We all go through periods where we get bored with what we’re doing in the gym or with our meals. The same reps, the same sets, the same machines, the same foods – all can become somewhat un-motivating to return to if you have been doing the same things day after day for a long period of time. You might not even realize it at first. But you’ll slowly start going through the motions, stop looking forward to working out and simply go through the motions instead of attacking each day with the energy and enthusiasm necessary to see the changes you want.
When this happens, your body and mind are telling you that you are long overdue for a change. Here are five things you can do to spice up your training and renew your excitement for living healthy.
#1: Change The Setting
Have you ever switched gyms before and felt something different? Or taken your workout outside instead of being inside on a beautiful day, regardless of whether it meant veering from your normal plan? Whether it is getting excited about new equipment, seeing other people training in different ways or simply exposing yourself to another training environment, these little things can actually make a big difference in the way you feel about your workout. Different equipment breaks you out of your comfort zone and presents you with new ways to challenge and trick your body into new levels of growth. It also means that you’ll be more excited to come back and more likely to add more new aspects to your training.
#2: Work Out At A Different Time Of Day
Most of us follow the same routine every day. We get up at around the same time, eat at roughly the same times, go to the gym at the same times … you get the point. That can be a good thing, of course. But if you find yourself simply going through the motions without much enthusiasm, it’s probably time for a change. How many of you have tried performing a fast HIIT workout during your lunch break to wake yourself up and get an energy boost for the rest of the work day? How about waking up in the morning and going for a run rather than tagging your 30 to 45-minute cardio session on to the end of your resistance training later that day? Throwing your body a few curveballs every now and then might be just what you need to break through your plateau and start to see the changes you are hoping for.
#3 Try A New Style Of Training
This doesn’t mean completely overhauling what you are doing and abandoning what has (hopefully) worked for you for so long. After 10 years of training in a strength and hypertrophy mode, I can personally confirm that doing the same thing in the gym every day gets boring. So I decided to incorporate a couple of new activities into my training to breathe new life into my workouts – Crossfit and spinning. By switching my routine and style of training up a few times a week, I feel like I found a whole new way to experience my time at the gym and add some color back into my fitness lifestyle.
#4 Switch Up Your Nutrition
Most people I talk to quit their diets before their first month is over. First of all, diets don’t work. For most people, dieting means putting their “true” habits and preferences on hold until they reach their desired goal. And when they do, they revert back to the habits that got them in trouble in the first place. A successful nutrition plan is one that can be followed every day, every week, every year. And there are plenty of options out there – Paleo, If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM), to name a couple – that fit your lifestyle and can help you achieve your goals. If you’re feeling constricted by your current plan and don’t think you can follow it consistently over time, then it’s probably time to try something different. Or at the very least incorporate a couple scheduled cheat meals each week to give yourself something to look forward to.
#5 Change Your Mindset
Fitness has to be enjoyable. Everyone you see that is in good shape – regardless of your criteria – has one thing in common: they all have fun working out and are passionate about living a healthy lifestyle. Not every day, of course. We all have times when we need a break or lack motivation. But what keeps those who are successful coming back day after day is the fact that they truly enjoy the activities they participate in. Finding and doing something that is fun for you is the only way you are going to stick with it over the long haul. Be open to new things, keep looking for new and creative ways to keep things fresh. You can’t live with a close mindset when it comes to fitness. There are many ways to get to your desired destination, so find the road – or roads – that are most enjoyable to you and it will be that much easier.
from FitnessRX for Men http://ift.tt/2x1gWQ0
via IFTTT
