Striving for a balanced workout is something that most exercisers tend to take for granted. Most workouts are usually one-sided in nature. Walking, for example, develops only the cardiovascular system; Yoga focuses on flexibility while weight training is only bent on developing strength through resistance training. A complete exercise regimen is a combination of these aspects together with balance training and core stability workouts. However, it is rare that regular individuals ever really get the chance or the time to combine these workouts for that complete exercise regimen.

To get a balanced workout, strive to gain stamina through cardiovascular exercises. While walking and jogging are the most obvious exercises in this repertoire, you don't have to limit yourself to these. Swimming, dancing, bicycling, playing basketball or soccer or other sport that requires you to be on the move most of the time are also other choices. And no, you don't have to do them all in one thirty-minute session, either. You can even break them up into three 10-minute sessions and still reap the same results where calorie-burning is concerned. Naturally, the longer your sessions, the more calories you are going to burn. When you do your cardiovascular exercises, make sure that you start slow to avoid the risk of strain and injury.

If you want to develop strength, engage in resistance training. As an important component of a balanced workout, strength training builds muscles and stronger bones and connective tissues. While stronger muscles help make things like lifting objects a whole lot easier, it can also burn body fat through increased muscle mass. This allows you to burn more calories not only at the moment of exercise but even after each session. This is because muscle requires more energy than fat. If you have more fat than muscle, you'll simply keep on burning calories even when you're actually just doing nothing. However, if you want to tone your muscles, engaging in resistance training through free weights or your own body weight two times a week on alternate days is best.

There are many resistance training equipment available in the market these days that make strength training at home more convenient. You can take your pick from resistance bands, medicine balls and free weights. Always allow your muscles time to recover after each resistance session.

For a complete workout regimen, don't neglect flexibility exercises. When you stretch on a regular basis, you facilitate the transport of blood to the various joints and tissues in the body, making them more pliable and elastic. Aside from increasing your range of motion, being supple also improves posture, delays aging, strengthens muscles and joints and promotes fluid movements. Stretch the whole body instead of just a single muscle group so you can remain flexible even as you age. Try to do your stretches after your cardiovascular sessions. You can also enroll yourself in a Yoga, Pilates or Tai Chi class to take your flexibility training to the next level.

Stay fit and healthy. Strive for balance in your workouts for a healthier, slimmer, fitter you!