We are several weeks into the New Year and you have been going to the gym faithfully every day.  You started out gung ho and now you are getting bored with your routine.  You dropped a couple pounds and you are not noticing anymore coming off.  What is going on?  There are a few things you can do make your workout more effective and see results longer than a couple weeks. 

Here are some tips:

• Enjoy your time at the gym.  Find activities that are fun and push you beyond your comfort zone.
• Don’t spend hours at the gym, go in with your workout planned out already and get it done.
• Don’t spend time just talking with your friends, yeah it’s great you can work out together, but make sure you are pushing yourself. 
• Vary your aerobic workout and try all the machines, not just the one piece you love.
• If your gym has a basketball court, get out there even if by yourself and bounce the ball around, you would be surprised how much of a challenge it can be. 
• Do you remember the erasure run?  Get out there and give it a try.
• Be consistent with your routine, meaning that although, you don’t have to go to the gym every day, you do have to be consistent about going.  2-3 times a week for strength training is the key.
• Increase you intensity, you can do small intervals, pick 5 exercises, do each one correctly and with great form for 1 minute, do not rest between exercises.  Rest one minute afterwards and then do all over again.  Try that for 4 rounds and you will be surprised how effective it can be.  You have to put everything into the exercises though.  No lolly gagging while you are exercising.
• If you only do machine exercises, mix it up, do only a bodyweight exercise once a week. 
• Don’t do the same workout especially if you get bored easily.  I do a different workout each time with my clients. 
• If you don’t have enough energy at the time that you exercise, find a way to try a different time.  You really can get in a great 20 minute workout, lunch time or before work is a great time.
• Try something different each month if you belong to a gym, if not try something different each month anyway.

I hope these tips help shake up your program.  If you need any additional help or find you just won’t do it on your own, contact me.