What’s The Perfect Workout Routine? 

Just like with your diet — everyone’s body is different. We all respond differently to different programs, foods, etc. 

Of course, there’s a general, very baseline suggestion that you probably know already: the one suggested by the CDC. 150 minutes per week — spread out however you see fit. The default suggestion is 30 minutes, five times per week. But if you go on a rather long run (a half to full marathon, for instance) — that’s covered in one XL workout. 

The guidelines have also been updated to suggest not just the 150 minutes of aerobic activity (think: anything from yard work and walking the dog to basketball and swimming) plus two days per week of muscle-strengthening activity.

You can mix it up. It doesn’t have to be five days a week of 30-minute moderate-intensity sessions. You can do a little moderate, a little vigorous, a little muscle-training. 

AND! If you’re at a more intense level, you can up the intensity and cut the time in half (we’ll get to details on safety in a moment). Think: 75 minutes per week of higher intensity workouts (25 minutes three times a week, 15 minutes five times a week, or a blast of 75 minutes all at once if you’re on the advanced side).

Up to five times per week: To get started with a few days of aerobic per week, try mixing things up with circuits, cardio, dance, and kickboxing. 

Up to two times per week: Toning, strength, Pilates, and barre will help you round out your routine with some muscle-strengthening exercise. 

How Many Days Should YOU Work Out Each Week? 

That really comes down to your personal plan, pre-existing conditions and injuries, and goals. It’s also extremely important to not “level up” too quickly. If you’ve been at a low-intensity, beginner level for a while, don’t just jump right into high-intensity, advanced exercises and training because you’re trying to make up for lost time! That’s not great for your body.

“There is a sweet spot for each person that considers both the amount of exposure to exercise they need in order to spark a change in the body and the amount of rest they need to avoid injury and overtraining,” says Dr. Liz Letchford, Ph.D., MS, ATC, injury-prevention expert, and athletic trainer. 

Her bottom line: quality over quantity, safety over intensity. “More training days are not better for reaching your goals,” says Dr. Letchford. “Find a rhythm that allows you to see progress -— maybe it’s two to three times per week of training — that doesn’t come at the expense of your nervous system.” What does that mean? Putting yourself at risk for injury, not recovering properly, causing inflammation, and even giving yourself overtraining syndrome. 

“If you are training hard six or seven times per week without adequate recovery, this might be to blame for your frustration around not achieving your goals,” she says. 

Don’t Overdo It!

Part of finding the perfect regimen is to ease into it. Dr. Letchford warns you to not overdo it. “When someone comes to me with an insidious onset injury, I ask them what their training routine has been like for the past two weeks,” explains Dr. Letchford. “If they had a sudden increase in days or intensity of their training, usually I will see an injury occurring about 10 days after they started ramping up the intensity.”

Dr. Letchford says that “In order for training to be effective, a certain amount of overload must be achieved. Training must be consistently and increasingly more difficult as it progresses.” Again: ramp up to something that your body (that means muscles, bones and joints, lungs, heart, and nervous system!) is ready for. And as she mentioned — recovery is essential, too.

Bottom Line

So aim for about 150 minutes of lighter exercise — spread out however works for your schedule. A 15-minute walk in the morning and 15 minute cardio sesh at lunch can do the trick! Then a couple times a week, work on your muscles. Remember to be kind to your body, don’t overdo it, and recover well. You’re in it for the long-haul — so treat your routine like a marathon, not a sprint! 

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Exercise Helps Boost Mood, According to Science 

That energy rush and happy feelings after a workout are no coincidence or placebo. Exercise produces the hormones and neurotransmitters (like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins) that increase your mood, memory, energy levels, and overall sense of well-being. In addition, simply finishing the task of exercise sends signals to your brain to feel accomplished and boosts your confidence in yourself for completing tasks and meeting your goals. 

Any exercise can help improve your mood. However, we have a lot of moods (some of us more than others, which is totally normal and beautiful). There are specific workouts that can be more effective at getting you out of your individual slump than others. 

Whether you’re feeling scattered or down and out, we put together a list of five different mood-boosting workouts to turn around your day so you can be the boss that you are, no matter what may be holding you back. 

