Most experts agree that some exercise is better than none — because the health benefits of exercise far outweigh a sedentary lifestyle. So you know you’d like to commit to more regular exercise as a way of ensuring healthier living. But how do you start an exercise routine?

The library of different exercise routines makes getting started quite overwhelming. While it’s best to seek out a diverse set of exercises for maximum benefit, consider first your personal fitness goals. Are you looking to lose weight? Become stronger? Improve overall physical fitness? This guide will help you answer those questions and get you started on the best (or a better) workout schedule and set of exercise routines to fit your unique life and lifestyle. 

The two types of exercise routines

Broadly speaking, there are two types of exercise: 

• Aerobic exercises are rhythmic activities sustained for long periods of time, such as running, swimming, and hiking. These types of exercises rely on oxygen as an energy source. 
• Anaerobic exercises include short, intense bursts of activity and include activities like powerlifting and sprinting. These activities do not require oxygen as an energy source and instead break down glucose stores for energy. 

What are the health benefits of exercise?

Regular physical activity has undeniable health benefits: 

• Whether you’re engaging in aerobic or anaerobic exercises, there is a strong, positive impact on cardiovascular health, metabolism, and mental health.
• Aerobic exercises increase cardiac output by four times and prevent cardiac aging. 
• Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or “good cholesterol.” 
• Regular exercise has a significant positive impact on glucose regulation and can reduce risk for type 2 diabetes. ‍
• Blood lactate, although once perceived as a toxic by-product from exercise fatigue, has gained traction as a potentially beneficial molecule. Through physical fitness, many are optimizing blood lactate levels for a variety of benefits — such as muscle regeneration, hunger suppression, and improvements in mental health. 
• Exercise also benefits mental health and can increase β-endorphins (our body’s natural pain reliever). 

What’s the right exercise routine for me? 

Overall, exercise can help us stay fit and healthy. But depending on the person and their goals, some exercise routines might be a better fit than others. However, it is important to note that one type of exercise is not necessarily better than another. As a matter of fact, adopting a diverse workout routine will provide the best improvements in physical fitness. 

Heart rate zones

One way to identify the benefits of varying degrees of aerobic exercises is to separate them into heart rate zones: 

• Low intensity exercises, such as casual walks or an easy bike ride, aim for a 50-60% max heart rate. 
• To optimize weight loss and fat burning, experts recommend entering Zone 2 cardio, or 60-70% max heart rate, for extended periods of time (30 minutes or more). The feeling of Zone 2 cardio might be familiar to you: it feels like you can run, swim, or bike “forever.” 

While many aim to lose weight and burn fat as their primary exercise goals, experts advise individuals to look toward overall physical fitness rather than just weight loss. This includes improving (1) cardiorespiratory fitness (the ability for our hearts and lungs to provide oxygen to the muscles); (2) mitochondria (the cells that provide energy for our body) health; and (3) glucose metabolism. 

High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

One exercise regimen that combines the benefits of weight loss and cardiorespiratory fitness is high-intensity interval training (HIIT): 

• HIIT is a popular exercise regimen that involves short bouts of high intensity exercises alternating between low- and high-energy output. While many types of Zone 2 cardio require regimens that are 30 minutes or more in duration, HIIT can be completed in just 10 minutes — making it attractive for those who lead particularly busy lives. 
• Since diversity in a workout routine is important, one appealing aspect of HIIT is that it takes advantage of both aerobic (recovery phases) and anaerobic (high-intensity phases) activities.  ‍
• The benefits of HIIT are numerous. For example, HIIT helps mitigate high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes, and is effective in reducing abdominal/visceral fat mass. 
• In a meta-analysis examining adolescents aged 11-18, researchers have found that HIIT significantly improves cardiorespiratory fitness compared to not exercising or engaging in moderate, continuous exercise. (However, this data should be examined carefully. The authors demonstrated that there is no difference in the effectiveness of HIIT when comparing overweight/obese adolescents with those in a healthy weight bracket. This is not to say that HIIT is ineffective, but rather that the benefits of HIIT do not differ for those at a healthy weight vs. those who are overweight/obese.) 
• Interestingly, one study did compare HIIT with moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in obese individuals. While this study did not observe changes in body weight, both HIIT and MICT improved cardiorespiratory fitness, insulin sensitivity, and skeletal muscle metabolics. 

