Change & Refreshing Your Workout

This year, to refresh my fitness routine, I decide to return to something old and add something new. My goal, as always, was to have fun, stay healthy and stay motivated.

Staying motivated to "work out" isn't usually my problem but even my body at rest stays at rest unless I do something to get myself out the door.

Adding an old workout, refreshed: training for another half marathon. I'm keeping this year's training fresh by doing it with my brother, who lives two time zones away. We're linked on an app that lets us train/compete together. It's been great to literally see him putting in the miles and to urge him on by nipping at his heels.

First climb. Photo by Dana Underwood

Trying a new workout: In January, a friend posted a note on Facebook, asking if anyone wanted to go rock climbing. I never had but suddenly wanted to very badly. Rock climbing is completely out of my fitness sweet spot - a lot of upper body, vertical movement, partner-based activity. But, I love it so much, I quit my old gym and joined a much smaller gym that is mostly based on climbing. My hands hurt all of the time, but it's satisfying and has secretly added strength training to my cardio-centric routine.

I'm sharing this today, deliberately. By now, many of us have given up our new year's resolutions. Motivation met its match in habit and inertia. But there was a reason you made that resolution. Maybe you know you're not as healthy as you should be for your age. Maybe you feel older than are. Maybe some pounds have snuck up on you and now you can't shake them. Whatever it was, it's still there.

So, if you're hating the fitness routine you tried to start in January, shake it up! Try something so completely different, you almost can't think of it yourself (whoa, my head just threatened to explode!). Rock climbing, mall walking, Lemon Twist®, something! It might not be easy and you SHOULD ache tomorrow, but it will get better and could even be...fun.