When you first began your fitness program, you may have heard that if you got through the first two to three months of sticking with your schedule, you would successfully make exercise a habit. So you followed the advice, and you made it – three months, six months, and all the way to a year. Suddenly, it has become tough to get up in the morning and don those workout clothes, and those exercise sessions are becoming fewer and farther between. It’s time to step it up and find a way to make those workouts interesting once more.

Spice it Up

If you are deep into your exercise rut, you may not be considering the many options that are available to you for getting fit. If the treadmill has lost its charm at the gym, head for the elliptical trainer or recumbent bike next time you want a cardio workout. What you will truly find amazing is that no matter how fit you thought you were, you will discover new muscles that need to be worked when you try out a different machine. If you are used to simply listening to your iPod during your program, bring along a steamy paperback or a magazine that you haven’t had time to get to next time. You may get so engrossed in your reading that you forget you are exercising. Just think of how many calories you could burn reading the entire Harry Potter series!

Who’s your Buddy?

Fitness experts often recommend that you find a workout buddy when you are first starting, who will hold you accountable and make your exercise time more fun. If that buddy routine sort of fizzled after a few months, it may be time to seek the company of another workout buff. You could also join a class to meet new people and learn a new discipline that will get you fit at the same time. Yoga, Pilates and spinning classes are all popular choices at your local fitness center, but you could also go with something more unusual like Taekwondo or kick boxing if you prefer. You will revive your workout time and explore new horizons at the same time.

Track your Progress

One method that a lot of fitness experts swear by is to track your workout progress on paper. Begin by determining what your current fitness goals are, and then log what you did during each workout to bring you closer to your goals. This is a particularly helpful source if you are strength training, and you would like to track how far you’ve come in terms of the amount of weight you are using. It can also be helpful in your cardio workout to help you push towards that next mile or extra few minutes on the machine. And when you reach one of your goals? You must reward yourself, of course! A new pair of funky jeans in your new size or that great pair of earrings you’ve had your eye on might be just the ticket.

Workouts only work if we keep them up, so find ways to keep exercise fun and interesting. Your buff bod will be evidence to the fact that you have stick-to-it power!

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