Choosing a Workout Plan: 5 Steps to Find the Right Fit for You
Picking a fitness program can feel overwhelming. There are thousands of options out there so it’s easy to wonder: Which one will work for me? How do I know if it matches my goals, my schedule, and my lifestyle?
The good news is you don’t have to find the “perfect” plan to start making progress. You just need the right starting point. Here are some key things to consider before committing to a program, plus the one mindset shift that will help you finally get moving.
1. Consider Your Training Frequency
The first thing to decide is how many days a week you can realistically work out. Be honest with yourself here. Overcommitting will set you up for frustration, so aim for the easiest, most sustainable option.
If you can work out 2-3 times per week, that’s more than enough to see results. Also, SAME. I average 2-3 workouts a week most weeks, with some giving me 1 and others dishing out 4. I never do more than that tbh.
If you agree 2-3X is a realistic goal for you, look for full-body workouts. This way you can hit the recommended training volume for each muscle group, which is roughly 10 to 20 sets per muscle group per week.
If you have the time and desire to work out 4-6 times per week, you can move toward body part splits. That might look like a schedule where Monday is legs, Wednesday is back and chest, Thursday is legs again, and Friday is shoulders and lats. The extra days can be customized toward your goals, whether that’s more conditioning, accessory work, recovery sessions, or an added muscle specific workout.
Knowing how many days you can consistently train solves a huge part of the program selection process.
2. Match Your Program to Your Goals
Before you can find a program that aligns with your goals, you have to know exactly what those goals are. Not in vague terms like “get fit” or “tone up,” but in specific, measurable ways.
I learned early on that simply asking clients, “what are your goals?” was never going to get me the JUICY info I wanted. And, in order for me to build a great program, I want that juicy good stuff.
I do ASK the generic goals question. And I get the generic answers.
But then I ask a few others and my all-time fave is this:
When you get to the end of these 12 weeks together, what needs to have happened in order for you to say, “that was SO worth it!”? What would you see, feel, or know at the end that would make it all worth the time, money, and effort?
I want to add: Your goals can and should evolve. You’re not locked into one forever. Early in my own journey, my goals were purely aesthetic — visible abs and a perky butt. Once I experienced actual strength that came from consistent training, my goals shifted to performance-based markers: squatting heavier, doing a pull-up, learning Olympic lifts, hitting a pistol squat, and single-arm rowing 60 pounds. I came for the aesthetics, I stayed for everything else.
These days, my goals are playful and flexible. One year I might aim to squat 300 pounds. The next, I might work toward a muscle-up. Having any goal, whether it’s about performance or aesthetics, gives you focus, helps you prioritize the right workouts, and keeps you motivated. Pick one, don’t get too hung up on making it the perfect forever goal, and have fun!
3. Understand What Will Actually Work for You…by Doing What Won’t 😱
You can’t fully know what will work for you until you start. Even doing a program that isn’t the right fit is valuable because it teaches you what you don’t want, whiiiiiiiiiiich brings you closer to what you do want.
A program that doesn’t work for you is not wasted time. It’s feedback. That feedback will help you refine your choices going forward. This sucks in the process and it’s hard to imagine this being a good thing, but it’s how we all become better at discerning between what’s good for us and what isn’t. Just START.
4 & 5: Motivational Factors & Effectiveness:
It’s fun to pick something based on vibes or desires but, again, for your success we want to be honest. What do you NEED in order to STAY committed? The majority of women I work with say things like, “I want to be self motivated” which means they’d like more intrinsic motivation. They want to be able to just DO. I love this goal. It’s possible to achieve. But it’s a skill to develop WITH movement mastery & confidence. So before you’ve got those two things dialed, it’s important to set up some EXTERNAL factors to keep you on track. This is why we have teachers, bosses, mentors, coaches - to stay the course when the course gets tough.
Understand your current motivation style and start there. For most ofus (yes, me too!) this means setting up some EXTERNAL hits of motivation:
Motivational style
If you thrive on external motivation, accountability, and connection, avoid massive pre-made programs with zero check-ins. Choose something that offers personal interaction, whether that’s a coach, a group, or a community.
If you’re more intrinsically motivated and can stick to a plan on your own, you can do well with pre-made programs, fitness apps, or even AI-generated plans tailored to your schedule and equipment.
With this said, if you’re not EFFECTIVE in your movements, then being intrinsically motivated will isolate you from getting valuable feedback. You need to learn how to execute your workouts effectively before running off solo to be efficient.
More on there below…
Experience level
If you’re new to strength training, your form might limit your results. This isn’t a personal flaw, it’s a skill gap and it’s completely normal. Prioritize programs that give you feedback on your form so you can train effectively.
Effectiveness over efficiency
Quick, cheap, or free programs can be tempting, but if you don’t know how to train effectively yet, efficiency won’t help you. Poor form and lack of muscle activation are often the reason someone’s body “isn’t responding” — not genetics.
The Real Progress Killer
Analysis paralysis is the biggest barrier between you and your goals. The more time you spend obsessing over the perfect plan, the less time you spend actually moving toward anything at all.
Just start. Pick a program, give it an honest try, and adjust as needed. Complete it if you can, then use what you’ve learned to make a more refined choice next time.
If you plan to work out for the rest of your life — and I hope you do — you have nothing but time to figure this out. That means time to experiment, take breaks, go through intense training phases, get burnt out and recover, try bodybuilding and then switch to Pilates, chase aesthetic goals, pivot to performance goals, and repeat the cycle.
We change over the course of our lives, and that’s a good thing. It keeps fitness interesting, keeps life fresh, and gives you endless opportunities to learn and try new things.
The point isn’t to find the one perfect program and cling to it forever. The point is to keep moving forward, one choice at a time.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE FOR MORE INSIGHTS, DETAILS, AND MY VOICE!
TAKEAWAYS:
There are many options for fitness programs, making it hard to choose.
Understanding your goals is crucial for selecting the right program.
Starting with a realistic workout frequency can prevent burnout/overwhelm/avoidance.
Analysis paralysis can hinder progress in fitness.
It's important to know your motivational style for better commitment.
External motivation can help beginners stay on track.
Experience in exercise can affect the effectiveness of a program.
Effective execution of workouts is more important than efficiency.
Starting small allows for gradual improvement and mastery.
Fitness should be a fun and sustainable journey.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Choosing the Right Fitness Program
10:23 Understanding Your Goals
19:55 The Importance of Experience
27:35 Motivation Styles in Fitness
34:59 Effective Execution vs. Efficiency
