Building Stamina and Endurance for Exercise

Building Stamina and Endurance pushups

If you’re like most people who know that they should be exercising but struggle to make it a part of everyday life for various excuses that you have churned out – we’re on to you.

The most common excuse being lack of time. Well, we should have you know that exercise really does not require too much time at all. Short but effective workout sessions of about 30-45minutes every day are enough to keep your body healthy.

You can change up the intensity of the workout based on your fitness goals. A fun cardio workout like Zumba or Aerobics class is enough to keep your heart healthy but when you’re trying to lose weight, you need to be doing some intense weight and strength training.

Another excuse that people give for not exercising comes from a place of truth and that is the harsh truth – exercise hurts!

It does! You’re right! It’s meant to hurt. However, your pain and lack of stamina in your initial days is only indicative of how badly you need it. It is tempting to give up after your first few goes but what you need to be doing is using it as motivation to keep you going.

The weaker you are internally, the more difficult exercise is when you first begin. Instead of letting the fear of pain intimidate you, tell yourself that pain will get lessen with time as your body strengthens.

Building Stamina and Endurance

Building stamina requires you to lead a healthy lifestyle, watch what you eat and follow a proper exercise regime.

Here are some ways you can prepare your body for those first couple of intense and painful weeks of working out.

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These should help you increase stamina and build endurance.

  • Select an Aerobic Activity

Aerobic activities are of moderate intensity so they aren’t so harsh on your body. They’ll get your heart pumping and loosen your major muscles.

Aerobic exercises consist of cardio machines such as the treadmill, exercise bike and the elliptical. You can even choose to jog around the block or swim at your community pool.

Swimming is one of best ways to exercise as it’s gentle on your joints, requires you to use every muscle of the body while preventing your body from heating up. Provided you are putting power into your laps and doing the right exercises in the pool, you can lose weight through swimming.

  • Need some extra motivation?

Join a class with your friends, many aerobic activities like Zumba and Spinning are done in groups which make them fun. Don’t think of it as a workout, think of it as a way of hanging out with your friends.

  • Weight Training at home

Try and fit in some weight training into your daily schedule. Muscle training strengthens your muscles, regulates blood pressure, increases flexibility and improves balance.

You don’t need to go to the gym for this, there are simple muscle training regimes you can follow from the comfort of your home. You should be able to do basic muscle training using a stability ball, some small dumbbells, and a medicine ball.

  • Get enough sleep

Sleep plays a major role in weight-loss. The lack of sleep releases cortisol (the stress hormone) in your body which leads to inflammation and weight gain in the body. Not getting enough sleep also releases ghrelin in the body which causes you to eat more than you need to.

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Also, if you’re not getting enough sleep, you’ll find yourself feeling lightheaded after a bit of a workout. A good workout requires mental strength which is why you need all your sleep.

  • Ditch the junk food

Foods high in fats and sugar increase your calorie intake but also make you feel lethargic. Junk food consists of little to no nutritional value, it’s better for you to eliminate them from your diet as you switch to a healthier lifestyle.

  • Eating healthy

The importance of eating right cannot be emphasized enough when you’re trying to lose weight and also build stamina. You need to be consuming foods that fuel your body and provide you with the energy that can get you through an intense workout.

Prior to partaking in intense physical activity make sure you have switched to a diet rich in lean proteins and fruits and vegetables. The proteins help with building muscles while fruits and vegetables are loaded with all the necessary vitamins and nutrients to help your body function optimally. Foods with high contents of omega-3-fatty acids help with blood circulation and keep your heart healthy.

  • Drink Plenty of Fluids

You should be drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water a day. If you don’t drink enough then make it a point to carry around a water bottle, you’re more likely to be sipping on water when it’s with you the whole day.

You need to be upping your intake of water to replenish the lost fluids through sweating and to prevent dehydration and overheating of the body.

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