Recently I announced to my Zumba students that I would be taking the week of July 4 off to work on some new material and  “recharge my batteries.”  When I say, “recharge my batteries,” I basically mean my mind and body. I’m a big believer that when you do things passionately you will produce results. So with that being said, I think everyone needs to sometimes take a step back and refocus on what it was that gave them passion to begin with.

 

You may be asking yourself right about now, “What does this have to do with a fitness blog?”  Well there is a common ailment in the fitness world known as

 

(Cue evil guy music….) “The Burnout”

 

Nasty thing it is, and sadly I’ve seen many fitness enthusiasts, instructors and trainers become a victim.

 

Here are some symptoms:

Here’s the good news though, curing the burnout is easy, and much less painful than getting a flu shot!

 

Tips for Curing the Burnout

 

A common reason many people experience burnout is that they have surpassed their goal but yet are still doing the same activities to achieve it.  In essence, they aren’t challenging themselves anymore. Set a new goal, it can be as simple as running your first 5k (this is a great season to start training for those) or gaining muscle mass. Whatever it is, set it and go forth with a new passion, to conquer it.

 

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals." Zig Ziglar

 

Believe it or not, this could have something to do with burnout as well. We all know eating clean is key to total health but eating the same clean menu day in and day out can burn you out as well. My suggestion, buy a clean eating cookbook and try some new recipes. This can open up a whole new world that you didn’t know existed. You may even find your own version of Bobby Flay inside, bursting to get out and cook up some delicious and healthy concoctions.

 

This one is HUGE. Sometimes, it’s as simple as changing up your routine. Experts agree you should change your exercise routine every six weeks to keep your body from adapting, so changing up your daily activity is important. Think outside of the box. Workouts should be fun, so try activities that get you so into the action you forget you’re working out.  Here are my top switches to get your workout revved up again.

 

Finally, and this one is going to surprise you

 

Overtraining can be the biggest contributor to the burnout. A combination of mind and body exhaustion can bring on the burnout before you have time to realize it. Remember to let your body rest. If you need a week off, take a week off. It’s far better to take a break and come back swinging than to push yourself to complete exhaustion.

 

And most important, DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP. The point here is that even though you may “hit the wall” you are able to push through that wall and come through better and stronger.

 

Just think about this for a second; you may be burned out, and you may be tired, but by being a good example, how many people have you helped to see the results of a healthy lifestyle? Don’t kid yourself, every time you make a healthy decision, you are being a healthy example of the way we should be. It’s kind of like that commercial where one good deed, brings on another… You never know how your enthusiasm for a healthy lifestyle has inspired someone else.

 

So if all else fails, remember you are part of an inspiring group of people helping to make this country a happier and healthier place, kind of like a healthy super hero, so grab your cape and get to work!

 

Until Next Time

Yours in Health and Fitness

Ashley