5 Feel-Good Workouts That Will Boost Your Mood in Under 30-Minutes 

#1 Pumping Iron to Get Your Brain Working For You 

Feeling foggy and just can’t seem to focus? Weight training has been proven to fight cognitive impairment and even boost the creation of new neurons. Pick up a set of weights and try a circuit workout that combines strength training with cardio for an extra boost in endorphins. 

We love Breann Mitchell’s 21-minute Full Body Strength workout, which targets all your major muscle groups to build definition and give you that extra oomph to bust through our day. 

#2 Yoga to Give You Those Happy Feels 

If you’re out of sorts and your mind is racing, it’s time to start getting in a little “Om” time. Yoga has been shown to help ease feelings of stress and anxiety, according to recent studies, making it one of our favorite go-to feel-good workouts.

The deep breathing we do in yoga also increases oxygen in the body, giving the brain the nutrients it needs to fire up. If you’re new to yoga, Sydney Benner’s 16-minute Daily Yoga is the perfect place to start to begin feeling yoga’s benefits. Want a little extra challenge? 

Try Vytas’ 23-minute Balance and Focus routine that uses longer holds and balancing poses to challenge you mentally and physically. 

Though a yoga class may boost your mood right away or leave you feeling more relaxed, consistency is key. Strive to make a commitment to making yoga a regular part of your fitness routine! The best may be yet to come when it comes to the mood-boosting and calming benefits of yoga. 

#3 Interval Training to Produce Feel-Good Hormones

Feel like there’s a heavy cloud over your head? Get out of that funk quickly with a quick HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workout. Getting your heart rate elevated is like hitting the boost button that releases endorphins in your body, which give you all the feel-good vibes. 

A study showed that regular high-intensity workouts had a positive impact on cognitive performance. Pushing yourself beyond where you thought your body could go also gives you a sense of accomplishment that will put that pep back into your step. 

Try this 28-minute Tabata Strong workout with Danielle Pascente to not only burn fat and build muscle but to improve your move. 

#4 Dance to Release Your Inner Child

To feel free like a little kid again. No responsibilities. Sounds like the life. We wish we could take away all your adulting responsibilities, but we can do second best. Oh yeah, let’s boogie! If you’re ready to feel the rhythm, press play on any of our fun dance workout videos. 

Dancing has been proven to not only increase endorphins through cardiovascular exercise, but it has also been shown to reduce the stress hormone, cortisol. 

When you let yourself feel the music and express yourself through movement, it can help you relive those times where you were purely you, without any of the world’s opinions or judgments. 

The nice part — you can do this privately in your living room, or even bedroom, if you want. Go ahead, dance like no one’s watching (because they aren’t)! 

#5 Pilates to Help You Sleep Better

When you get a good night’s sleep, you feel like you can conquer anything the day throws at you. When you don’t, well, it can make even the little things feel that much harder. To get more good nights than bad, try adding in Pilates to your workout routine. It’s one of those feel-good workouts that has too many benefits to ignore.

A study found a connection between Pilates and improved mood and sleep quality in college students giving us yet another reason to consider adding more Pilates into our lives!

Try a 23-minute Pilates Head to Toe class with Cassey Ho.

Finding The Good in The Meh

If you feel like you’re in a funk, we totally get it, and we want you to know you’re not alone. Our mental health is just as important as our physical, so making sure you honor your feelings and allow yourself to process negative emotions is a healthy, but not always easy, part of being human. However, if you’re feeling more than a little off, we highly recommend you talk to a medical professional about it. A little chat never hurts, right?

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If you’re tired, sore, bloated, uninspired, or drained, the right workout can bring you back to life and help you conquer your next deadline, task, meeting, or you guessed it, training day. 

We’re breaking down the most popular daily discomforts, so many of us deal with and giving you exercise recommendations for each. Right here, right now.  

The Best Workouts For When You’re Feeling…

#1 Stressed or Anxious and Need Help Reframing Your Mind

When we feel overwhelmed, our minds can get the best of us. When we go into a place of stress, our breathing becomes shallow and irregular, which reduces the amount of oxygen in the body and disconnects us from our internal source, and we’re unable to receive the good in our lives. 

