Ways To Avoid Workout Burnout
You made a resolution and cleared space in your busy schedule, bought new runners and a gym membership, and hit the ground running towards your fitness goals. At first, it was hard to get off the couch or crawl out of bed early, but after a while, you found your groove and really started to enjoy your regular workout sesh. So, why are you suddenly running out of steam?
Follow These Steps To Avoid Workout Burnout
If you’ve found yourself battling a case of workout burnout, it may be tempting to throw in the towel and quit your exercise regime. The good news is, you can get back on track with a few simple tips.
Whether you need to find a new playlist to blast through your headphones or hunt down a workout buddy – it’s all about listening to your body and finding ways to rediscover the fun and enjoyment of working out.
1. Build it up – Slowly
New to the workout scene? Resist the urge to go in all guns blazing. Ramping up the difficulty too quickly can have you running back to the couch before you even reach the end of January.
Exercise is about toning and conditioning your body with steadily increasing intensity. Going hard before you’re ready can lead to soreness, injuries, and questioning why you thought this was a good idea in the first place.
Set modest, achievable goals that will give you that ‘high’ of achievement and boost your motivation. Focus on developing technique, making sure you are performing each exercise safely and correctly, before making it harder.
Keeping an exercise journal can be a great way to track progress: when you feel like you haven’t made much headway, comparing where you are with where you started can spur you on.
2. Take it down a notch
One of the biggest reasons for burnout is pushing your body too hard during exercise sessions. Not only does this cause exhaustion to build up, but maintaining high-intensity workouts can lead to strain on the joints and injuries to muscles and connective tissue.
Your body needs ample time to rest and recuperate so it can repair itself along the way. High-intensity training is great for building strength and dropping weight.
However, gentler exercises, such as walking, swimming, yoga, and pilates, can give the body that much-needed downtime without losing the momentum you’ve built up.
Roll out a yoga mat at home, or head for a walk around the block to give your body a rest. They can also help to tone the body, improve cardio fitness and increase flexibility.
3. Switch up the scenery
If you’re used to sweating it out in the gym or have a regular running route, the daily routine may start to get a little…boring. When you find yourself counting down the minutes until the end of your session, it could be time to get fresh with it.
Instead of hitting the gym, head outdoors for a rigorous hiking session or try rock climbing. Have those sneakers seen the same paths too many times?
Surfing or ocean swimming will give you a serious(ly fun) workout if you live near the coast. You could even try challenging yourself to walk through a different park or nature reserve every week.
What about when weather or other circumstances keep you indoors? Trade dumbbells for a lap pool or a rousing game of squash. If you work near a shopping center, take advantage of the early morning quiet to do some high-speed window shopping.
4. Better when we’re together
Flagging motivation can often be remedied by joining forces with another person or group and working out together. This might be in the form of a personal trainer, a fitness class such as aerobics, cycling, or yoga, or just grabbing a few friends together for a hike.
Being with others keeps us interested in what we’re doing and raises a bit of healthy competitiveness that pushes us to keep going. Better still, you can get the family involved and create memories while improving your health.
If you can’t team up in person, there are plenty of fitness apps that allow you to buddy up with others and strike up some friendly competition. Strap on a smartwatch to keep track of your progress and compare your activity levels.
5. Become besties with your pillow
Who knew sleep was such an important part of the exercise? Getting enough rest is essential for letting your body repair any tissue damage sustained during workout sessions. This repair process is also where muscles are built up stronger than before while refueling for the next round of activity.
When you skimp on the snooze time, you make it harder to get up and go. Over time your body becomes exhausted, and you’ll find you can’t keep it up anymore.
Rather than letting fatigue and burnout build up until you crash, focus on keeping a regular, healthy sleep schedule and incorporating rest days into your routine.
Wrap-Up
Workout burnout can be a real hurdle in your fitness goals. However, remember that no workout routine is set in stone and you can always change to suit, ensuring that you stay motivated all year round!
Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels
Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels
