What are some general reasons people fall into a workout rut?
There are so many ways you can fall into a rut with your workouts!
One of the most important pieces of the ‘health puzzle’ is integrating a realistic plan at an appropriate intensity. Especially at this time of year, individuals are motivated as hell on day one, kicking ass every day for two weeks. All the sudden they take a day off. And the next day thy’re still in recovery because this will only be the second day they missed in two weeks. From there, it snowballs and the year goes by, with them wishing they had kept up.
Another important piece of the health puzzle is making the exercise relevant to what the individual needs. Is the person at a healthy weight and just looking to tighten up? Is the person bored with their current routine and want to learn new ways to stress their body effectively? When I am diving into workouts for individuals, I center them around two important pieces: Results and fun. When you work to see your body change and see it, you will continue working hard. And when you have fun exercising, the exercise becomes more like play, something we miss out on far too much as adults!
Tips and tricks to get out of your rut!
1) Remind yourself of your ‘why’. Why are you going to the gym? Why are you taking steps to better yourself? There comes a moment with every new client I train that I can point to as our ‘why moment’. It’s an extremely important, vulnerable moment for someone to discover. But if you can find it and connect to it, there’s no stopping you. For some people, it’s a comment from a friend or spouse, a pair of jeans that used to fit, a vacation where it was way harder to keep up with the kids. Carry a notecard with your ‘why’ everywhere you go. Have it easily accessible and somewhere you HAVE to look everyday. Above the mirror, taped to the dashboard of your car.
If it’s important enough to you, you will find a way. If it’s not important enough, you’ll find an excuse.
2) Exercise with a friend! The most successful people in health make the health thing a part of their daily lives. There were two ladies I trained about 5 years ago now, who just happened to be doing small group training with me. Eventually, they got into doing some 5ks together, some half marathons, and some marathons. They became best friends. And five years later, they still are!
3) Find a new gym! If the gym you are hanging at is a bodybuilding gym but you’re a little less inclined to that type of mentality, shop around! The money you spend should be looked at as an investment in your health – if the gym you go to doesn’t support your culture, shop around your area!
4) Sign up for an event! It can be any event. A 5k. A donut run. A powerlifting meet. The moment you sign up, you will have something to train for rather than just going through the motions. Dive all-in to what you’re training for and I guarantee you, you will learn a ton about yourself!
5) Get educated! You are what you do. Read some books on training, running, exercise. It’s actually amazing what the human body is capable of when you get to know what it can do.
6) Ask a trainer! It’s easier than ever to meet and find the RIGHT personal trainer. There are apps out there, endless websites and abilities to find the RIGHT trainer for what you are looking for. At the end of the day, a good trainer should be able to help motivate, push and give you an experience you can’t get anywhere else! And oddly enough, we’re not perfect physical specimens and can have our issues with food and exercise too. All the good trainers I know have also gone through periods of burnout! They’ll get so focused on their work and some days/weeks pass on their own health. So don’t be intimidated to ask for help! We’re people too!
Final advice!
Honestly, just have fun and play around. Try new things – try running. Lifting weights. Functional training. Ice skating regularly. Enjoying a walk every Sunday. Working out doesn’t have to be a production and the more you can integrate it into your life, the better!
Dork out a bit to find new exercise and ask for help when you need it.
Work to improve one thing at a time. As that happens, add something else.
Happy Christmas, ya filthy muggles.
Stella Fitness 