But, when creating an exercise routine, you can be intentional about which workouts you choose on days where you’re feeling stressed or anxious.

Try: Focusing on your breath and using visualizations is one of the most powerful ways to reframe your thoughts and come back into a good energy space. This is exactly what Julianne Hough teaches you in her 12-minute KINRGY Aether Receiving routine that focuses on the breath, movement, and visualizations to bring your back into the light. 

#2 Frazzled and Want to Let Off Some Steam 

Sometimes our minds can go in a million directions, our emotions can get the best of us, and we just want to, well, scream. Go ahead — we fully support you screaming into your pillow. But maybe just as, if not more, productive is to press play on a high energy workout. 

Try: Breann Mitchell’s 14-minute Cardio Kickboxing routine. This workout uses the power of boxing to get your heart rate up and help you refocus your negative emotions into your workout to clear and release them. 

#3 Burnt Out and Craving an Afternoon Pick-Me-Up 

Exercise improves your circulation, which brings more oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, increases your happy hormones (serotonin and dopamine), and releases endorphins. The result? A powerful and natural energy boost. However, when you’re feeling burnt out, doing an intense HIIT workout or lifting weights may feel like a stretch. Luckily, you can get the same benefits by doing a moderate workout. 

Try: Jeanette Jenkins 21-minute Low Impact Cardio Blast. 

#4 Bloated and Need Some Relief  

When you feel bloated or are suffering from indigestion, the last thing you usually want to do is move. However, including some gentle exercise, like yoga, may help release the discomfort and get things moving. Yoga also stimulates your circulation and has been shown to help ease feelings of stress and anxiety. 

Try: Relaxing yoga workouts, like Sydney Benner’s 16-minute Peaceful Seated Yoga class when creating an exercise routine based on what your body needs most.

#5 Sore and Tight and Want to Stretch it out

When we’re feeling sore and tight, it can be tempting to stay sedentary until it passes. Unfortunately, this can backfire. Some light stretching can actually decrease the amount of time you’re feeling post-workout soreness or tightness from sitting all day long. 

Try: Vytas’ 18-minute Stretch to Restore routine. While creating your exercise routine that’s unique to your individual needs, don’t forget to add some stretch days into the mix!

Here’s to Creating an Exercise Routine That Helps You Feel Your Best

Some days your body may be telling you to take it easy, and we think you should always listen to it. However, a lot of the time, some of the right types of movement can help your body and mind feel better quicker. When this is the case, always start with some light movement and always tune in to your body’s needs when creating your exercise routine. You’ll be surprised how amazing you feel after, especially when you’re selecting workouts based on what your mind and body may need that day. Heck, you may even be inspired to workout longer! 

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It may sound counterintuitive, but the secret to staying energized is moving more. Of course, doing too much of a good thing can backfire. But the right type of workouts can give you the added boost you need to conquer the afternoon slump. Why? We thought you’d never ask!

4 Ways Exercise Gives You Energy  

#1 Enhances Blood Flow Carrying Oxygen and Nutrients to Muscle Tissue to Help Improve Energy Production

When you’re stuck sitting at your desk for too long, your circulation decreases. With less blood flow going to your muscles, you start to feel lethargic. The fix? Easy, get moving!

#2 Release Endorphins to Give You The Happy Feels

Endorphins are produced by the central nervous system and the pituitary glands and act on the opiate receptors in the brain. They reduce pain and increase those happy feelings that keep you motivated during a long day. The more you move, the more you produce. 

#3 Improves Sleep, So You Feel More Rested

Without your afternoon caffeine boost, there’s a good chance you’ll already start sleeping better. Adding in a good ‘ole sweat session and you’ll be out like a baby. Exercise increases your body temperature, and the drop in temperature you get afterward may help you fall asleep. 

#4 Helps Manage Stress, So You Have More Bandwidth For Good Thoughts

Along with improving your feel-good chemicals (see #3), exercise also reduces the amount of stress hormones, adrenaline, and cortisol, in your body. This is the perfect natural cocktail to help you clear your mind so you can stay focused. 

