What type of Physical Activity suits you best?

If you’ve ever tried to start a new exercise program you will know that there are many different types of physical activity out there. So how do you know which one will suit you best and bring the most benefit and enjoyment. 

To break it down simply (and let you in on our best kept secret), the best type of physical activity is, the only you’re actually going to engage in regularly! If you are trying to complete an activity that you hate doing on a regular basis, the likelihood that you will continue this long term is very slim. Alternatively, if you have a form of physical activity that you are passionate and excited about that brings you joy, we are much more likely to keep participating long term. 

But how do you find which activity gets you pumped to jump out of bed in the morning? There can be a few different things to take into consideration, for example; do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities? To spend time by yourself or with other people in social situations? What time frame do you have available to complete physical activity? Having a think about each of these things can help form a picture about what type of physical activity may suit you best! 

Finding your style
When first starting out it can be a good idea to think about what types of physical activity you have enjoyed most in the past and what type of personality traits you possess. 
Some things to consider include; 

• Do you prefer activities in your life to be more structured or take a more casual approach?
• Are you someone who is driven and internally motivated to achieve your goals or do you perform better when held accountable by someone or something else like a team or training buddy? 
• Do you tend to get bored easily and like to constantly mix things up, or is sticking to a routine and structured lifestyle part of your day to day life? 
• Do you have flexibility in your schedule to be available at different times or do you need to try and squeeze in physical activity around your other commitments? 

Setting goals
When trying to find which type of activity is going to suit best it is important to think about your health, fitness and wellness goals and why you are wanting to start a regular physical activity program. This will help in both, learning which types of physical activity are going to best help you achieve your goals and reminding you throughout your program why it is important for you to continue. A few examples to help you get started are; 

• Wanting to widen your social circle and be held more accountable to exercise regularly = joining a local sporting competition in a sport that you find interesting but challenging enough that you will not become bored. 
• Improving your strength, function and balance to improve your quality of life, whilst having a regular outing each week = joining a local group fitness class where you can interact with people of similar ages and capacities whilst also improving your health and fitness.
• Wanting to lose weight and increase muscle mass whilst fitting in physical activity around a busy schedule = Find an exercise modality that you enjoy (walking, riding, high intensity interval training, strength training, etc) and book your physical activity time into your diary just as you would an appointment to ensure that you have time available in your day to complete it. 

Top tips: 

• Choose an activity that is suitable for your lifestyle and current capacity, so that you are not discouraged initially by undertaking an exercise that is too challenging. 
• You can try a few different types of exercise to find which one suits you best, there are so many out there, you will find one!
• Enjoyment is the key! Choose the activity that you enjoy not the one that you think is going to provide the most benefit for you! After all, any activity is better than none!

By Aleisha Michael
Accredited Exercise Physiologist

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