Being Bored while working out is Boring

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Have any of you ever started an exercise program with a great deal of excitement and then lost your enthusiasm shortly after? Well you’re not alone – it’s very common to lose the desire to stick to a workout routine. In the beginning you may be very zealous and consistent with your workouts but soon find yourself dragging and finding reasons to skip workouts just a few months later.  The key to sticking to any fitness program is finding an activity that you enjoy enough to do regularly. That mean you’re still going at it months and years after you originally set your goals. When deciding whether an activity is the right one for you ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Do I find the activity pleasurable? Do I like it?  Is it a lot of fun? Does it make me happy?
• Am I interested in the activity?  Is it stimulating?
• Do I get absorbed in the activity?
• Do I feel energized during or after the activity? Is it invigorating? Is it refreshing?
• Does the activity give me a sense of accomplishment?  Is it gratifying?

If you answered yes to all these questions, you’ve made a good choice.  If you’ve answered no to these questions and you find the activity unpleasant, boring, frustrating, and you hate every second of it, you should reconsider your choice and search for an activity that will provide you with more enjoyment.  Afterall the best activity in the world is the activity that you enjoy enough to participate in enough to experience results and get hooked!

A couple notes…if you are really stuck on participating in a particular sport but it doesn’t fit the above criteria, it doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel on that activity.  For example, when someone starts a running program, almost no one loves it right away.  In the beginning, running may feel like a chore but eventually, usually after a couple months, it will become much more enjoyable.  A lot of runners refer to this phenomenon as “getting into the zone”.  Once you get past the beginning stages when all do is watch the clock and pray that the workout is almost over, your body will adapt and it will not be a struggle with every stride.  So in the beginning, will-power and discipline is definitely involved and will require you to implement some of the following steps to get through the challenge until you start to enjoy the workouts more.

• Use music to keep your workouts interesting.
• Consider listening to a book or watching a TV series while working out to help pass the time
• Encourage a friend to workout with you to make the time pass more quickly and help you with your adherence.
• Be sure to cross-train so you are not only participating in one activity which can become boring quickly.
• Finally, mix up your workouts.  Take running for example, one day run long and slow, another day run shorter but harder – try hills, track workouts and intervals to keep your running program interesting.

Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan

Note: As an avid Columbian reader, you can redeem a 2 week pass at her world-class training studio to help get you started.  Contact 360.574.7292 for more details.

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Join us for Girlfriends Run for a Cure Half Marathon, 10K & 5K on Oct 14th, 2018!

Recruit your best girlfriends and help raise funds for Breast Cancer Treatment, Research & a Cure while your walk or run along a beautiful course!

 

 

 

 

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