Tired of Your Workout Routine? Switch It Up With a Movement Menu

It’s 6 AM. You roll over to press snooze on your alarm, but then you remember mid-consciousness…it’s time for your workout. Your mind is telling you that you said you’d get up and exercise first thing, but your body is telling you “just hit the snooze button ONE more time…” and wins the battle in the end. That pricey Peloton collecting dust in the corner is becoming a beacon of guilt more than a source of inspiration at this point.

Can you relate? 

We’ve all been there at some point, but there’s two things I see people forget all the time when it comes to moving your body: 

1 — Exercise CAN be fun, you just have to find your “thing.” 

2 — You don’t HAVE to stick with that same old routine if you don’t want to. You have options!

Sometimes routines can become stale and we need to switch it up. Starting with our words — try switching out the word “exercise” for MOVEMENT. 

The term “movement” is less triggering if you’ve had negative experiences with exercise in the past. Ideally, we want our thoughts about movement to embody what we’re really trying to accomplish, which is to move our bodies as an act of self-care rather than something you’ve been told you have to do. 

“I have to” or “I should” exercise instead becomes “I GET to move my body.” 

When you’re struggling to stay consistent with your usual workout routine, it could also be as simple as trying something different. 

I’ll ask my clients: What’s one type of movement that you’ve always wanted to try but never have? Or, what kind of movement did you enjoy as a kid? This sparks a brainstorm for what I call a “Movement Menu” — a list of different activities that get your body moving and blood pumping that you can choose from depending on your mood, energy level, and the time you have available. 

Giving yourself options to choose from and switching up your workouts not only makes you more agile, but it keeps it interesting and your brain engaged so you’re more likely to be consistent. 

Here are 4 options to consider when creating your own “Movement Menu”: 

1. Gardening

I bet this wasn’t what you thought would be the first thing on the list!

Movement isn’t all about doing strenuous workouts with a trainer yelling at you (I hate those, in fact). Depending on where you’re at in your fitness journey, starting with something that gets you outside and moving with little-to-no impact is a great place to start. 

2. Zumba or other dance classes

This can be such a great form of exercise because it’s full body cardio and so much fun. Even if you have two left feet, dancing is a great way to relieve stress and bring more joy into your week. 

You can try it out at home before venturing out to an in-person class if that feels less intimidating. 

3. Pickleball

This sport is like a mix of ping-pong, tennis, and badminton. It’s less strenuous than tennis, but don’t be fooled because it can still be an intense workout running around on the court. 

If you’re into team sports, this is a fun one to play with doubles. Just make sure you’re quick on your feet to avoid injuries!

4. Weight Lifting

There’s a misconception that if you lift weights, it’ll make you bulky. This holds back many women from trying, but the truth is lifting weights is a great addition to your workout routine along with cardio and has so many amazing benefits.  

Weight lifting helps build muscle, and muscle tissue burns calories at a higher rate than fat tissue does. Basically, the more muscle you have the more calories your body will naturally burn while resting (in science terms this is called your “basal metabolic rate”). 

This is why I encourage clients to not be too obsessed with the scale. Yes, it can be motivating to track your weight as a progress marker, but muscle weighs more than fat. So if you’re working on building muscle, you could be losing inches of fat off your body and not seeing as big of a change in the number on the scale. 

Building muscle is also important to prevent injury by maintaining a strong core. 

Remember — exercise CAN be fun, but sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs before you find your “thing.” When you shift your mindset away from “I have to exercise” and embrace the perspective of “I GET to move my body,” then it becomes an act of self care.