Is Your Workout Working For You?

One of the biggest mistakes people make with their exercise program is not including enough variety. Unlike fashion faux pas or getting something stuck in your teeth, when it comes to working out, no one is going to step in and tell you when it's time to step up. That means it's up to you to know when it's time for a change. The signs may not always be obvious. Miss them and you risk giving up on your fitness plan out of frustration or boredom.

Think about your fitness portfolio like you would investments. One of the best ways to strengthen a long-term financial portfolio is to diversify investments. It's easy to think about fitness the same way.  Exercise variety will help decrease your risk of heart disease, arthritis, disability, and even some kinds of cancer. In fact, recent data suggest that regularly engaging in a range of physical activities decreases all-cause mortality rates. Research shows that diversifying your workout routine offers greater payoffs than sticking to the same moves for years on end. That's because exercise variety maximizes benefits and minimizes obstacles to working out, such as injuries, plateaus, and boredom.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) more than half of new exercisers quit within three to six months after starting a workout program. Causes are often attributed to burnout or doing the same thing over and over so it's no longer challenging.  You're simply bored. For those that stick with it, hitting a wall may happen because you've maxed out your potential in a repetitive activity.

Maybe you are just too comfortable. Working out on autopilot makes exercise a no-brainer, but you're only cheating yourself if you no longer break a sweat. You are wasting your time if you want results and you are not going outside of your comfort zone. This can be difficult to correct because you have to want to change. One way to get out of your comfort zone is by joining a group that's doing new things or trying different training classes such as Pilates or Zumba Fitness. 

Make sure your workout is working for you by getting the right mix of flexibility exercise, strength training, and aerobic exercise.  Although your optimal balance of aerobic and strength training may vary slightly, depending on your age, a good rule of thumb is to strive for equal amounts of the the two each week, integrating flexibility exercises into every workout. This means that yes, walking is great, but in and of itself is not enough for overall fitness which results in good energy, balance, strength, injury and disease risk reduction.

Talk to your doctor about exercise if you've been diagnosed with a health issue that affects your workouts. Schedule an assessment with a personal trainer.  Try different group fitness classes. Make small changes throughout the month and think about a big change every six months or so.