What gets bored first, your brain or your body? The answer may be different for each of us, but we all need variety and change to keep improving our fitness. If you’ve been doing the same workout routine in the same order for more than a month, it’s probably time to mix it up and start seeing results—and a more interesting workout!
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Why is change required for better fitness? If you’re a creature of habit, it may seem daunting to consider changing your weekly exercise routine, but our bodies have an incredible knack for adapting. Initially, it’s this skill of adaptation that helped you achieve your fitness goal or lose the first few pounds. It’s also why you may have stopped seeing results after doing the same thing for too long. Exercise puts stress on your body and after practice with that same amount of stress for the same length of time, your body has adapted to handle that particular stress. If you want to increase your fitness or lose more weight, you have to change the amount or type of stress you’re putting on your muscles.
How much change do you need? The changes to your workout don’t have to be radical to make a huge impact. Changing the intensity of your cardio routine, the amount of weight you’re lifting, or the length of time you commit to exercise each day may improve your fitness. Adding a different group exercise class to your repertoire can help challenge your muscles and prevent mental burnout. FitClub’s group exercise schedule makes it easy to try something new while challenging a new muscle group regularly.
How often do you need to mix it up? The challenge is to allow your body enough time to adapt to the new stress before you make any changes. On average, this usually takes four to six weeks of consistent exercise. Strive to change your workout routine regularly to continue to improve your fitness and achieve your weight loss goals. This may force you to break out of your comfort zone and try something new, but that’s the point! Your body is complex, with many different muscle groups all begging for your attention. Every time you try something new, you’re not only challenging your muscles, but your mind as well.
Change and balance are two very important parts of total health and wellness. Is there an area in your workout regimen that you think needs a little variety to allow you to continue to improve? Share your thoughts in the comment sections to help all of us learn from one another!
