Exercising can sometimes feel repetitive which is often where a slump of feeling unmotivated to workout can start.
While it is no doubt good for you, sometimes it can feel dull and monotonous. After all, who wants to stare at the wall for 40 minutes on the treadmill or exercise bike?
However, there are a few things you can do to make your workouts more interesting, and we’ve listed a few of our favourites below. Once you make a habit of doing exercise and keep things interesting by setting goals, exercising with friends, and pushing yourself to get PBs, it’ll become second nature to you rather than feeling like a chore.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE?
We all know that staying physically active is key to improving your health physically as well as mentally. The NHS recommends adults should aim to do 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (that’s just 30 minutes a day), or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. Some of the benefits that regular exercise can bring include:
Exercise and mental health
Exercise can help to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. It can also be a real energy booster, even for people with chronic fatigue problems or serious medical conditions. When you exercise, your body produces endorphins which help to enhance positive feelings and leave you feeling much happier. Getting into a routine of a daily exercise plan will help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
Exercise and physical health
For most people, they exercise with the goal to maintain or lose weight. Most people think that just following a calorie deficit will create weight loss, but without regular exercise to go with it, you won’t see results. Exercise is crucial to supporting a healthy metabolism and it also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss. It can help strengthen your bones and muscles and improve your breathing and heart health. Exercise can also help you stay agile and flexible as you age.
Exercise and social health
Exercise is important for your social health. When you exercise with other people, it can help you build relationships and make new friends. Plus, working out together can be a fun way to spend time with loved ones.
FIVE WAYS TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU FEEL ABOUT EXERCISE
There are many ways to make your workouts more interesting, such as mixing up the type of workout you do, increasing the intensity, or including new equipment. You can also try different exercises and set times to keep things fresh. Changing up your routine will help you stay motivated and make your workouts more fun. Here are a few ideas to help make your workouts more interesting and enjoyable:
Set realistic but ambitious goals
While it’s important not to overdo it at the gym or in your fitness class, setting goals that are both ambitious but realistic will help keep you motivated to keep going, without pushing yourself too hard. It’s a great way to be invested in your own progression, whether it’s setting yourself a weightlifting target during strength training, or calorie burn aim at your fitness class, it’ll keep things interesting for you when you have a goal to reach.
Workout with your friends
Motivation from others will always help in making exercising more bearable and fun, as well as making it a great time to socialise. You can also involve some friendly competition between yourselves by syncing fitness watches or tracking each other’s progress.
Find exercises you enjoy
This one is essential. After all, if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it can be hard to push yourself through the pain barrier to get the results you want. For some people, the thought of going to the gym to run on a treadmill for half an hour is enough to put a downer on exercising. So, find exercises or fitness classes you enjoy, and feel happy taking part in. This will work as a natural motivator for you.
Create a new playlist
Many people listen to music while exercising and while we all have our favourite tunes, sometimes it’s good to switch things up a bit to help you stay motivated. A new gym playlist may be all it takes for you to find fun and happiness when working out. With the changes in seasons and weather, fill your Spotify or Apple music with your favourite, uplifting summer beats to help boost your mood while working out. Having a strong playlist to look forward to will naturally make you want to work out more.
Get outside
Now that the weather is improving and with Summer just around the corner, it’s a great opportunity to explore new places whilst exercising. Whether you’re going for a run or a walk, getting in the fresh outdoors will do wonders for your physical and mental health, and it’ll also give you a chance to have a little adventure. And remember, spending time in the sunshine, as long as you wear sun protection, will help top up your Vitamin D.
TIPS TO MAXIMISE YOUR WORKOUT
When it comes to exercising, it’s not just the working out that’s important. Nutrition, hydration, and rest and recovery all play an essential role in helping you achieve your goals. If you’re looking to maintain weight, remember to limit your portion sizes and choosing lean meats, wholefoods and plenty of fresh fruit and veg. While sweet treats and takeaways shouldn’t be off the table completely, they should be the exception rather than the rule. The odd cheat day or reward will help keep you focused and motivated.
Drinking at least two litres of water a day will help you stay hydrated and replace any fluids lost through exercise. And making sure you rest up properly to give your muscles time to recover between workouts is also essential. If you’re worried you’re not getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients from your diet to support your exercise goals, Lily & Loaf has a wide range of natural general nutritional supplements to help you reach your goals.
