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If you have a set exercise regime and you are frustrated with it or are starting to feel as though you want to skip it more often than you feel actively like doing it, it might be time to come up with a new exercise calendar.  Anyone who keeps one schedule for working out is bound to, sooner or later, fall into the feeling that the exercise routine is a stale one.  If you find yourself feeling that way at some points, you should consider an exercise makeover.  If you are not feeling frustrated or bored with your routine, but your routine is a definite routine, you might consider mixing up your workouts anyway in order to avoid developing that feeling at some point in the future.

Beyond Psychology

The above-mentioned reason for alternating one’s workouts is only the tip of the iceberg.  In addition to keeping things interesting for you psychologically, your muscles will also benefit from a little variety in your workout calendar.  When your body always experiences the same workout, your body becomes accustomed to the movements and the stress level.  You might have already heard that interval training on the treadmill is more effective than keeping a steady pace for a half hour.  It’s for the same reason that a varied workout calendar produces better muscular results than a routine workout that never changes.

In addition to helping work the largest percentage of muscle groups, there is also the benefit to the heart that comes from varying one’s stress level and activities inducing that stress level.  Interval training is good for the heart; alternating between low levels of cardiovascular intensity and higher levels of intensity will give your heart the best benefit.  Whether you’re working out for weight loss or for cardiovascular health, varying your workout will produce positive results.

Types of Exercise

An ideal workout regimen will include some cardiovascular exercise and some exercise that is weight-bearing and working muscles to fatigue.  It’s for this reason that the ideal workout regime includes some running or similar cardiovascular activity as well as some more muscular work such as weight lifting.  Another great option for slower types of exercise that really work muscles are something like ballet or yoga.  With today’s selection of DVD workouts, it is possible to do the New York City Ballet workout on one day, yoga the next and go running on the third day.  Those who stick with the same workout day after day are bound to ‘master’ the program and it will become no longer challenging.  In addition, the person generally gets bored with it.

Exercise Boredom

The options are, quite literally, endless.  If you have kids, organize a game of tag.  You’re sure to have a blast with your kids and not only get some exercise yourself, but your kids will also get some exercise too.  If you enjoy walking, add walks to your daily routine.  Whether you walk to work or take your dog out for walks, walking is one of the best ways to get exercise.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator, and don’t drive around parking lots looking for the closest possible parking spot.  When you are in two shops five blocks from each other, walk between them and then walk back to your car.  Not only will you get more exercise, you might even enjoy seeing the sights around you instead of fighting traffic.

One thing is sure, and that’s that exercise boredom is very real, but there are also very real ways to beat it.  Follow your gut when it comes to knowing which activities will wow you and which ones will bore you.  Make the ones you engage in a long one so that you can alternate activities to keep every day a little different from yesterday.

If you are anything like the average modern man or woman, your day is full from the moment your alarm clock goes off to the moment that you set the alarm for the next morning. All of the time in between is probably accounted for already, which is what makes it so difficult for so many people to find the time that is needed to exercise. For most people, visiting the gym is an ordeal and not a relaxing event; which adds to the stress of scheduling one’s time. It’s easier to find time to do something you thoroughly enjoy than it is to find time for something you dislike.

One good way to help yourself find the time to exercise is to carefully schedule it into your weekly schedule. If you are a person who works well being scheduled, this might just be the best method for you to use in order to make sure that your daily and weekly workouts get into the schedule. If you are someone who is not schedule-oriented, this is probably not the best method for you. Thankfully, there are many other ways to insure that you get your daily dose of exercise that go beyond just scheduling it into the weekly or daily calendar.

Other Options

An option that is gaining in popularity is the option of integrating exercise into your natural daily routine. This might sound odd, but really it’s one of the easiest ways to ensure that you exercise enough. Options for incorporating physical activity into the day naturally include walking or biking to school or work, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and walking between local businesses that are in close proximity to one another instead of driving to them. These options might seem cumbersome at the beginning, but once you adopt one or more of these practices, you might just find that you really enjoy it.

Take biking for example. You might think that it could be unsafe in your particular area of the country to go to school or work on your bike. If that is the case, do a little research before you veto the idea, because you might just find that by riding on the sidewalks, wearing a helmet and having ample reflective material on yourself and your bike that biking is completely safe in your area. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll have more confidence in the safety of it all, and you might even find the endorphins resulting from riding to work to be an even better wake-up call than a cup of coffee is.
If you go with this option, you might find your work day more satisfying and you might find that you sleep better at night. You’ll get more fresh air and more wind and rain, which can put pesky little problems at work into perspective. You’ll also like the respect that you get from co-workers who admire your tenacity and your drive.

The Bottom Line

Whether you think the best option for you is scheduling standard workout times in your busy schedule or trying one of the ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, the bottom line is that no body is healthy if it is not moving around at least a little bit. If you can only stomach the idea of walking around the block a couple of times per day to begin with, at least do that. As you incorporate more and more activity into your schedule, you will feel inclined to move more and more. Whether you schedule or incorporate exercise into your day, you will find that the process grows on itself.