The busy persons’ guide on how to create your own workout plan without a personal trainer
- 11 Minute Read
Whether you call it exercise, physical activity, or just moving around, learn how to create your own workout plan that fits your busy, everyday life. No matter what you enjoy or what physical challenges or time limits you face, we can all learn to like staying active. The secret is discovering activities you like, are willing to make time for, and can do without pain or injury.
Key Takeaways
- A solid workout plan mixes 3 types of exercise: cardio, strength-training exercises, and stretching or balance moves.
- Most adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate activity and 2 days of strength training each week. Every minute counts!
- Doing too much, too soon, is the most common mistake for beginners, so it's best to change only one thing at a time.
- The best exercise routine is the one you enjoy and can stick with, whether it's walking, dancing, hiking, lifting weights in your living room, or something else that gets you moving.
- MyNetDiary lets you log workouts, see calories burned, and sync steps from your fitness tracker, making your exercise and calorie budget work together seamlessly.
Let's be honest–"workout plan" might make some of us want to hide under a blanket with a bag of chips. The good news? You don't need a personal trainer, a fancy gym, or matching workout gear to create your own workout plan. You just need a little know-how and a few simple steps.
In this guide for the busiest of people, you'll learn how to create your own workout plan–how much to move, which exercises to pick, and how to build a workout schedule you'll actually follow.
Why create your own workout plan?
A custom program you build yourself fits your life, your body, and your likes. And the payoff is huge! Sit less, stand more, and walk more because being sedentary is frankly a health risk. Being active and fit, even with a higher body weight, protects and prolongs health.
Regular exercise can help you:
- Manage your weight better
- Build stronger bones and muscles
- Boost your mood, ease stress, and sleep better
- Lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers
- Improve your balance and lower your chances of falling
Tip: Curious about how exercise affects your calorie budget, how to use the Step Bonus feature, or how fitness devices sync with MyNetDiary apps? Read "How to plan your calories for weight loss or gain with MyNetDiary."
What workout exercises should your plan include?
Think of the 3 basic types of exercise (cardio, strength training, and flexibility/balance) as a balanced meal. Each one brings something different to the table, and you should include all of them when creating your own workout plan:
Aerobic activity (cardio)
Cardio gets your heart pumping and your breathing going. They're great for your heart and help burn calories. Try brisk walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, or jogging. If walking is your thing, try these tips to level up your walking workout plan.
Strength-training exercises
Strength training, a.k.a. resistance training, makes your muscles push or pull against a force or load, whether that's weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight. It builds muscle and bone, helps your body handle blood sugar, and helps you hang on to muscle while you lose weight. To get more bang for your buck, try compound exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, and rows.
Flexibility and balance exercises
These moves stretch your muscle groups, ease stiffness, and help you stay steady on your feet. You can explore yoga, tai chi, Pilates, or simple stretches. Bonus: they feel amazing after a long day at a desk!
How much exercise do you need each week?
Most major health organizations suggest similar exercise guidelines. These tips can help you reduce health risk; they aren't designed for athletic training. Instead, they're about helping you live longer, healthier lives with a lower risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.
| Type of activity | Weekly goal | What it could look like |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate cardio | At least 150 minutes | Brisk walk for 30 minutes, 5 days a week |
| Vigorous cardio | At least 75 minutes | Jog for 25 minutes, 3 days a week |
| Strength training | 2 or more days | Squats, push-ups, and rows on Monday and Thursday |
| Flexibility and balance | A few days, if you can | 10 minutes of stretching or yoga |
You know the best part? You don’t have to tackle everything at once! A 10-minute walk after breakfast, lunch, and dinner counts just the same as one 30-minute walk. Even a few minutes here and there add up!
On strength days, go for full-body workouts that work your legs, hips, back, belly, chest, shoulders, and arms. Be sure to give each muscle group a rest day before you hit it hard again.
Tip: Use MyNetDiary to help plan and track your activity.
How to create a workout plan in 5 simple steps
Ready to build your plan? Grab a notebook or your favorite workout planner app, and let's go!
Step 1: Set a SMART goal
Saying "I'll exercise more" is as vague as saying "I'll eat healthier." It sounds nice, but too fuzzy to follow. To be effective, goals need to be clear. Think a SMART goal: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. Here's a "SMART" example: "I will walk briskly for 30 minutes after work on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next 4 weeks."
Step 2: Pick activities you actually like
If you hate running, don't plan to run! Pick things you enjoy, or at least don't mind doing. Love music? Try dancing. Love the outdoors? Go hiking or biking. Love to chat? Grab a walking buddy. Even chores like raking leaves and scrubbing floors count to get your heart pumping and muscles moving! See more in "Housework Burns Calories."
Step 3: Build your weekly workout schedule
Put your training sessions on your calendar, just like any appointment. When it's scheduled, it's harder to skip. Here's a sample beginner workout plan you can copy and tweak. It gives you about 150 minutes of cardio, 2 strength days, and time to stretch–just what the pros recommend!
| Day | Workout | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength: squats, wall push-ups, and planks | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Tuesday | Brisk walk | 30 minutes |
| Wednesday | Brisk walk, then stretching | 30 minutes, plus 10 minutes |
| Thursday | Strength: lunges, band rows, push-ups, and glute bridges | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Friday | Bike ride or dance workout | 30 minutes |
| Saturday | Fun cardio: hike, swim, or bike with friends | About 60 minutes |
| Sunday | Rest or an easy stroll | Your call |
Want a different setup? The 3-2-1 workout method is another easy way to plan your week.
