Keeping Your Exercise Routine Fresh

Sometimes the hardest part of exercising is not the actually physical movements, but rather the motivation to keep going with the routine. We all know that exercise is important, but in the humdrum of daily life, it can feel like there's not enough time in the day. Some days, fatigue gets the best of me, and I just hit the hay early.

It can be hard to keep all the benefits of exercise in mind when the results don't appear right away.  We know that exercising in general helps to reduce menopause symptoms, but it's not an instant fix either. Exercise is also important to reduce the risk of diseases like stroke and osteoporosis, but sometimes those percentages just feel like statistics and not an immediate risk to be dealt with.

There are some great ideas out there to keep your workout going. Here are some that I've found most helpful.

Fartlek Training

This is a form of interval training that helps you get in touch with your body as you listen to your body's natural rhythm. During an activity like running or swimming laps, pick up the pace when you get a burst of energy. Then, when you start to feel winded, slow down to a gentle pace. The bursts can be exhilarating, and you won't be forcing yourself to keep the same, monotonous pace for half an hour.

Cross-training

Cross-training is great to help avoid injury and allows you to keep exercising even if you have an injury in an isolated area. Similar to what I've been doing, it involves doing different activities on different days so that it doesn't get too repetitive. Part of this is not being afraid to try new activities. Generally, it is better to do 30 minutes of a single activity one day and a completely different exercise the next, rather than doing little bits of each type of exercise each day.

Mix it up

Getting out of the rut doesn't have to be complex or a complete overhaul.  If you're in a class like yoga or step aerobics, pick a different spot! We have the tendency to claim an area and stick to it, even though we don't have assigned seats like in elementary school anymore. Even a small shift like this can freshen your perspective. Likewise, if you go cycling, jogging, or walking, try a different park or route. The change of scenery can really help!

Don't give up! Little adjustments in your routine can make it less like a routine and more like an enjoyable part of each day.