There comes a time in your workout session you just don’t want to do it anymore. Everyone has been there. May be it is a stressful time in your life, due to work, family or relationships. Or you may be exhausted and cannot begin to contemplate working out after a long and tiring day in the office. Regardless, you know you have to find a way out of the slump.
The first step to feeling down in the slumps is to understand it is normal. This happens to everybody at some point in their life. These slumps result through fatigue, stress and boredom. The feeling can last a few hours, sometimes days, sometimes weeks or months. If it continues, it is time to do something about it. Life is like a roller-coaster, the ride is not smooth. There are bound to be bumps along the way. This feeling is one such bump.
That being said, you cannot expect to wake up each morning and be pumped up and excited for your workout. This doesn’t happen either. It’s not realistic to think you will feel great about your workout everyday. It is the bumps we are focusing on, and you can overcome them each time you feel like quitting.
The first step is to address the root cause of the slump. Oftentimes it can be stress or fatigue. The key is to try a few adjustments. Do not change everything at once. It can become overwhelming. For instance, if you feel tired often, go to bed 30 minutes earlier than your regular bedtime. Another simple adjustment, add variety to your routine. Try a workout session at home with a home personal trainer a few times a month. Lastly, if you are bored why not enlist a friend to help you. You can also exercise with a personal trainer, it makes the whole process a lot more fun, it also means you have someone to encourage you when you feel down.
The second step is to pick something you like. What type of activities do you enjoy? For example, if you want a great cardiovascular workout, spinning is not the only way to do it. If you don’t enjoy your workout you can start to resent it. Incorporate activities you enjoy, whether it is swimming, hiking, running, jogging or biking; you will begin to feel your mindset slowly shifting towards a more positive attitude.
The third step is to be proactive and know this feeling doesn’t last forever. This too shall pass. Acknowledge you are in a slump, understand why it is happening and take some steps to make small adjustments. Things will slowly start turning around.
