Boredom Busting Tips for the Gym

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I?m happy to report that I slept like a rock ? nay, a boulder ? last night! I woke up in the exact same position that I went to sleep in. Don?t you love that? As a result, I feel 110% better than I did yesterday morning ? awesome!

Even more awesome is the Healthyeverythingtarian inspired breakfast I made this morning: Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal. Yummm!

In the mix:

1/3 cup each of old fashioned oats, skim milk & water
1/2 a large banana, cooked in with oats
dash of pumpkin pie spice
splash of vanilla
drizzle of sugar free maple syrup
Spoonful of almond butter

My oats were so fluffy and whipped today!

And nothing beats a big spoonful of almond butter in the a.m.. Nothing beats a big spoonful of almond butter anytime, actually.

 

I?ve forgotten how filling oatmeal can be in the morning ? I am a stuffed roly poly right now!

Today?s lunch marks the return of the Kitchen Sink Salad!

In the mix:

Romaine lettuce
Cabbage
Carrot chips
Sliced almonds
Chopped, dried peaches
Deli ham

 

Mmmm, yep. Pretty much got everything but the kitchen sink in there. Oh, except pickles ? which, FYI ? are amazing in salads. Just throwing that out there!

So, friends. As the colder weather makes its way into our lives, naturally the gym must also if we want to get our workouts in. Unfortunately, the gym is a breeding ground for boredom ? among other things ? but I found four boredom-busting cardio routines to try from Women?s Health Mag (love that website!) Each routine combines three different cardio activities in one, 30 minute workout. Got that?! Here they are:

The Triathlon Trainer: A triple play that gets fast results

Pedal a bike at a moderate pace?an effort level of 5 or 6 (you’re working hard but can still carry on a conversation)?for 10 minutes. Next, run either outside or on a treadmill for 10 minutes, again at an effort level of 5 or 6. Last, head to the pool or a rowing machine and put in 10 minutes at the same effort level.

The Full-Body Toner: Combines strength moves and cardio for maximum fat-blasting

Jump rope for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds; do 5 sets. Then perform 2 sets of this 5-minute body-weight circuit: squats, pushups, step-ups, dips, and crunches. Do as many reps of each exercise as you can in 1 minute, moving to the next without rest. Finish with a 10-minute jog at a medium pace.

The Power Booster: This interval workout builds speed, power, and lower-body tone.

Pick three cardio machines with adjustable resistance and do the following on each: Warm up for 2 minutes at a medium pace. For the first interval, raise to max effort by upping the resistance and/or incline, keeping the pace steady; go for 30 seconds, then recover at warm up pace for 2 minutes. Do 2 intervals per machine. Finish on one machine before moving to the next.

The Calorie Scorcher: Challenges your cardiovascular system and strengthens your body

Choose any three cardio machines. On the first one, go for 10 minutes at an effort level of 5 or 6. Move immediately to the next machine and go hard, at an effort level of 9 or 10?you should just barely be able to huff out words?for another 10 minutes. Finally, switch to the last machine and do 10 minutes at a 5 or 6 effort.

Don?t these sound crazy/fun/intense/boredom busting? I kind of want to try out the ?Calorie Scorcher? tonight?we shall see

Here are some of my boredom busting tips for the gym:

Listen to a book on CD, rotate activities after each chapter
Purchase a new workout outfit (it works!)
Workout with a friend
Download a new playlist
Try a new class
Switch classes
Split the cost of a couple personal training sessions with a friend/family member
Workout at a new time
Try a new gym
Make it a goal to try every piece of equipment in the gym in 2 weeks, one month, etc.

Hopefully these workouts and tips will help you combat the gym boredom blues this winter!

Have a great day everyone!

~~~~~

How often do you switch up your workouts?

I am totally guilty of running a one-type workout show. I know that continually doing the same thing day after day isn?t as beneficial as doing multiple types of workouts ? I?m just a creature of habit! I used to be really good at incorporating step class/kick boxing and the stair master in with my running. Perhaps this winter I can revisit those days!?

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