Five Simple Secrets for Making Exercise Fun

You may have started your new fitness routine with tons of energy and enthusiasm but over time the same exercise routine can become tedious. This is one of the primary reasons people don't stick with a long term fitness plan. The secret to staying with an exercise plan is to have fun exercising instead of considering it a chore. Once you discover that exercise doesn't have to be monotonous, you'll be excited about the prospect of getting your heart pumping and will be more likely to stick with it long term. Imagine the incredible health advantages that fitness can offer if you stay motivated. Here's how to have fun exercising:

Vary Your Workout on a Daily Basis

If you do the same workout day after day, it's almost impossible to stay enthusiastic and motivated. The key is to change your routine on a daily so you're always doing something different. If you belong to a health club, you can rotate your exercise classes on a daily basis. If you exercise at home, try working out with a different fitness video each day. To get variety without spending a fortune, check fitness tapes out of your local library or buy them inexpensively at yard sales or thrift stores. You'll find an incredible array of video options ranging from step aerobics to interval training tapes. To get the best results alternate aerobic tapes targeting the cardiovascular system with strength training tapes. Add an interval training workout once or twice a week to give yourself an additional fitness challenge.

Use the Power of Audio

Studies have shown that people exercise harder when listening to music. Consider downloading some fast paced songs to an iPod and use them as background music for your fitness routine. Another idea is to listen to audiobooks and motivational tapes while you exercise. These distractions will help the time fly by and you'll learn something new in the process.

Make Exercise Less Solitary

To break the monotony, find an exercise buddy to workout with on an occasional basis. Don't forget about exercising with your best buddy, your dog. A dog's enthusiasm for exercise can be quite motivating. A brisk walk or job with your canine companion can give quite an effective cardiovascular workout. If you'd like even more socialization, a group exercise class help give your flagging motivation a boost.

Engage in Fantasy

Instead of bemoaning the fact that you have to exercise, pretend you're an Olympic athlete training for an important event or you'll be running a marathon in two weeks. Better yet, sign up and start training for your first marathon. This is a sure prescription for jumpstarting your motivation.

Reward Yourself

When you complete a workout, give yourself a reward. Keep in mind that rewards don't necessarily have to involve eating high calorie foods. Before you go out to run, draw a hot bath of water and add some fragrant smelling bath oil. By the time you return from your run, your bathwater should be just the right temperature. While exercising imagine how wonderful that fragrant, warm water will feel when you return home. It's always nice to have something to look forward to when you complete a workout.

If you want to stick with an exercise routine long term, learn how to make it fun and you'll never dread putting on your exercise shoes again.