Getting in Shape means different things to different people. Some belief it to be building a muscular body with big arms and chiseled abs. While others think it is shedding some weight and building a bit of muscle.
In most cases, getting in shape means growing stronger, adapting to physical stress, and handling high-intensity physical activities easily.
Factors That Determine How Long It Will Take to Get You in Shape?
Certain factors, such as your workout routines, dieting, and lifestyle habits, determine how long it will take for you to get into shape. Some of them are described below.
Exercising
Research by the University of Wisconsin showed that six weeks of working out is not enough to get fit. In the research, participants engaged in strength, control, and cardiovascular training for an average of 36 minutes a day, three days a week.
In essence, the amount of time you need to get into shape depends on your definition of “getting in shape.” The following are some popular definitions of being fit.
Body composition: Body composition is calculated using body fat quantity in relation to muscle mass. Healthy body composition for average adult males should have 18 to 24 percent of total body weight as fat mass. While average adult females should have 25 to 31 percent.
If you have lower than these percentages, you are fit and athletic, while higher percentages suggest that you are obese.
Flexibility: Flexibility describes your ability to move your body’s joints through a full range of motion, without pain or stiffness. Being flexible helps to increase balance and agility, prevent injury when working out or performing normal tasks, eliminate joint pain, etc.
Cardiorespiratory endurance: This is the ability of your cardiovascular and respiratory systems to function properly when performing strenuous activities. The ideal heart rate during workouts or other exerting activities is 220 beats per minute. However, it varies depending on your fitness level and medical condition, if you have any.
Muscular strength: This is your ability to make full use of your muscles. An example of this is doing 10 sets of 10 pushup reps at a stretch.
Muscular endurance: Muscular endurance describes how long you can engage in muscle-exerting activities, like weightlifting, before you fail. To illustrate, if you lift a weight for 40 seconds before your arms collapse, your muscle endurance for the weight is 40 seconds.
Dieting
Dieting can help you lose up to four pounds a week. However, it may not be unsustainable, so you may want to add another fitness routine. However, if you want to stick with your diet plan, reassess your lifestyle and pay close attention to what you eat.
Sleeping
Apart from exercising and dieting, you need sufficient quality sleep to get in shape. This is because your muscles do not grow when working out but when recovering. As a result, sleep is vital to getting into shape.
Conclusion
To begin, it is impossible to determine how long it will take you to get in shape. However, there are certain factors we can consider to make an estimation. These include your desired result, fitness routine, the intensity with which you work out, and your fitness level before you began working out.
Based on these factors, it may take between eight weeks and a few years to achieve your desired shape. Remember that getting in shape is a non-stop process. So, instead of working on a particular timeline, develop habits that will help you maintain your desired body shape.
