The first “T” in FITT stands for Time – this is the time you dedicate and how long you exercise during each session. The amount of time you spend in a session is determined by your goals and the type of exercise you are performing, so there isn’t a set “rule”. Cardio for general fitness should be at least 20-30 minutes of non-stop exercise, whereas if you are trying to lose weight, more time will be required to hit your goals – at least twice that, or 40 or more minutes. For muscle building, time is not usually measured in minutes or hours, but rather by the amount of reps or sets you do, such as the general recommendation of “3 sets of 8 or 10 reps”. 
And last but not least, the second “T” stands for Type – this is the type of exercises you do during your sessions. There are different types of exercises for different goals and the results desired. This is why it’s so important to know ahead of time what you are after in terms of what you want to achieve from your fitness routine. 
Verywellfit.com recommends changing up the type of exercise routines you do, no matter what your goals are – there are so many varieties and options of cardio and strength-training exercises to keep you from getting bored, hitting a plateau, avoiding injury. Injuries are less likely to happen when you regularly change up your routine.


The FITT Principle makes the perfect starting point, especially for a beginner like me, because it first requires that you take a look at what it is you want to achieve and then enables you to make a plan of action. In my case, I first sat down and figured out that my main goal is a full-body, moderate-intensity workout that will get me tight, toned, and lean, and increase muscle strength and flexibility, without adding bulk. These are the exact results that yoga, pilates and barre gives. Because I now know that, I know the Frequency (F) that I need to exercise (3 to 5 days a week), the intensity (I) at what I need to do them at (at least moderate/beginner to start and working my way up to Intermediate and beyond), the time (T) that I need to give (at least 30 minutes) to complete the routines (and adjust life accordingly), and the type (T) of exercise routines I should be doing. Following the FITT Principle as a guide makes choosing and creating a personal and specific fitness plan to follow a lot easier and more do-able – you figure out what you want, then use FITT to structure your routines – FITT helps in giving you the information you need to make your fitness and wellness goals happen.