Step 4: Start low and go slow with the FITT principle
The most common mistake newbies make is doing too much, too soon. You go all out on first day, can't walk down the stairs the next day, and quit by Friday. The FITT principle helps you ease into your plan gradually without getting hurt. FITT stands for:
- Frequency: How many days a week you move
- Intensity: How hard you work. For more detailed information about exercise intensity, read Appendix A at the end of this article.
- Time: How many minutes you move
- Type: What activity you do
The rule of thumb is to change only one of these at a time. For instance, add 5 minutes to your walks before trying to walk faster. Learn more in this get-back-in-shape workout plan.
Want to see where you stand right now? Test your fitness level by doing the following 3 exercises in MyNetDiary’s blog, "3 Exercises for Testing Your Physical Fitness."
Step 5: Track it and tweak it
Log each workout. Every few weeks, look back. Is it getting easier? If so, then add a little more weight or extra reps. If you're feeling sore or worn out, take another rest day. Your custom plan should grow with you, not boss you around.
Tip: To track your progress in MyNetDiary, log one minute of any activity to see how many calories it burns per minute. The harder the activity, the more calories you'll torch.
What is the best exercise routine?
The best exercise routine is the one you'll actually stick to! Truly! A simple plan you follow beats a perfect plan you never start. Look for workout routines that mix cardio, strength, and stretching and feel fun (or at least not awful). Bored? Switch things up. Your muscles and brain both like variety.
What are the best home workouts for fitness?
Some of the best home workouts need zero equipment. Your body is a built-in gym that never closes! Try this quick circuit workout:
- Squats (sit back like you're sitting in a chair)
- Wall or counter push-ups
- Glute bridges
- Planks
- Step-ups on a sturdy stair
- Marching in place or jumping jacks
Do each move for 30 seconds, rest between sets for 30 seconds, and repeat the workout circuit for 2 to 3 sets. Want more ideas? Try these calorie-burning exercises at home.
Do you need a weight-loss workout plan?
If you're curious how to create a workout plan for weight loss, you're in the right place! Exercise helps, but what you eat usually plays a bigger role. The winning combo? Eat a little less and move a little more. Say you eat 250 fewer calories and burn 250 more with exercise; that's a daily gap of about 500 calories. For many people, that adds up to about one pound a week. Here's a simple guide to what a calorie deficit means.
Exercise really shines in keeping weight off. Many people who maintain weight over the long haul stay active for about an hour a day. This strength training program for weight loss can help you get started.
How do you stick with your workout routines?
Everyone hits bumps. The trick is to plan ahead to help you handle the bumps in the road. Here are some common roadblocks and easy fixes.
| Roadblock | Try this |
|---|---|
| Boredom | Work out with a friend, play music or a podcast, or switch activities each week. |
| Not enough time | Book workouts on your calendar. Three 10-minute bursts, like a short circuit-training session, count as much as one 30-minute session. |
| Cost | Walk outside, stream free workout videos, or ask your local rec center about discounts. Adults 65 and older may qualify for SilverSneakers through some Medicare plans. |
| Pain or old injuries | See a physical therapist for exercises that work safely for your body. Always warm up and cool down. |
| You hate exercise | Forget the word "exercise!" Garden, dance in the kitchen, mop floors, push a child in a stroller, play with your dog, or take the stairs. It all counts! |
| Low motivation | Notice how you feel after you move. A better mood and better sleep are wins worth chasing. |
How can you exercise safely?
Safe workouts start slow and listen to your body. Keep these tips in mind:
- Warm up and cool down for 5 minutes each.
- Stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain, or dizziness.
- Do you have a health condition like heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure? Talk with your doctor first.
- Do you have back pain or an old injury? Ask your doctor if a physical therapist can help.
Ready to create your own workout plan?
You don't need a pricey personal trainer to create your own workout plan. You only need a fitness goal, activities you like, a spot on your calendar, and a little patience. Remember that doing something is better than doing nothing. Start small, change one thing at a time, and cheer for every win, even tiny ones like a new personal record.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days a week should a beginner work out?
Most beginners do well starting with a 3- to 4-day-a-week workout schedule. That gives your body time to recover and adjust. As you get stronger, build up to 5 or more active days, with at least 2 for strength training.
Do I have to exercise to lose weight?
No, but it helps! Eating fewer calories is the most effective way to shed pounds, and exercise makes it easier. As mentioned, eating 250 fewer calories a day and burning 250 more with exercise can add up to about one pound a week for many people. Exercise also helps you keep weight off, and some people need about an hour of activity most days to maintain their new weight.
Is it OK to work out every day?
Absolutely! Gentle movement like walking or stretching is fine every day. For harder workouts, give your body a break at least one day each week. If you strength train on back-to-back days, work different muscle groups so each gets time to recover.
Should I do cardio or strength training first?
It really depends on your goal. If you want to get stronger, do resistance training or weight lifting first, while your muscles are fresh. If you're conditioning for a race, start with cardio. For general health, either order works, so pick the one you like best.
How long does it take to see results from a new workout plan?
Many folks notice more energy, a better mood, and better sleep within one to 2 weeks. Strength and stamina gains often show up in about 4 to 8 weeks. Changes in weight or body shape can take a bit longer, so hang in there and keep going!
Start with free,
accurate tracking today
Exercise->Aerobic & Cardio Exercise->Weight resistance
Oct 16, 2026
