5 Fit and Fab Ways to Boost the Effectiveness of Your Workouts

Have you been exercising for a few weeks, and seen great results, but lately the workouts

have lost their pizzazz?

Do any of these issues sound familiar?

You are not losing as much weight as you did when you first started.

You have lost your motivation.

You are really just plain bored with your workout routine.

Don’t worry, you are not alone, this can and does happen to many of us.

These issues can occur as the body becomes too acclimated the same old routines, and the

body hits a plateau.

Boredom is common when you keep doing the same workouts day in and day out, and just

as your body becomes acclimated to the same workouts, so does your brain.

Consider these 5 fab ideas for improving the effectiveness of your workout.

1. Switch Up Your Exercise Routine

This is one of the most effective ways for me to overcome exercise boredom.

From Zumba to HIIT to Step and Tone classes, mixing things up keeps exercise interesting!

Let’s face it, who enjoys spending an hour running on a treadmill or sweating on an elliptical

for their entire workout session, 5 times a week?

While a good cardio session can indeed burn off calories and gets your heart working to help

burn fat and improve your overall health, there’s no reason why your workout should seem like 

such a chore.

Changing the way that you work out will not only help you to keep interested in your work out

regime,  it will also keep the body guessing so it does not get used to the same old same and will

also allow you to target other areas of your body.

Do sets of bodyweight exercises such as burpees, lunges and crunches to not only burn energy

but also work on toning up those muscles.

Skip the weight machines, and add some free weights.

Instead of the treadmill, join different exercise classes.

Or take your workout from inside the gym to the great outdoors.

And while you are switching up your routine, why not shake things up and make exercising more

fun by switching up your exercise gear as well.

You’ll be glad you did!

2. Do Intervals

I always choose an interval program when I work out on the treadmill.

Interval workouts are the most effective methods of burning calories.

The next time you are on the treadmill, running, cycling or even using a cross trainer, try using

intervals.

These are done by maintaining a constant and steady pace, but every few minutes, up your speed

to the fastest that you can manage before returning to the steady pace again after a few more minutes.

The way this works is that your heart is constantly being driven to work hard and then starts to relax

again and this constant change of heart pace means that you get a more effective workout.

3. Choose Your Workout Buddy Wisely

I am still working on finding a consistent workout buddy because it makes good sense and it’s

much more fun.

When you’re working out, it really helps to have someone to help you keep to your goals.

Make sure that you choose your workout buddy wisely.

If your workout partner can’t keep up with you, you may find it difficult to fit in the pace of workout

that you need.

Try to choose a workout buddy who is either at the same or slightly higher level of fitness so that

you can keep up, go further and stay motivated.

This will ensure that the time you spend working out with a friend is as effective as possible.

4. Hire A Personal Trainer

I have tried this tip and it worked well for me.

While this one may seem like common sense to some, it’s surprising how many people think that

they can just launch themselves into a workout routine and hope for the best.

If you know nothing about fitness, or nutrition, you’re not likely to get very far when it comes to

working out.

By hiring your own personal trainer, you’ll receive tailored assistance with your workout routine

and that trainer will help you grow your workout as your fitness level grows.

Not only will they be able to tell you what will help you burn off the weight or achieve your target

goals, but you will also be able to get some nutritional advice.

Your diet is very important when it comes to implementing changes to your body image and this

is as specific to each individual as a workout routine.

5. Get Moving On Your Break At Work

Since my work involves spending long hours at a computer, I really know how important it is to

get up and move as often as possible.

There are so many articles citing dire consequences of “sitting disease”!

Sure, when you’re at work, working out may not be the thing that you have on your mind, but it is

important that you keep moving throughout the day.

If you have an office job where you find yourself sitting at a desk all day, try incorporating some

bursts of exercise into your breaks.

You could go for a brisk walk around the block, or simply take a jump rope to work and do some

skipping for 10 minutes.

If possible, get a standing desk; these are awesome new products that allow you to quickly convert

your work space to a standing area where you can work on your feet.

The more you can keep moving throughout the day, the more calories you’ll be able to burn.

What are your favorite ways to boost workout effectiveness?

Share your thoughts and comments with us.

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