I have spent most of the last 2 years working out 5 or 6 times a week with Long Beach Boot Camp.
There have been a few weeks each year when I have missed Boot Camp classes due to my husband traveling, an injury, or illness.
But those are few and far between.
I’ve become so dedicated that I often workout when we are on vacation or when I am out of town.
Fitness has become a way of life for me.
I’ve found it is vital to my well being, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Last week however, found me in a new place.
For the first time I felt a little burnt out on fitness.
And then I instantly felt afraid, and guilty.
Afraid that all my new found love of fitness would fizzle, and I’d go back to my former, unhealthy self.
And guilty for wanting to sleep in more than I wanted to work out.

I don’t know if this sort of thing is common after achieving a big fitness goal, but I am guessing it is.
You see, I’d been thinking of running that 1/2 marathon for the past year and a half.
I spent 3 months getting ready for it.
And before I ever even believed I could run it, I dreamt of it.
So once it was over, I felt a little lost.

After mulling it over quite a bit, I realized that in order to stay motivated I need to keep setting new goals and trying new things.
I need to keep it fresh!
For me, that means making plans to run 2 more 1/2 marathons this year.
I have to get my knee checked out to find out why it locked up on me during the race.
I’m hopeful for good news so that I can begin training for those races.
I’m also thinking about trying a triathlon sprint.
However, the only bike I have is a beach cruiser, so there are some details that need to be worked out for that one.
The thing is to do things that will keep me excited to go to class, and maintain a high level of fitness.

And what might you do if you are facing a similar feeling of workout burnout?
There are so many easy ways to help you through the hard days, or weeks.
Here are a few ideas:
1. Try a new class–never run bleachers or the hill? This is the time to do it. You’ll push yourself and get out of your comfort zone. You might even like it.
2. Try a new trainer–do you always see the same trainer? Every trainer trains differently.  You will work different muscles, try new exercises, get different cardio, hear different music, and you’ll have fun.
3. Take part in a challenge–there is always something going on at Boot Camp besides the daily classes.  Whether it’s a big challenge like the Life, Body, Core, or something slightly less daunting, like the 5 minute plank challenge, just being a part of the challenge will shake you up a bit and push you to meet new goals.
4. Up your weights–have you been using the same weights for a year? Or two? Maybe you need to go up a pound. Or two!  It will be hard at first, but there will be a great pay off. Check with your trainer to make sure you are ready. (and I’m just guessing that they’ll say you are)
5. Sign up for race, a ride, a fun run, or some kind of event that is outside your comfort zone--training for an event, whether it’s your first 5K or your first full marathon, will push you and stretch you. That’s what you need.
It’s what we all need. There are so many fitness events to take part in all over Southern CA. Find one and go for it!

Do you have any other ideas for combatting workout burnout?
I’d love to hear them.
Share them on the Long Beach Boot Camp Facebook page.
We need to cheer each other on, through the highs, and the lows, of our fit lifestyle.
I hope this post inspires you to try something new, and most of all, to keep going.
Remember to keep on Living Fit, and Don’t Give Up!

Greta