5 Energizing Workouts To Give You A Pep In Your Step

When should you press play on these energizing workouts? If you know, you tend to hit a wall around 3 p.m., plan your workout for around 1:30 or 2 p.m. If it varies, simply get up and get your sweat on when you start to notice your productivity decrease.  

#1 6-Minute Energizer Stretch with Caroline Pearce 

When you only have a few minutes in between your afternoon meetings, this is the perfect go-to workout to keep you on your A-game. The dynamic stretches in this workout will increase your blood circulation, fire up your muscles, and unlock any tight muscles cramping your style. 

#2 13-Minute Cardio Pilates with Cassey Ho 

This low-impact workout will get your heart rate up enough so you’ll release the endorphins needed to push through the rest of your day without completely wearing you out. Not only will you feel amazing, but it’s also a great addition to any fitness routine to help strengthen and tone.  

#3 22-Minute Full Body Yoga with Sydney Benner

Research has shown that yoga may help ease feelings of anxiety and create a more positive mood, which is a huge part of supporting better energy levels. Give this total body workout a try that focuses on poses and sequences that work the body, mind, and heart. 

#4 20-Minute Cardio Body Blitz with Brendon Ayanbadejo 

When you want a good mid-day sweat, get your blood pumping and endorphins soaring in this non-stop, full-body cardio workout. This one will give you that post-workout glow to get you through the rest of your busy schedule. 

#5 18-Minute Dance Cardio Kickbox with JJ Dancer

What do you get when you combine kickboxing, hip hop, and strength exercises? One seriously energizing workout. Having fun and doing a workout you love is one of the best ways to get an energy and confidence boost. This routine will definitely get you feeling like a total boss. 

Being Energized Comes From Doing What You Love 

The best way to naturally perk up? Finding movement that lights you up. When you have a workout to look forward to that you have a ton of fun doing, the amazing energy boost you get from exercise becomes that much greater. So whether it’s dancing to Beyonce in your living room, kickboxing, yoga, HIIT, Pilates, or any other type of workout, ditch the coffee, get your sweat on, and notice how you go from “bleh” to “let’s conquer the world!” 

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RELATED: How Much Cardio? Guidelines For Health and Weight Loss 

But First: The Benefits of Cardio 

Whether you think you enjoy cardio or not, it’s a vital part of your fitness routine. Cardio is more than a means to burn calories; it also helps sculpt muscle tone and supports hypertrophy, supports heart health, gives your brain a boost, and improves mood, focus, and productivity. 

However, you have to do enough to experience these benefits. This is why it’s so important to find a style of cardio that you actually enjoy (and we promise, it does exist). The CDC recommends getting at least 150 minutes of low to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise per week. How you choose to split up your time is up to you! 

Studies show longer durations of exercise can be just as effective as short sessions. It’s about finding the right balance to fit your schedule, lifestyle, goals, and preferences. If you get bored or tired after 30 minutes of exercise, fitting in 90 minutes of cardio on a Saturday morning may not feel inspiring to you. 

How To Do Home Cardio Without Running

Ready to see how you can get cardio in without having to go for a run? Here are our top cardio alternatives to running that can be done at home, without equipment. 

#1 Try Kickboxing to Let Off Some Steam

You can be a lover and still get a thrill putting up a little fight. Kickboxing is a full-body workout that requires endurance, speed, and power. Full-extension punching and kicking take a lot of force, which means you’re recruiting multiple muscles at once and core stability strength with every move. This will fire up your muscles in your arms, shoulders, back, abs, butt, and legs, all while burning some major calories. Kickboxing can be modifiable for any level, whether you need to take it down a notch or want to bring on the heat. 

#2 Make It Short and Sweet With HIIT 

If you have a busy schedule or just don’t want to spend a lot of time working out, say hello to HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training). You can do more in less time because HIIT workouts create an “afterburn” effect. By combining short bursts of all-out effort with brief rest periods, your body ends up burning more calories up to 48 hours after your workout is done during the recovery process. HIIT is also a super effective way to build muscle with your own body weight. HIIT workouts usually include a combination of compound and plyometric, or explosive, movements, think jump squats, burpees, mountain climbers, and jump lunges that require muscular strength. 

