This is an iHeart Podcast.
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeart Radio.
Good morning.
This is Laura.
Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is to switch up your exercise routine.
Even if you love your usual forms of exercise, doing something a little different from time to time can keep life interesting and keep your body challenged too.
So I love to run.
And for three years, I ran every single day.
Yep, that is 1,100 days in a row.
And I really enjoyed keeping up that streak.
But these days I am running three to four days per week and I'm trying to do other things on the other days.
I work out with my trainer one day a week.
I generally bike on a local trail one day and I hike with a friend on a different day.
And I'm really not saying that one approach is better or worse.
Streaks can be really cool.
But I have enjoyed the mental break of doing something different as well.
We can get stuck in exercise routines like anything else.
There are lots of different ways to move one's body.
I know I use different muscles when I do strength training with my trainer than when I run or walk.
Biking likewise feels different.
And I get a kick out of going a much longer distance than I would on foot.
If you live somewhere that the weather changes, there might be other reasons to reconsider your exercise routine.
Maybe you normally run outside in spring and fall, but it is too cold and snowy in winter to make that feasible.
If you are not a big treadmill fan, this is a good time to take a spinning class or join a basketball team.
If you have access to an outdoor pool, then summer might be time to start swimming laps, a prospect that becomes rapidly less enticing after Labor Day.
I think the argument that people risk injury by doing the same thing is probably oversold.
But even people who do like to do the same kind of exercise each day, like running, often enjoy changing things up within those parameters.
One day is devoted to speed intervals.
One day is a trail run somewhere pretty.
One day is a run through the neighborhood with a friend.
Even if it is all running, it feels different from running the exact same three miles every single day.
As my life gets busier, I do find it is helpful to plan out my exercising.
When I plan my weeks on Fridays, I think about what sort of exercise I will do each day during the following week.
I look at the weather, because a bike ride in the rain won't be much fun, nor will a run be pleasant when it is 90 degrees out.
Going to the gym takes a different amount of time than running on a home treadmill.
Thinking about workouts ahead of time gives you a chance to make them more interesting.
If you are going to walk on your lunch break on Tuesday, why not invite a colleague to join you?
Why not plot out a route that goes by that sculpture garden that's three-quarters of a mile away?
If you see that Tuesday is pretty open after work, you might decide to try that exercise class at the gym that you have been eyeing.
If Saturday is rainy, you might plan a long run or bike ride for Sunday instead and stick to indoor pursuits on Saturday.
In any case, by putting some thought into your workouts and by choosing things that feel more interesting, you can make exercise a source of adventure in your life, rather than something you do totally out of duty.
The best kind of exercise is whatever you can keep doing.
But for many of us, that can change day to day.
It can be worth it to switch things up.
In the meantime, this is Laura.
Thanks for listening.
And here's to making the most of our time.
Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast.
If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at LauraVanderkam.com.
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeart Media.
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This is an iHeart Podcast.
