walk | 40 minute walk |
| 12 minute Core Conditioning | 20 minute walk | 20 minute walk | 40 minute Upper Body | 20 minute walk | 40 minute walk | 50 minute walk |
| 10 minute Full Body | 20 minute walk | 30 minute walk | 30 minute Full Body | 20 minute walk | 50 minute walk | 60 minute walk |
| 20 minute walk | 20 minute Full Body | 30 minute walk | 30 minute walk | 30 minute Full Body | 60 minute walk | 60 minute walk |
While you may feel good after these 4 weeks, don’t stop there! The intention of this plan is to guide you to make exercise an integral and sustainable part of your life so that you can fully reap the benefits for your body and mind. Next time you’re having a bad day, instead of reaching for your guilty pleasure (like a slab of chocolate or the TV remote), get outside (if you can) and get moving!
Below are some additional resources that will give you all the reasons you need to run (or swim, or walk, or cycle!):
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
