Anyone that has exercised regularly, knows that occasionally you reach a plateau, whether it be with your weight, fitness level, or interest level. I wouldn't say that I "plateaued" necessarily, but I did feel like I needed to add in an extra run each week in order to adequately prepare for my 1/2 marathon in 9 weeks. This was the first week of doing 4 runs instead of 3, and it was manageable! I just take it 1 day at a time. Thinking about getting 4 runs in during my busy week overwhelms me, but fitting 1 run in during my kiddo's nap time doesn't freak me out so much. Here are some of my recommendations for anyone who feels like they are in an exercise/weight-loss/interest level rut:
-Add 1 extra workout/run/walk per week
-Add in some strength training to your weekly regimen. I have several exercises for you to try on this website. This can really boost your metabolism!
-Intervals! In the midst of a run, walk, or elliptical machine workout, etc, instead of just holding a steady pace, change to a fast/slow pattern. For example, for a 30 minute workout, warm up 5 minutes. Go fast for 2 minutes and then slow for 2 minutes. Carry on this fast/slow pattern for 20 minutes total. Cool down 5 minutes. Making your body speed up/slow down over and over again burns more calories and accomplishes more in the same amount of time as holding a steady pace. Great deal...better fitness without taking extra time out of your day! Sounds good to me.
WEEK 7 REVIEW:
Tuesday-5 miles
Wednesday-4 miles
Friday-3 miles
Saturday-8 miles
*I can tell I am slowly getting in better shape each week. There are certainly some runs that are a struggle and I feel fatigued, but overall, I don't dread my runs as much, ha! No really, I actually look forward to some of them. :) I must note that when you add in an extra run/workout to your week, it's important to be sure to get an adequate amount of sleep. 7-8 hours per night would be ideal if you can manage it. I'm always thankful when I can get 7!
Happy exercising, and don't be afraid to change up your exercise regimen a bit, and challenge yourself!
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