High School Burnout

we were BABIES! sorry erin, sorry jess :)

Wait.... what? That doesn't even make sense.

I hope you didn't see the word "burnout" and think that I was about to explain how I've burnt out on the gym and that I plan to eat bonbons all day and cancel my membership tomorrow.

Nope. Not this post.

This post is about how to prevent burnout...

Because we all know that the same work out day in and day out is torture.

It's like a real life Groundhog Day starring YOU as Bill Murray's character.

Not only is the same workout every day torture for you mentally, it actually loses effectiveness each time you do it. That is, your body actually remembers routines/runs/intervals/etc. and adapts over time to operate more efficiently.  So your once killer workout isn't so killer after the 5th time in a row.

(HIIT vs extended steady cardio is a similar concept)

Neat, right? The human body is so cool!  

nerd alert

So the best way to beat burnout and burn more cals is simply: mix it up!

Here's how you can (should!) mix it up:

Fit Friday.  Sorry, I had to do it. Use FF to add a little spice to your gym routine.

Workshops. They're always happening where I practice yoga and I'm sure there's lots where you are, too. You'll learn new postures and usually there's some kinda added bonus (i.e., adjustments-- my favorite, a more intimate setting, typically more advanced)

Find a new spot. Getting a day pass at a random gym or attending a class in a foreign studio is a great way to learn new stuff that your body has never encountered before.

Groupon (or any other discount site). Use Groupon to find said "new spots". And, um, hello?  How can you not pass up insanely cheap prices for typically expensive classes/memberships?! Some offers are pretty random,
too -- pole dancing? That counts!

Mix it up.  Wait, am I on repeat? If you go to spinning every Tuesday, why not try some HIIT on the treadmill instead. Just be sure to work as hard and as long as you would at spin.
Explore What Mr Tready Has to Offer. Using the incline option on the treadmill is an awesome way to surprise those skinny legs of yours. Or what about those cool (but maybe kinda scary) "fat burning"workouts they have pre-programmed into it's little computer brain? Hey, it's worth a shot!
Run outside. It's completely different than running on a treadmill. Trust.
Dive into different machines. Use a machine you've never used before. I'm sure you'll be sore tomorrow!
Use Your Friends. No, not that way. Have your homegirl bring you to her favorite class or let her show you her running loop.

I'm very conscious of this whole "burnout" thing and it's something I think about a lot.
And if the day comes when I'm no longer physically active, I surely don't want the reason to be, "I burned out".
I also don't expect to have the same workout regimen/routine 5, 10, 20 years from now.

That'd be a lot of Groundhog Days.

So I make it a point to not get burnt out on whatever I'm currently interested in.

If I start to feel the itch, even just a little bit, I'll back off and direct my daily workout attention elsewhere.

Do you have any tips or tricks to avoid burnout?