Keep your fitness motivation level up

By Angela Young

It can be tough to keep your fitness motivation level up, especially when you have a tight schedule or don't like to work out. Changing your routine is key to continued fitness results as your body becomes used to your current routine and burns less calories and keeps muscle from building. There are ways to keep your routine fresh and fun.

Keep Competitiveness in Check

A little competition between friends can be great and even motivating, but too much competition will get you stuck in a rut, burnt out or even put you on the injured list. You need to focus on your form and not get carried away in the amount of weights you're lifting. 

Add Strength

If you're not lifting weights, using cables machines or doing core work, add some in. Strength moves will kick your body into gear and burn fat from on top of the muscle not just from cardio.

Cross Train

Cross training means you alternate at least once a week with a different cardio activity. Not only does this trick your body into gear it also gives muscle groups and joints a rest from repetitive motion. If you're a runner, try swimming or biking. 

Use Little Reminders

Remember your accomplishments along the way and don't brush off compliments. When other people tell you that you look great, say thanks and really feel it.

Set Long-Term Goals

When you have a long-term goal to work toward you have the ability to find new and exciting ways along the way to spice it up. In order to meet a long-term goal you have to keep it fresh and trick your body when you reach plateaus.

Set New Goals

When you reach a goal, set a new one. This helps you kick start your energy again and give you something new to look forward to. This is a great thing to do for short-term goals which help you see improvement along the way.

Track Your Progress

One of the best ways to track progress is through inches lost for weight loss. Pounds are good but the inches and pant sizes really show your progress. If you're training for an event look at miles biked/swam/ran to find encouragement.

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