At a dinner party recently I hit upon a conversation with a friend that is an avid runner. Lately I had been finding it a bit challenging to stay on track with my running schedule. After discussing it for a few minutes he paused and asked me if I was having fun. Faced with that question I soon realized that my favorite exercise felt more like a chore lately. Instead of looking forward to my morning run, I had begun to procrastinate before finally lacing up and heading out. The fun was gone.
That night I revisited my running routine and realized it had been 2 years since I had changed my route. At least that long since I had changed out the music in my iShuffle. It was clear that my running routine was in a rut. The next day I decided I needed to recharge my routine. I visited the USA Track and Field website where they will map a walking, biking or running route for you at http://www.usatf.org/routes/. Within minute I had two new routes mapped out so that I could alternate them every other day. The next step was to update my music library. I dumped the old and replaced them with fresh and high energy songs.
Within days my enthusiasm had returned along with a big dose of fun.
Taking ourselves and our exercise routines for granted is a quick way to lose motivation and momentum. Stay on track and keep the fun in your workout by trying some of these tips:
- Update your workout wardrobe. Invest in performance fabrics and well fitting shoes and clothes. Dressing for success is key.
- Revamp your workout routine. If you are tired of your spin class, trade it out or alternate it with a kickboxing class. Or give yourself a week where you sample several of the routines available to you and adopt the ones you like the most.
- Have fun! Remind yourself that exercise is not just about physical health and wellness, it is also a way to stimulate your mind and bring a positive attitude and energy into your daily life!
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