This is actually one of the better questions I’ve received recently. Instinctively, my first thought is NO. More on this in a minute.

If, however, you are new to fitness and just starting to exercise regularly, then by all means do whatever type of exercise you like, even if it means doing the same thing every day. You will eventually reach a point when the results taper off, you lose motivation, get bored, or all of the above. That is when you’ll want to mix it up.

Even if you are a fitness guru, there will come a time when your “normal” workout routine isn’t working, or you suffer from burnout (this is common). To keep your muscles challenged and continue to see results, you need include the following components in your routine:

1. Variety

2. Cardiovascular exercise

3. Muscle strengthening exercise

4. Progression (which is just a fancy word for, “gradually making it harder” so that muscles and/or cardiovascular fitness continue to improve)

5. Stretching

Variety is the spice of life, and also the key to a successful workout routine. By continually surprising your muscles with new challenges, they will in turn adapt and become stronger, more efficient.

To mix up your routine, you  might try martial arts, swimming, weight training, yoga or Pilates, Zumba, BodyPump…you get the picture. This is also called “cross training.”

Cardiovascular exercise is the calorie-burning equivalent of driving your car on the highway. Aim for 30-60 mins on most days of the week.

Strength training is beneficial in many ways. It builds lean muscle, which increases resting metabolic rate. It also helps prevent injury by strengthening the muscles around the joints.

Progression will get you from A to B. You can progress both your cardiovascular and strength training routines, and there are many ways to do it. Read more about how to progress your routine.

Stretching We sit all day, move forward  most of the time, and, as the title of this post would indicate, tend to do the same workouts over and over. As a result, muscles get T-I-G-H-T. Stretching at least a few times a week for 15-20 minutes (2-3 minutes for each major muscle if you do 8 stretches and hold each one 15-30 seconds, and repeat), will go a long way toward improving elasticity, and help prevent injury. I’m a fan of yoga, as well as Pilates, but really, any stretching is good in my book.

You might also like: Is your workout working?and, Strength Training 101

Do you have a favorite “mix it up” routine? What do you do to add spice to your workouts?

It is the little things you do every day, like taking the stairs rather than the elevator at work, hoisting up your toddler and doing 10 squats, walking lunges while you talk on the phone. I know, it seems kind of hokey, but seriously, every little effort, done consistently, will bring results. Think about the caterpillar, which undergoes lots of little changes before finally turning into a beautiful butterfly.

I think the reason a lot of us have a hard time tackling a big goal, like losing a large amount of weight, or training for an intense event, such as a 10K, is that the end result looks like Mt Everest. How ever do you scale that thing? But broken down into manageable chunks, the process is much less daunting – down right achievable! (Pssst …I attack fitness this way a lot. It really does work.)

I know, you’ve heard this or read it in self-help books a gazillion times. So have I, but having tackled several big goals by breaking down the tasks into little, bite-size morsels, I was able to achieve them. It wasn’t so bad, honest (or I wouldn’t be suggesting it here.)

Try this…

When you’re faced with 4 cardio workouts and 2 strength training sessions in one week, break them down like this: 8-10 “mini” cardio sessions of 10-15 minutes each. Spread across 7 days, that doesn’t seem so bad. Likewise with strength training: 8-12 exercises per session can be broken down into 2-3 exercises, again, spread across 7 days per week. This approach is FAR better in the long run than doing 4 cardio sessions and 2 ST sessions, as planned, only once per month. Better to break it down into manageable chunks and get credit consistently, than to get credit only occasionally.

Plus, “occasional” effort isn’t really effort at all – it just a random act of activity.

When it comes to strength training, there is no shortage of research to support the many benefits to your health. Regular strength training burns calories, reshapes your physique and can improve mobility and day-to-day functionality. In case you need further convincing, read on…

Strength training…

• Prevents osteoporosis. Don’t just lift weights to sculpt your muscles. Do it so you’ll continue to stand up straight, forever. Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease characterized by a loss of bone density. Loss of density increases your risk for fractures. To keep your bones healthy and strong, add resistance training to your workout routine 2-3 times per week, and weight-bearing cardiovascular exercise 3-5 times per week. Studies show that progressively overloading the skeletal system stimulates bone formation. Examples of resistance training include: squats and lunges. Both of these closed-chain activities direct force through the axial skeleton, allowing increased loads to be used. Examples of weight bearing activity include: walking at a brisk pace, jogging/running, and jumping. Consistent activity over the long-term will bring better results, so do what you can, when you can, for as long as you can.

• Improves musculoskeletal health. The ability to move fluidly and with confidence diminishes with age, due largely to physical inactivity rather than age itself (Marcell 2003). Loss of muscle mass and strength decreases approximately 1-2% per year starting at age 50. As muscle loss decreases, there is a direct, linear relationship between loss of independence. The end result? Falls, fractures and dependence on nursing home services. If you are in your 40s, 30s, or even 20s, you may be thinking, “So what? I’m young.” Research shows that performing just one set of 8-10 exercises that cover all major muscle groups, 10-15 repetitions per exercise at a “somewhat hard” level, 1-2 times per week, helps maintain muscle strength, metabolic rate and joint health for the long haul. (ASCM 2006).

• Improves arthritis. The term “arthritis” actually refers to more than 100 rheumatic diseases. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most prevalent types of arthritis. Consistent exercise improves joint mobility, nourishes the tissue surrounding the joints and helps relieve stiffness and pain (Finckh, Iversen & Liang 2003). A note of caution: if you have significant damage, especially in weight-bearing joints such as the knee and hip, high-impact exercise should be avoided. Instead, try swimming, aqua-walking, or cycling. Gradually increase your activity level over time to reduce your risk of injury.

• Helps you feel better. Winter will be here before you know it, so establishing a routine now will go a long way toward helping you ease those winter blues. Exercise should make you feel good. Yes, it can be challenging during the workout. However, afterward you should feel good. When you exercise at an intensity sufficient to raise your heart rate within its target range for at least 20 mins, your body releases mood-enhancing chemicals that positively affect your mood. After a bout of somewhat intense exercise, you’ll notice reduced tension, less fatigue, diminished anger and improved vigor. Studies show that a single bout of 25-60 mins. Of sustained cardiovascular activity (jogging, for example) increases positive feelings. Who couldn’t use more positive feelings?

• Helps manage anxiety and depression.  What comes first, the depression, or the lack of physical activity? Studies show that individuals with clinical depression (note: this is quite different than the occasional bad mood, “blues” or seasonal affective disorder) have a reduced capacity for physical exertion (Fox 1999). However, those who can muster the wear-with-all to get out there and sweat a little rate cardiovascular and resistance training equally effective as anti-depressant pharmaceuticals.

If you’d like to stay on top of the latest research related to strength training, check out IDEA Health and Fitness Association,  the American College of Sports Medicine,  or Science Daily.