Well, yet another Turkey Day is behind us, and Black Friday has officially ushered in the holiday season. I may not know where you live, but where I am, Santa has already been at the malls for weeks! Sometimes seeing and feeling the holidays gives rise to putting off the need to exercise or just kind of going with the flow.
Often this time of year, I emphasize the importance of staying focused and to keep pushing forward with your plan, but hectic flying schedules and the need to take a breather from fitness or nutrition is just par for the course.
Let’s talk about boredom. Recently, I have noticed in my efforts to stay focused on my workout, I have just become bored with my routines. Several programs I follow and to which I have subscribed, just don’t seem to cut it. It’s almost like going to the gym takes more energy than the workout itself. See, even fitness folks run into issues sometimes! I found I was just plain dreading going to the gym putting me out of balance with what I was getting out of going to the gym.
I decided to take a few days off and reassess what I wanted and to answer the question I usually pose to everyone else: why do we workout? In past articles, I have mentioned that the need to stay active and fit is to be able to be a productive member of society functioning in the real world. I have to laugh when explaining that a certain bodyweight exercise I use in our fitness routine is to allow me to actively pick up boxes from the floor and to place them on a shelf. This is really what it comes down to.
Boredom can also cause you to stop your journey or push it to tomorrow resulting in negative effects on your goals. Think about when you stopped working out for a period of a few weeks and then came back to the gym for a “lite” session. You probably felt good the first day, but that lactic acid hit you hard the next day or even two days later. That pain is telling you something, but we often use that as more of an excuse to not keep working out. That little bit of muscle soreness shouldn’t prevent you from staying in the gym, it should be a sign you’re still alive and capable of being there.
If you find yourself bored or just plain tired of hitting the gym, take a day or two to reflect on what’s important to you on your journey, to refocus and reenergize.
We can’t forget, it’s the holiday season – a time for joy, family, and reflection. Take time to enjoy the moments you share with those around you. Wherever you are, give thanks and be grateful! No matter what you’re doing, where you’re going, or what your journey looks like – celebrate! Positivity is the best exercise for your soul.
