Keeping Exercise Fresh, New, and Enjoyable

Adopting a active lifestyle is one of the best gifts that you can give yourself. Once you start making positive changes, you will begin to feel your old self sloughing away and a new person forming. At first, the incredible changes that are happening in your body and mind are enough to keep you motivated and on track.

But after some time, it is not unusual for you to become a bit bored with your workout routine and long for something special to keep the spark of motivation lit. When the stresses of daily life creep in, along with social pressures, staying focused on health and exercise goals becomes increasingly difficult. Here are some tips to help keep you going strong in your pursuit of optimal wellness. 

Change up your aerobic routine 

Sometimes all it takes is a change in your workout routine to keep things interesting and fun. Think outside the box and learn how to mix and match for best results. Here are some great exercise ideas.

Outdoor activities

Engaging in aerobic activities outdoors provides multiple benefits. Fresh air, vitamin D, and time in nature offer three reasons to spice up your workout routine with some of these great outdoor activities.

• Cycling
• Hiking
• Cross-country skiing
• Snowshoeing
• Rollerblading
• Swimming
• Wakeboarding
• Ice Skating
• Paddle boarding
• Rowing
• Kayaking

Group classes

It is often helpful to be in a common space like a gym with people who are all working towards the same goal: to be healthy and fit. Many people find they are motivated by group exercise classes. Here are just a few that you can try.

• Zumba
• Kettlebells
• Spinning
• Dancing
• Power yoga
• Crossfit
• Water aerobics

Sports

Are you a sports fanatic? Why not participate in activities that are loads of fun and will also get your heart pumping. Below are some popular options.

• Racquetball
• Tennis
• Basketball
• Hockey
• Volleyball
• Boxing
• Karate
• Flag football
• Soccer 

Workout videos

Perhaps you like the idea of a group workout class but are not up for the social buzz of the gym. Workout videos are a great alternative that allow you to participate in an instructor-led class in the comfort of your home. You can even get the whole family engaged! There is no shortage of videos from which you can choose. These are just a sampling of what is available.

• Tae Bo
• Hip Hop Abs
• The Biggest Loser workouts
• Gilad’s Bodies in Motion
• Dancing with the Stars workouts
• P9OX
• T-24
• Jillian Michaels workouts
• Fitness Blender (this one is free online)

At the gym

If you belong to a gym, be sure to get your money’s worth. Perhaps the treadmill is your go-to cardio machine, be daring and branch out a little. Here are some exercise ideas:

• Elliptical trainer
• Stationary bike
• Stair climbers
• Rowing machine
• Adaptive motion trainer
• Incline trainer
• Versa climber

For the fun of it

Infuse some joy into your life with these exciting activities. You will have so much fun that you won’t even know that you are breaking a sweat.

• Walking your dog
• Tag
• Obstacle course
• Dodge ball
• Jump rope
• Skipping
• Rebounding
• Playing with your kids
• Pool basketball/volleyball

Around the house

Get your chores done and stay fit at the same time.

• Mowing your lawn with a push mower (no riders allowed)
• Washing your car
• Mopping the floor
• Planting trees and bushes
• Shoveling snow
• Washing windows
• Painting
• Putting up a fence

Consider High-Intensity Interval Training

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is also known as high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) or sprint interval training (SIT). This type of training involves short periods of really intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. These cardiovascular exercise sessions last between 4 and 30 minutes.

This type of exercise is great because it can help with glucose metabolism and has the capability of blasting fat long after the workout is over. Besides, this type of workout routine has the advantage over others in that it requires no equipment. While you can use equipment such as kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls, spin bikes, etc., there are numerous variations that require nothing more than a pair of gym shoes. A great starter workout is running fast for one minute and walking for two minutes. You can repeat this for a total of 15 minutes for a super effective workout.

Surround yourself with like-minded people

It is a good idea to surround yourself with individuals who share common goals. Social cues can be either positive or negative. It is always best to stay clear of situations that might undermine your success or exercise efforts and gravitate towards those that affirm and lift you up. One way to keep on track is to engage in social activities with other healthy people. Having a group of friends to stay healthy with also keeps ideas circulating and provides new opportunities for engaging in a fun and active lifestyle together.

Don’t let stress get your best

Everyone has stress; the goal is not to eliminate it but to learn how to respond to it and manage it in a way that it doesn’t interfere with your attitude or performance.

Once we let stress overwhelm us we can quickly become discouraged and lose sight of our goals. This makes it almost impossible to keep on pressing towards the mark.

To keep your healthy lifestyle fresh, new and exciting, set up barriers and coping tools for managing stress in your life. Learn how to relax, say “No” more often and remember that if you are no good to yourself, you will be no good to others.

A new start each day

Each day gives you the opportunity to be your best. Keep it fresh and exciting while you strive to be the healthiest you can be. Don’t forget to enjoy the journey along the way.