Keeping Fitness Fun

Posted: May 29 in Weight Loss Blog by Staff

Three tips to keep your workout from stalling out

If you’re trying to lose weight, then regular physical activity is a must. But how do you keep yourself from getting bored with your daily workout? Even if you stay fit with your favorite activity, doing the same exercise every single day can become a real drag, and being bored will make you more apt to find excuses to skip your workout. Often, keeping fitness fun boils down to maintaining the right mindset and exploring the many different available options for getting an exciting workout.

Though you should consult with your weight loss surgeon Dr. Bass before taking part in any strenuous activity after bariatric surgery, here are some tips to stop exercise from becoming a dreaded part of your day:

Take a group class

The group dynamic is a huge motivator and may give you the energy push you need to continue with a workout. If you make friends in a fitness class, you’re more likely to keep coming back and scheduled meeting times will prevent you from blowing off exercise. Group classes are also a great place to learn a fun, new activity that you wouldn’t be able to do on your own.

Focus on working out, not losing weight

If you need to lose a lot of weight, it can be easy to dwell on that as you exercise—but don’t. Though helpful for weight management, working out isn’t going to help you to shed pounds overnight and expecting big, fast results will cause you unnecessary stress. Forget about how much weight you want to lose—instead, think about how much good you’re doing for your body in other ways and find what it is that you really like about the activity you’re doing. Find an activity you genuinely enjoy and focus on getting better at that activity until the calorie burning just happens.

Try something new

Even if you get your exercise doing something you love, sticking to one workout can get boring. There’s no shortage of interesting ways to get exercise, so what are you waiting for? If you jump into something new, you may find yourself loving something you never imagined you would be interested in. Try a couple of these activities:

• Yoga. A solid workout that will give you flexibility and meditative relaxation, yoga is a great form of exercise for just about anyone. Classes give you the chance to learn from the ground up and stay motivated as you get better. Yoga studios are everywhere—try Bala Vinyasa Yoga in Naples or Bikram Yoga in Ft. Myers.
• Kayaking. As Florida residents, we have tons of opportunities to participate in water sports of all kinds. With miles and miles of waterways and the ocean close at hand, few places are better than Florida for kayaking. Not a paddling pro? Try a guided tour to get you started.
• Dancing. Grab a partner and get your dancing shoes on—cutting the rug may be the perfect way to keep you entertained as you work out. In Ft. Myers, try Aki’s Ballroom Dance Studio or Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Naples.