Need Motivation? Try these 8 Fitness Tips

A fitness trainer offers 8 things to try when your workout is just not working out.

Exercise boosters: enlisting outside help
Are you stuck in a workout rut? Not getting the results you'd like or just bored of the same old routine? Personal trainer Deb Kay from Women's Fitness Clubs of Canada has 10 tips to keep you motivated and moving this summer:

1. Exercise motivation booster: Mix it up

Variety is the spice of life, and exercise is no exception. Whatever it is you're doing, change it up, even if it's in a small way. If you're strength training, use a lighter weight but increase the number of reps; if you normally do standing exercises on the floor, stand on a BOSU or sit on a yoga ball to increase your core strength. Kay also advises you switch up your routine every five to eight weeks.

2. Exercise motivation booster: Shock your body

If you're not seeing results from a workout, your body might have plateaued and adapted to whatever you're doing; meaning it doesn't work as hard. So, kick-start your exercise routine by upping the ante: increase the speed of your activity or add more repetitions; add some weight or simply extend the length of your workout to push your body harder.

3. Exercise motivation booster: Get professional help

If you can, hire a personal trainer, even if it's only for one or two sessions. A PT draws from a depth of knowledge and experience, and can tailor an ideal workout for you that will target your desired areas of improvement. Plus, learning from a pro reduces the likelihood of injury if you're trying a new regimen since you'll be taught the best way to perform various exercises.

4. Exercise motivation booster: Call a buddy

Working out with a friend or a group is helpful if you're feeling unmotivated. It gives you company and allows for the creation of mini-competitions (who can do the most reps? who can skip rope the longest?) to keep things fun and interesting. You can also be one another's cheerleaders, pushing one another to keep going.

5. Exercise motivation booster: Interval training

Adding short bursts of higher-intensity activity into your cardio or resistance workout routine forces your body to work harder and helps burn more fat, thereby improving your workout results. It also ensures that your workout is never monotonous.

6. Exercise motivation booster: Get outside

It's summer! Why not take advantage of the nice weather and move your workout outdoors? Go for a long walk outside instead of on a treadmill. Hop on your bicycle and tour the neighbourhood instead of sitting on a stationary bike. Or even just take your free weights into the backyard and do your bicep curls under the trees.

7. Exercise motivation booster: Change your tunes

Are you listening to music or watching TV while you work out? If not, give it a try. And, if you're already doing it, ensure that your music is upbeat, energetic and motivating to keep you moving. Distracting your mind with sound or visuals is a good way to avoid boredom, thereby increasing the duration of your activity... which ultimately improves results.

8. Exercise motivation booster: Chart your progress

If you can tangibly see yourself improving -- you can walk farther, lift more weight, do 10 more push-ups than you could two weeks ago -- you're more likely to keep moving forward. Setting and achieving goals is a fantastic motivator.Whatever you choose to do, the key is to keep at it and keep it interesting for yourself and for your body.