Regardless of your health or goals, everyone should include exercise in their life. The benefits are overwhelming: physical improvements, mental health, lower risk of disease, and looking great. And there are so many choices that there really is something for just about everyone. But how do you make sure that your routine is good? How can you ensure that nothing is missing? Time for some evaluation.

Goals, Goals, Goals

Have a seat, and take the time to look at your program. Write down what you do, how often you're doing it, and be detailed. Now, write down your goals for your fitness program.

Do you want to lose weight? Add muscle? Improve cardiovascular fitness? Run a 5K? Lower your blood pressure and cholesterol? Record all of your goals, or evaluate goals you've already written down. Has your current program helped you reach them? If you haven't reached your goals yet, have you made steps toward them with your program?

Evaluating your goals is the first step in analyzing if your exercise routine is missing something. Maybe you've made tremendous strides in reaching some of them, but others have gone to the wayside. Time to change it up!

The 3 Major Components

Every exercise routine should include the three major components of fitness: cardiovascular fitness, muscular fitness and flexibility training. Does your routine include all of these things? A big one people often skip is stretching after their workout. Stop it! After every workout take five to 10 minutes and stretch out the muscles you just worked. Stretching regularly can help you reduce the risk of injury, maintain or improve mobility and it feels really great on your body. You will get more out of your workout if your body is moving properly.

Another problem with your plan may be what your goals are, or how they are worded. Many people still believe that if they want to add muscle, they should skip the cardio. And others still believe that if they want to lose weight, they should hit the treadmill or elliptical and not worry about resistance exercise. Nope.

Cardiovascular fitness improves overall function, while you burn calories. Plus, it lowers your risk of disease. Now, those that are trying to build muscle may not do as much as those that are endurance athletes or those that want to lose weight, but you should be doing some.

Likewise, if you want to see changes to your physique and lower your body fat, resistance exercise is where it's at! Adding even moderate amounts of muscle to your body raises your metabolism so you can burn more calories, even while sitting on the couch. It is also what adds shape to your body, and increases your strength to perform everyday activities.

The Bottom Line

Don't neglect cardio, resistance or flexibility training. You may do a little more of one or the other to reach your fitness and health goals, but all should be included for a healthy, rounded, successful fitness routine.

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