When Your Movement Loses its Sparkle
Exercise Burnout is something we’ve all experienced before. No matter how deeply you love your movement practice (be it walking, lifting weights or playing a specific sport) there will be points where it’s time to lace up your shoes, or roll out your mat, and you really really don’t feel like it.
This can be a super discouraging feeling, especially if you’ve been on a recent roll. What happened? How can you re-spark that love you felt last week?
Here are some things we can do when we see exercise burnout on the horizon, or just ways to be proactive in keeping our movement interesting.
Do Something You Love
Okay, this one is obvious but I can never say it enough. Pick an activity you actually like doing! It’s your body and your time, and you should be doing what feels good for you. Not your best friend, or that person insta, or you of 2016. This brings us to the next point…
It’s Okay to Change Your Movement
In fact, I encourage mixing it up! Just because a sport or a specific class gave you a lot of joy last year or even last week, doesn’t mean that it has to bring you joy today. I stuck with baton for years after I fell out of love with it, because I felt I needed to. I finally allowed myself to try pole dancing, and then flexibility training and I’m so glad I did. Don’t limit your passions by forcing something that simply isn’t for you anymore.
Switch Up Your Schedule
So maybe it’s not the movement. Maybe it’s the time of day. Especially as the seasons change, the times of day we like to workout often change too. If your morning workout is feeling too groggy, or your evening exercise keeps getting skipped because its during the only time you have to spend with your roommate or partner, consider experimenting with what time of day you move.
Get a Buddy
Maybe that roommate or partner wants to move, too! Some of us are big fans of solo movement sessions, but if you’ve been feeling a little lonely or unmotivated, try exercising with a friend. Me and my roommate T tried some partner stretches together, and while it wasn’t the most effective stretch sesh, the laughs were definitely worth it.
Burnout always seems to strike around this time of year, so thinking ahead of ways to stay moving (even if it’s just a 5 minute stretch!) throughout the colder months is so important for our well-being.
PSSST: I now have a rapidly growing on-demand library with videos you can do anywhere, anytime! Think of it as your cheat sheet to avoid movement boredom and the late autumn blues.