Resistance training

Resistance training (a form of anaerobic exercise), also called strength training, is often used to increase muscle mass and strength. However, research suggests there is a time and place for maximum benefits: 

• One group of scientists performed a meta-analysis of studies examining the effect of training load (i.e., maximum reps; higher reps = lighter weights, lower reps = heavier weights) during resistance training. They found that regardless of training load, participants saw increases in muscle mass. However, muscle strength improved the most for participants in higher training loads.
• Researchers also found that untrained individuals exhibited a greater increase in muscle mass compared to those with previous training experience, suggesting diminishing returns in muscle gain in experienced individuals. However, those with prior training experience show greater gains with an increased number of training sessions.

Combining different ways of exercising (and moving)

With all the benefits of these exercise routines, the best plan is to seek out a combination of activities to optimize physical fitness:

• In a group of postmenopausal, obese women, scientists compared the body composition of the participants after MICT, HIIT, or HIIT plus resistance training. Interestingly, all exercise regimens were effective at reducing weight. HIIT was the most effective at reducing abdominal fat mass; and while resistance training did not augment the effect, it had the added benefit of increasing muscle mass. 
• Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT) is one of the strongest correlates for the adverse effects of obesity. One meta-analysis suggests that both aerobic and resistance training is effective at reducing SAT. The largest reduction in SAT was observed with aerobic exercise. 

Since all exercises have health benefits, it can’t hurt to try them out and see how they fit your fitness goals. Engaging in a variety of these activities can allow one to take advantage of the diverse set of benefits each exercise provides. 

How to start an exercise routine 

Selecting and starting an exercise routine can be challenging. While the information out there can be overwhelming, getting a foot in the door can open up many opportunities for better physical fitness. Here are a few tips on how to start an exercise routine:

• Identify clear and actionable fitness goals. Remember that while weight loss can be a goal, overall physical fitness and metabolic health is critical. If you’re overweight/obese, shooting for a weight loss goal can be beneficial, but speak to your doctor about healthy body composition and energy levels. Becoming overly focused on a number on a scale can often do more harm than good. A fitness goal aimed at better physical and metabolic health will ultimately help you stick with your workout routine. 
• Benchmark your current physical fitness level — including your BMI, heart rate, and strength (i.e., how many pushups can you do?). 
• Manage your time effectively. The American Heart Association recommends 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Since some exercise is better than none, having an organized calendar can help you commit to hitting the recommended amount of exercise. Interestingly, experts recommend exercising before and after a meal for the greatest benefits. 
• There’s no rush to hit your fitness goals immediately. Consistency is key. Start slow and steady, without going over your limit. 
• Monitor your progress. In this day and age, there is a plentiful variety of equipment, apps, and software that will help you track your progress. Seeing steady progress can be a big motivator for sticking with your exercise regimen. ‍
• Find a friend to start a workout program with you. Having that extra push from a friend can not only motivate you to get started with an exercise regimen, but can also give you that extra push when things get tough. 
• Have fun and be creative with your exercise routine! Even with the few types of exercises we’ve outlined here, there are many different combinations to try. Getting bored of sprinting during your HIIT sessions? You can try jump rope or burpees to add some variety. 
• Even with the best plans, many of us can hit a wall with our exercise regimen. See our guide, How to break a weight loss plateau, for some creative tips involving both exercise and dietary choices.

Key takeaways

The variety of exercise routines available to us is a great reminder that diversity in our workout routines will ultimately lead to better physical fitness. If you don’t enjoy a particular workout, there are many others to choose from and it can be fun to piece together a combo that works for you. The key to starting an exercise routine is to create an organized plan based on an evaluation of your personal goals. Remember: some exercise, and any movement, is better than none. When you combine regular movement with a nutritious diet and plenty of sleep, healthier living is yours to enjoy.