With four busy daughters and only two working parents trying to pull off the logistics, I pride myself on being scheduled. However, maybe it’s time to look at your workout plan to ensure it hasn’t fallen into the, “If it’s Wednesday, it must be weights” trap. A little shake-up in the fitness department can lead to great results and a sunnier perspective.
Sometimes I am such a cliché, but the saying ‘variety is the spice of life’ is pretty succinct. Life can get pretty mundane if we insist on wearing the Monday undergarments each Monday. If an invitation out for a decadent meal causes you to reply, “I can’t. It’s Thursday and we always have porkchops,” you may need to rethink the schedule. I’m very on board with organization and planning.
Try a new route. If you’re consistent in your walk or run schedule, choose a new path. Even run the current one in reverse or do multiples of the hills. Do you have opportunity to map a route that’s safe but maybe more adventuresome? If you have a little extra time, perhaps a ‘destination’ run where you drive to a nearby pathway or park and venture out from there. (Maybe you can stop and do some errands on the way home for a shower.)
Experiment with a class. Many fitness centres offer drop-in or registration classes that focus on various aspects of fitness. One instructor’s forte may be cardio, while another has a kick-butt combo class. Classes offer the group momentum and positive leadership. There is a sense of accountability when we work out in a group. We tend to work a little harder – like someone else is actually watching as the sweat drips into his/her eyes! Our egos like to rise to a challenge. Also, if we’ve paid, we tend to want our money’s worth. Some things just never change!
Bring on something new. It may be a spin class to hone your cycling skills or a TRX suspension class where you can work on cardio, core and strength and really have fun. Or, how about giving kettle bells a try? You’ll love them and the rapid results. Do you really know how to strength train properly to get the results? Check out an independent personal trainer (yes, that’s me!) or one who works at a nearby facility. Combine the weights with the cardio and core and see where that takes you. It’s an effective way to enhance fitness. We are never too old to build lean muscle mass that will help us stay strong and lean. Signing up with a trainer isn’t a lifetime commitment, but it could be a lifetime change!
Modify your intensity. I frequently comment on those who run the same route at the same time on the same days. It’s good to get out there, but what if you ran that route faster? What if you raced your partner from one stop sign to the next? Increasing your heart rate is beneficial for fitness gains and may heighten calorie expenditure. The duration of this workout can be lessened but the effort is pretty intense; however, it leaves one with an ‘I rock’ attitude at the end.
Gee, did I ramble? The thought of trying something new in fitness still excites me. I’ve taken my TRX training and this new but well-used ‘toy’ is now suspended in my basement. Okay, it took us a few tries to find the ceiling beam (old houses come with a few obstacles) so just ignore the extra holes in the drywall. I found new cycling DVDs that will get me through those cold winter mornings. And my kettle bells won’t be collecting dust this winter.
I’d best get back to the kitchen, though, as it’s Tuesday so it must be taco night!
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