When it comes to diet and exercise, people go to AMAZING lengths…to avoid both! We are all busy, sure, and it can be very easy to justify NOT going to the gym and eating right in lieu of everything else we have going on in our lives.

Think about what you have going on day to day…work, your kids, your pet if you have one, hanging out with friends, laundry, dishes, ok, you get the pic. When your schedule gets a little hectic, it can be easy to push off a workout and justify it, I mean, there’s always tomorrow, right?

One of the reasons we drop our workouts and eating healthy routines is simply, boredom. Doing the same thing day in and day out can seem like a chore and the bottom line is, if we don’t enjoy doing it, we likely won’t. One of the best ways to ensure you DON’T take your workouts for granted is to mix em up! Rather than do the same boring routine day in and day out, trying new things can be the perfect way to keep you in shape and keep your health and fitness progress moving forward. Here are a few ideas to help you avoid boredom and put some excitement back into your fitness journey!

• Hire a trainer- Sure, you may know what you are doing in the gym but hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions can be an awesome way to reinvigorate your exercise program. They can provide new insight into getting in shape and show you some new ways to blast your biceps and shed some fat!

• Take a new class- Think you aren’t a FITNESS CLASS person? That may be exactly why you should sign up to take a fitness class! The choices are almost endless…Zumba, kickboxing, suspension training, ab focused classes…go ahead and sign up for a new class, or 2, or 3! You will meet fitness minded people just like yourself and have fun while trying something new!

• Grab a workout buddy- Finding a workout buddy is another killer tip to help renew your fitness goals and get you back on track. If you have someone else that has similar goals then you can both help to keep each other on track, meet for workouts as scheduled, and push each other once you are in the gym. It is easy to slack in a workout or even skip it altogether if you only have yourself to answer to…but, if someone else is waiting for you at the gym, then you greatly increase the odds of your showing up AND kicking butt!

• Buy a new piece of workout equipment- Nope, no piece of exercise equipment will get you into shape on its own. But, investing in a new piece of equipment (medicine ball, resistance band, treadmill) can help switch things up just enough to get you back on track and on the road to hitting your fitness goals. There are PLENTY of things out there to choose from so make sure to check product reviews, competitive pricing and choose something that is designed to help you reach your personal fitness goals.

So, if your fitness program has hit a dead-end, you find yourself skipping workouts, or you feel like just giving up, try using a few of the tips above to switch things up and get back on the path of your fitness journey!