The lazy days of summer have ended and if you’ve hit a slump in your fitness routine over the past few months, it’s time to get your body back in the groove for the fall and winter months. Below are four easy tips to get back into the workout routine:
- Go Outside of Your Comfort Zone—Try something new! Maybe you’ve tried working out in a gym before but felt that it wasn’t your thing. What is for everyone, however, is exercise, and there are many different ways you can stay healthy and active without going to the gym. Try something new to you such as a hiking club, a Zumba workout, gardening, swimming or biking. Don’t be intimidated by what’s out there. I always recommend trying something that scares you the most—you may just end up enjoying it.
- Look for Activities That You Enjoy Doing—Just like in life, the more you enjoy something, the more likely you are to stick with it. If you know that you absolutely hate the idea of running on a treadmill three days per week, but you love to dance and you work up a sweat when you do it, then guess which one I would recommend for you? Exercise is supposed to be an enjoyable experience so if you can commit to dancing three days per week for a minimum of 20 minutes, then crank your favorite song and dance like no one is watching!
- Give Yourself a Pep Talk EVERY DAY—Confidence and believing in yourself is huge for kick-starting a new workout program. If you don’t believe that you’ll be able to stick to the program, you will most likely not get the results that you desire. It’s inevitable that the day will come when you don’t feel like going to the gym or you start to question the speed of your results, but if you keep your eyes on the prize and remain positive, and remind yourself of your vision for yourself, then you drastically increase the likelihood of achieving your desired results.
- Action, Action, Action—You can’t just wiggle your toes in the water forever. At some point, you have to jump in all the way. It’s the same approach when it comes to your fitness. Stop talking about doing it, and start working toward your desired goals. You’ll NEVER regret a day that you worked out.