Switch It Up or Fill Up Your Calendar

Happy Monday, folks!

I think it’s safe to say that fitness can feel a bit mundane or repetitive at times, especially if you’ve been sticking to the same routine for years. I experienced this myself a couple of years ago. After working out 5-7 days a week for the last 8 years, the gym just wasn’t giving me that “high” anymore. After graduating college, I went from exercising with friends every day to working out alone every night, and my joy in going to the gym started to fade quickly.

Lately, I’ve had several conversations with people expressing similar feelings: “What should I do if I’m getting bored of working out?” or “I’ve run for years and used to race, but now I’m only running once or twice a week and not enjoying it as much.” 

Luckily, there’s a simple solution: you gotta switch it up or fill up your calendar!

Training without intent makes it really tough to stay consistent. Let’s be honest—what’s keeping you motivated if you don’t have an end goal? When I started getting bored with lifting, I knew I didn’t want to switch to olympic lifting or powerlifting, and competing in bodybuilding was never an extreme I wanted to put my body through. Thankfully, some buddies introduced me to running and all the benefits it offers in parallel to working out.

For years, I hesitated to ever consider running. Like most people, I was fed the same old lie: if you start running, you’ll lose all your muscle—as if running was this force that would just mow down muscle with each step.

But once I got through that “I suck at this” phase for a month or two and began seeing improvements in my runs, I was hooked. It had been forever since I’d experienced rapid progress in my fitness. Sure, I had my newbie gains back in high school and college, but my growth in the gym had plateaued for years. Now, for the first time in what felt like forever, I was improving week after week. And the best part was, my workouts started improving too.

I understand for a lot of people, learning a new fitness discipline isn’t in the cards. Maybe you’re not looking to switch things up, but instead want to get better at what you’ve been doing. That’s where filling up your calendar becomes crucial. If you’re just working out for the sake of working out, staying consistent and motivated can be a challenge.  But if you mark the calendar that by February 10th you’re going to lose 15 pounds, squat 275 pounds, bulk up to 195 pounds, or do 10 overhand pull ups—you’ll be much more focused and intentional with your time in the gym.

We all know it’s easy to set a goal and mark a date, but the real challenge is staying accountable. One of the best ways I keep myself accountable is by sharing my goals with friends and family, or even announcing them on social media. This way, whenever I find myself trying to come up with an excuse to skip a workout, I’m reminded that my goal is in the spotlight and I don’t have the luxury of skipping today. And even if you give it your all and fall just short of your goal, that’s still something to be proud of. Odds are, you wouldn’t have come this far without pushing yourself.

To start getting motivated sooner, give yourself the chance for a tiny win each week. Begin small—tell yourself you’re going to work out three times this week for at least an hour each session. Next week, take it a step further by planning your workouts in advance and committing to complete every set you planned. The following week, focus on improving a specific aspect of your workouts, like increasing your weight on a key lift or adding an extra set to your routine. By gradually ramping up your commitment, you’ll build momentum and confidence making it easier to stay on track. 

The same goes if you’re a runner. If you’re just running for the sake of running, it can become pretty boring. Schedule a 5K race (either solo or with a friend), train to beat your previous half-marathon time six months from now, or try incorporating interval training into your routine to improve your speed and endurance. This way, you’ll have something to work toward, making your runs more exciting and purposeful.

So switch it up, fill up that calendar, or if you’re feeling adventurous, do both! Whatever you choose, do it with purpose and remember to Find Your 1%.