We are creatures of habit; we like to go to the same class at the gym and do the same walk around the block. Healthy habits are great, but it’s also important to not allow ourselves to go on auto-pilot throughout the year. We delve into why you should avoid auto-pilot and have some tips on how to move on from your Summer fitness program.

Throughout the year it’s important to switch up our exercise routine. Our bodies are amazingly adaptive, so if we are doing the same thing over and over, our body becomes more efficient therefore resulting in less calories burned. When you switch things up your body will thank you for it!

Physically, doing the same exercises over and over creates a body that reflects what exercise you do. Think of a professional swimmer, they generally have well developed shoulders and upper body muscles. If you are doing the same exercise over and over, you will begin to develop a certain body shape. Keep that in mind when choosing your exercise and change things up accordingly to keep your body evenly developed throughout.

There are no shortages of different exercises to try. Pick your exercise and have a think about how to change it in some way. For example, if you usually run on the treadmill you can opt to go for a run in your local park or on the beach instead. As well as a lovely change of scenery, your body will work harder to adjust to the new terrain and in turn will enhance your overall fitness level, by burning maximum calories and avoiding a weight loss plateau.

As nice as it is to keep the fat burning to a maximum, changing up your exercise routine will also decrease your chance of a repetitive strain injury. These injuries occur when you are doing lots of repetitive motions, such as running, swinging your arm in tennis, doing squats in the gym or performing the same swimming stroke. By changing up your exercise, you give your frequently used muscles, joints and ligaments a chance to rest and recover.

If you struggle to switch things up, it’s always easier to do it with a friend. Organise to go together and join that new boxing class, running event, dance class or indoor rock climbing. Teaming up with a friend will help keep you accountable and motivated.

Here’s a fantastic and simple Autumn workout to try – no gym required, and best enjoyed outside in the fresh air!

Warm up:
10 min jog

Workout:
1-2 rounds of each exercise, 40-50 reps in each round.

• Kettlebell swings
• Burpees
• Walking lunges
• Leg raises
• Sit ups
• Push ups
• Alternating Superman
• Tri dips
• Bent over Dumbbell rows

Cool down:
Full body stretch

Gabby
Gaia’s Head Fitness Trainer