The new year always brings the feeling of starting over. The gym is crowded, the running schedule is marked, the determination to live healthily rises like a new bud at the beginning of spring. But then, after a few weeks, many people give up. For busy people, the most difficult thing is not to start, but to maintain.
According to international fitness expert Yash Agarwal, an Indian fitness trainer working in the field of community health training, exercise is not a short-term race. “The healthiest person is not the one who exercises the most in a month, but the one who persists in simple habits every day,” he emphasized.
Here are 9 exercise habits for 2026
The first and most important habit is to prioritize consistency: No need to do heavy exercise every day. Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise, most days of the week, is enough to improve cardiovascular and metabolism. For couples, walking together in the evening or doing light exercises at home also helps connect the spirit.
Early warm-up and stretching are steps that cannot be ignored: Early warm-up helps muscles and joints wake up, stretching after exercise helps recovery. Ignoring these two steps, the risk of muscle tension and joint pain will increase, especially in middle-aged people.
A reasonable exercise regimen needs to combine cardio and strength: Cardio is good for the cardiovascular system, while strength training helps strengthen bones and strengthen muscles. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that this combination significantly reduces the risk of chronic disease.
Practice the right technique, don't follow the speed: "A standard move is worth more than ten wrong moves. This is something many people forget when they rush to burn fat at the beginning of the year," Yash Agarwal noted.
The fifth habit is to consider recovery as part of exercise: Rest is not laziness. Muscles only truly develop when resting. Light yoga, stretching or a full day of rest helps the body regenerate energy.
Drinking enough water all day is a simple principle but is often underestimated: A mild dehydration is enough to significantly reduce exercise performance, easily fatigue and headaches.
Exercise needs to go hand in hand with balanced nutrition: Protein helps restore muscles, complex carbohydrates provide energy, good fats protect the heart. Maintaining healthy meals is also a good way to nourish children's habits.
An intellectual habit is listening to body signals: Prolonged pain, excessive fatigue is a warning. “Training is not about enduring pain, but understanding one's limits,” Agarwal said.
Finally, set realistic and flexible goals: Skipping a workout is not a failure. Adjusting and continuing is bravery. The mindset of "all or nothing" only makes many people give up early.
New Year does not need flashy vows. Just small, regular habits, so that health becomes a solid foundation for family happiness throughout the year.
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