Every once in a while, we find ourselves uninspired with our fitness life. Workouts seem stale. We're unenthused about the gym, procrastinate getting there or flake on our workouts all together.
Here are my five “Pull Yourself Out of a Fitness Rut” tips:
Take It Outside
Spring is here! ‘Tis the season to venture outside. Fresh air, new scenery, new fitness challenge. If the winter forced you to run on a treadmill or take Spin class, now you can hit the open road. I have a cute little screened-in porch and now that it’s warmer, I do my 5-minute morning meditation there with the birds tweeting in the background.
Buddy Up
People can absolutely take you out of an exercise rut.Partner with a buddy fora long hike, take a Pilates duet, or enlist a personal trainer (or trainer friend!) to give your new exercises and spruce up your routine.
Try Something New
Salsa class? 5K road race? These types of exercises are “events” that just happen to burn calories and provide a workout. What’s going on in your neighborhood these days? My sister is taking tennis lessons on Monday nights right now and loving it!
Go on a Retreat
Check out Kripalu.org and the Omega Institute for some cool weekend fitness/yoga/wellness get-a-ways. Also, look into your local boutique fitness gyms and studios – they often offer annual retreats that’ll immerse participants into physical practice.
Invest in New Gear
I recently bought a new bamboo yoga mat and it made me super excited to take yoga class again. Some may say this is shallow, but it worked. (I also bought lavender essential oil to add to my bathwater, which made me excited to workout and THEN take a bath!) Sneakers, sports bras and new gym bag could have the same effect for you. See what’s gotten a little dated in your workout gear and replace it with something that makes your heart sing.
Ellen Barrett is a mind/body fitness expert and regular contributor to Whole Living. She lives in New Haven, Connecticut with her family. For information about her exercise DVDs, books, and classes, please visit EllenBarrett.com
From: GG | 5/12/10 at 5:48 pm
What's gotten me out of the exercise rut is the Zumba class at the gym. It puts the fun back in exercise.
From: Carmen | 6/4/10 at 9:52 am
Ellen, what has gotten me out of my rut is you! I absolutely love your workouts on FitTV. I love your energy and positivity. I look forward to coming home and working out with "you". Thanks for the inspiration!!