Best Work Out: The One You Enjoy

Best work out is the one you enjoy

The best work out is the kind of exercise that feels good for you no matter what the goals you are trying to achieve. As a personal trainer, I get people asking me every day what is the best work out, how long they should run or if swimming is good for weight loss, etc. The short answer to these questions is that they are all good for you.

The long answer however, is the reasons for it. Now I am the first to admit that I do not like running, even though I am a personal trainer. This is not the kind of exercise I like so why do it? To answer the question: the best work out  is simply the one you enjoy doing. I know people that go out running because they see other people out with amazing physiques and say ‘I want to look like that’ so they start running, too. The problem is that if you go running because you feel you have to then it will not have a positive effect on the body and will not be the best work out for you.

The best work out has to do with hormones

The hormone cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands and is basically a fight or flight hormone. If a lion were to appear and you would run faster than you ever have before and it would be down to a release of cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol is meant to rise and drop throughout the day: rising during times of stress or panic i.e. running for a bus or doing your best work out. Then cortisol drops when relaxed. If this hormone were to stay high for too long, it can have a negative effect on the body through muscle wastage and fat storage.

So when you decide to go for that run thinking it is the best work out but don’t really feel up to it, cortisol is released before the run has even started and will remain high for a longer period. If you went out for a run that is really your best work out (the one you enjoy), then there is no associated stress.  Cortisol will rise when doing your best work out and drop as soon as you have stopped.

So my best work out is really up to me

Think of it this way. If you find an exercise you like to do, you will be able to do it for a long time and want to do it often. Exercises you don’t like will cause high levels of cortisol and you will start making excuses to miss sessions. Experiment for some time while trying different exercises whether in the gym, outdoors, in classes, or sports and you will find one and maybe more activities. They all have the same effects on the body as it will result in calorie burn, weight loss and full enjoyment: best work out ever!

Stay healthy