One of the biggest reasons why some people lose interest in their workout regimen is lack of motivation. In order to get up early every morning and hit the gym, you need to stay motivated. Otherwise, you’ll press the snooze button, roll over and start making excuses for yourself. Motivation is key, and without it you will never stay committed to your long-term weight loss goals.
In order to stay motivated, many fitness experts suggest switching up your workout routine so that you get a sense of spontaneity and excitement. Going to the gym every day and running on the treadmill often loses its appeal after a few weeks, because you are doing the same activity over and over again. Soon enough, you’ll lose interest in going to the gym altogether. The best way to stay motivated is to supplement your gym workout with alternative activities. For example, if you live in a cold weather climate then you can easily supplement a day or evening of skiing as your workout. This not only gets you outside in the fresh air, it allows you to burn calories while doing an activity you enjoy. There are a variety of alternative activities that burn calories, get the heart rate up and help break the monotony of the gym. The next time you find yourself losing motivation in your workout routine, try one of the following alternative activities to help you stay on track:
Rock Climbing — This high calorie-burning activity works out the muscles in both your arms and legs, and improves hand-eye coordination and flexibility at the same time. It’s important to learn how to rock climb at an indoor rock climbing facility. Once you know the basic principles and safety measures, you can take your adventures outside.
Sailing — This may not seem like a high-intensity workout, but on a windy day you can burn a lot of calories because you are fighting the resistance of the wind. Sailing is also an enjoyable activity that gets you outside and on the water, so you don’t even notice that you are getting a workout. It’s also a great way to build teamwork skills, because you have to work with others.
Mountain Biking — For an outdoor adventure in the woods, try mountain biking. This activity helps build endurance, and it’s a great way to work your leg muscles effectively. An afternoon of mountain biking will burn more calories than working out for an hour at the gym. You also get to enjoy the scenery of the forest!
Adult Team Sports — Whether it’s pick-up basketball in the park or softball on the diamond, team sports are a great way to get some exercise and social interaction. One of the biggest complaints about going to the gym is that the individual exercise gets boring. That is why it’s important to interact with others, especially during a healthy activity. There are a variety of adult team sports leagues available, from flag football to kickball. Find one that sparks your interest and sign up today.