RELATED: Hate Burpees? Try These 7 Effective Burpee Alternatives 

#3 Turn It Into a Dance Party

Love to boogie? Turn up the volume on a dance workout video for an awesome cardio workout that will feel like a party. Dancing does more than help you break a sweat. When you listen to music you love, it can give your creativity and memory a boost, which has an anti-aging effect on your body. Letting loose without judgment reduces stress. Dancing also challenges you cognitively since you have to focus on the movement patterns. And don’t be discouraged if you’re not catching on to them right away. Muscle memory is learned by repetition, so just keep on dancing! 

#4 Get All the Results With None of the Impact

Getting your heart rate up doesn’t have to be hard on your joints. Whether you suffer from knee, hip, or back pain or just want to avoid it, low-impact cardio workouts can be an effective form of home cardio. And walking or cycling aren’t the only forms of low-impact cardio. Certain styles of interval training, Pilates, Barre, and circuit training will give you the benefits of cardio while also sculpting muscle tone.  

Get Started With These Cardio Alternatives to Running

We can’t think of anything that can make a home cardio workout more fun than doing them with the guidance of an inspiring fitness expert. That’s why the FitOn app has a library of quick, free (zero running required) cardio workouts for you to do anywhere, anytime. 

If you haven’t joined our community yet, sign up for free and get access to unlimited free workouts, including those cardio without running workouts you’ll look forward to! 

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Want to feel like a million bucks and get shapely legs? Here are five mood-boosting workouts that’ll keep you lean and toned, while simultaneously helping you to reduce stress!

5 Mood-boosting Workouts to Consider Fitting Into Your Workout Schedule 

#1 Jogging

Studies suggest that aerobic exercises like running and jogging may ease feelings of anxiety. Set yourself up with a great cardio playlist that makes you feel happy and upbeat, and try a new jogging path in a visually stimulating area (like along the beach, for example). You’ll be melting stress away and getting lean (win, win!) 

#2 HIIT

High-intensity interval training, is a form of interval training where you have short bursts of high-intensity exercise that gets your heart pumping followed by short periods of rest. 

Research suggests that HIIT may boost overall mood, making it one of our go-to mood-boosting workouts when we’re in need of a mood pick me up!

Ready to get started with some HIIT training? Here are some fun and sweat-dripping FitOn classes to try: 

• Met Fit HIIT with Bree Koegel 
• HIIT Express with Danielle Pascente 
• Total Body Training with Kenta Seki 

#3 Hiking

Studies have shown a strong connection between spending time in nature with some positive mood-boosting effects. Try finding a hiking trail in a beautiful, scenic location surrounded by trees and natural beauty! That fresh air will do you good. 

If you aren’t able to hike or don’t have access to hiking trails at the moment, you can also bring nature indoors by listening to sounds of waves crashing or birds chirping while you complete your workout! 

If you can get outside, try bringing your yoga mat out and do a centering FitOn yoga routine to bring on some serious inner Zen. 

Here are some great classes to get started with. 

• Rise & Shine Yoga with Sydney Benner 
• Level Up and Flow with Elise Joan 
• Heart Opening Flow with JVN

#4 Dance

Time to hit the (living room) club! Dance has been shown to positively impact mood, and is a totally fun way to burn some cals! Try FitOn’s Dance or Barre classes like Take Flight Dance with Sydney Benner to get you moving, grooving, and getting in shape while releasing those mood-boosting endorphins!

#5 Yoga

There’s probably a reason yogis are so chill. Yoga has been shown to help reduce feelings of anxiety and have a positive effect on the brain, so if you’re looking for a more low-impact, and relaxing , yoga is a great pick! 

Plus, yoga is great for stress reduction, muscle toning, and injury prevention, while also being one of our favorite mood-boosting workouts!

Stress Less, Work Out More

While exercise is great for weight loss and overall cardiovascular health, the mental health benefits and stress reduction are some of the best benefits of establishing a solid exercise regime. 

Above all else, engaging in workouts you love and enjoy doing will have the most profound impact on your mood, so what are you waiting for? Get going on those mood-boosting workouts and soak up that endorphin rush now!

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