If you’re slipping in your workout schedule or even not going at all, you could be suffering from what medical professionals are calling the fitness blahs. It’s a condition that affects many gym-goers, so you’re not alone. Check out our five-step program for beating fitness burnout.
Buddy up.
Find a work out buddy — a friend, your sister, that weird chick from work who’s always trying to organize a gal’s night out… anyone will do. If you don’t know someone, visit sites for meeting exercise partners, such as ExerciseFriends.com. The point of having a buddy is making yourself accountable to more than just you. Hitting snooze for 45 minutes won’t just slow down your fitness progress; you’ll bring down someone else’s, as well. That extra accountability should be enough to get you up and moving. After all, isn’t showing up the hardest part of your workout most of the time?
Take a break.
Sometimes, the thought of that hour-long cardio session waiting for you at the gym is so daunting, you don’t end up going. So, don’t work out for an hour — or at least not an hour straight. Take some breaks. That way, you can look at your workout as three 20-minute sessions. Who can’t hit a treadmill for 20 minutes?
Ditch your routine.
You wouldn’t have the same dinner every single night or even three times a week, right? So why are you doing the same exact thing every time you go to the gym? Mix it up to keep your exercise schedule interesting. Sometimes, the allure of a new class will be enough to get you up off the couch and into the gym.
Go for small wins.
Admittedly, most of us are hitting the gym with the ultimate goal of looking like Heidi Klum. And yeah, we’re all getting there, someday. For some of us, though, that might be a pretty distant goal. To stay motivated on the path to Klum-dom, set mini-goals. For example, don’t think about running a marathon. Get yourself up to a 10K first and then set your eyes on a 10-miler before you even think of the marathon. Or, if your goal is to knock off 20 pounds, break that up into five-pound increments so it’s more manageable.
Treat yourself.
Figure out what your roadblock is and reward yourself every time you beat it. For example, if you have trouble waking up early and heading to the gym, put five dollars in a jar every time you make it out of bed on time. If it’s lifting weights after your cardio that’s holding you up, give yourself the fiver when you get yourself to pump that iron. After one month of working out every other day and charging through your personal roadblock, you’ll have $75. Visualize the treat you’re going to buy yourself with that money whenever you’re wavering on your workout. That should motivate you to charge on.
There you go: Five easy ways to inspire yourself to work out and beat the fitness blahs. All doctors agree that the best way to beat the fitness blahs is to sweat it out.
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