Change in Routine

When I get into a routine I sometimes forget that there are other ways of doing things. Usually, the result of being in a routine means boredom. Take working out for example. I used to go to the gym first thing in the morning. That was before I discovered how relaxing it is to sit at home and drink coffee while catching up on emails. In about the last year or so I began going at night instead.

When I'm at the gym I do 30 minutes of cardio followed by about 45 minutes of strength training. Every once in awhile I throw in a spinning class. This routine got old after about three months, yet I continued to do it. Continuing with a plan that is not exciting for you is a recipe for disaster. You are much more likely to just quit, rather than change things up.

Think about your diet. What if every day for three months you ate nothing but healthy food. I bet you would be pretty bored and eventually over-indulge in less healthy items. Instead of continuing to do things that aren't making you happy, change your routine. The result of this will also mean a more effective workout because your body gets tired of the same thing too.

I recently started my workouts with a 20 minute cardio warmup, followed by 15 minutes of weights, 10 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of weights, the last 10 minutes of cardio, and 15 more minutes of weights. Now I don't get nearly as bored as I used to at the gym.

If you ask people who go to the gym what time is most effective for them, many of them will say first thing in the morning. Yet it's hard to push ourselves to start our days that way. Try going to the gym in the morning, just one day in the next week, and see how it makes you feel. If you hate it, don't do it again. When you're at the gym, try changing your routine from the norm. Mix in different exercises and vary your workout times. You may find that changing your routine does wonders for you.