7 Ways to Jumpstart Your Workout

Whether you’re an avid exerciser or just getting started, maintaining an exercise routine can be tough. These tips can help you get over the slump and make those workouts part of your life rather than something you dread.

Do you often feel like you don’t have the time or energy to get in a good workout? I promise, I know the feeling. Some mornings when my alarm goes off, all I want to do is unplug it and snooze for an extra hour instead of heading out for a run. It got especially hard when I started marathon training. As the runs got longer, my start time had to get earlier and earlier to keep my running schedule from interfering with my work day.

These little tricks helped me immensely during marathon training, and they’re definitely the reason that I’ve been able to keep up a regular running routine now that there’s nothing that I’m training for.

1. Drink less booze. This might seem like a no-brainer, but the night before your workout, skipping the booze in favor or water can make a big difference. Even low levels of dehydration can impact your workout, and you’ll have a much easier time exercising if you didn’t drink the night before. If just water seems a little boring, try whipping up a healthy mocktail, so you won’t feel left out.

2. Try intervals. If you’re getting tired of your routine or you feel like you’ve hit a plateau, working in some interval training can kick things into gear. Intervals are simple to do: you rotate between an easy and difficult pace. For example, on our Friday runs, my partner and I do two minutes of running as fast as we can, then two minutes of walking for our three mile route.

3. Take it outside. If you’re used to working out at the gym, try taking your workout outdoors. Walking, running, cycling, or even yoga outside is a whole different experience than inside a gym with all of the fluorescent lighting. One of the hardest runs I had during marathon training was on a treadmill, and it was less than half the distance of most of the runs in that training program.

Next: Even more motivational workout ideas!

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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E. T.

2:44PM PDT on May 21, 2013

Now that I've had my baby, I'm finding that working out and just starting a workout is harder than ever! As much as I keep asking, none of my friends are helping, or are very supportive, either. Reading suggestions from others is a great help right now.