I’ve often heard trainers and fitness professional talk about “mixing it up” to avoid you body getting used to a routine. The idea is that, by staying in the same pattern, over time, the exercise you do becomes less beneficial. I tend to take them at their word on this but, for me the motivation to change things up is more simple — I get bored doing the same thing.
There is something to be said for those who are well-regimented. If you know that on day X I will be doing thing Y, and you stick to it, I give you kudos. That’s focus that a lot of us need. But, if you’re like me and need a little change of pace to keep you motivated, you might want to add a few more weapons to the arsenal.
For example, yesterday I came home from work with the intent of running but, I thought about the treadmill and said “Ugghh, I just can’t today.” So, I decided to do a yoga routine that I had never done before (shout out to Daily Burn). I got a great workout (trust me, yoga can be a butt-kicker) and my mind was engaged in a different way than it would have been while running.
So, if you find yourself in a rut — mix it up. You may find that exercise doesn’t feel like another chore but, instead, like a chance to expand your horizons.
