Health experts recommend that adults get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day. Including fitness in your daily routine promotes mental well-being, strengthens your body and reduces your risk of many chronic diseases. However, if you do the same workout every day, you might be negating some of the benefits of exercise. Here are six reasons why you should change your workout routine to stay fit.
Prevent Overuse Injuries
Doing the same type of exercise every day could overwork particular muscles or joints. Varying your workouts from day to day allows different muscle groups to recover and repair themselves. For example, running every day could cause soreness in your calves and inflammation in your knees. Alternating running with swimming and weight lifting could lessen those issues.
Avoid Boredom
Performing the same workout routine every day gets boring. Your muscles also develop a memory, and doing the same workout day in and day out will not help them grow as much. Changing your fitness routine every couple of days or alternating exercise types keeps your brain engaged and your muscles challenged.
Breach a Weight Loss Plateau
Many people lose weight quickly after starting a fitness routine, then they get stuck. If you’re having trouble losing the last 10 or 20 pounds, you are “plateaued.” Changing your workouts could help you breach that plateau. Your body will burn more calories when it is challenged with different or more difficult exercises.
Build New Muscles
Changing your workout routine helps you build strength in more muscle groups. If you are always walking or jogging for fitness, you will end up with strong calves and a weaker upper body. By adding in some weight lifting, swimming, climbing or racquetball, you can also strengthen your core and upper body. Varying the muscle groups that you exercise also ensures that your strength will be well-balanced. Balanced muscles help you prevent injuries, such as falls.
Invigorate Your Brain
Learning a new type of activity is good for your brain. You may have noticed that when you first try a new activity, you are not good at it. Your movements may be awkward or clumsy. You may be slow and disorganized as you attempt to move your body. As you perform the activity more times, your brain’s neurons make connections and help you get more coordinated and efficient at the new activity. Trying a new physical activity every month or so is excellent for your brain health.
Find New Interest in Fitness
If you only ever do one or two types of exercise, it is tempting to just skip it half the time. Give yourself something to look forward to by trying new activities or alternating your workouts. You will also meet new people this way. You might find a great gym workout partner and someone else with whom to run, swim or play tennis.
