2591: How To Break The Boredom Of Your Walk, Run, Or Ride by Marc Bilodeau of Fit Trend on Cardio Tips

[00:00:00] Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile.

[00:00:01] With the price of just about everything going up during inflation,

[00:00:04] we thought we'd bring our prices down.

[00:00:07] So to help us, we brought in a reverse auctioneer, which is apparently a thing.

[00:00:11] Mint Mobile Unlimited Premium Wireless!

[00:00:13] I bet you get 30, 30, I bet you get 30, I bet you get 20, 20, 20, I bet you get 20, 20,

[00:00:16] I bet you get 15, 15, 15, 15, just 15 bucks a month!

[00:00:19] Sold!

[00:00:20] Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch.

[00:00:23] $45 up front for 3 months plus taxes and fees.

[00:00:25] Promote for new customers for limited time.

[00:00:26] Unlimited more than 40GB per month.

[00:00:28] Slows. Full terms at mintmobile.com.

[00:00:30] Delicious meets nutritious in the snack that packs a real protein punch.

[00:00:34] Wonderful Pistachios.

[00:00:36] Each 1 ounce serving of Wonderful Pistachios has 6 grams of protein,

[00:00:40] giving you over 10% of your daily value

[00:00:43] and making Wonderful Pistachios one of the highest protein nuts.

[00:00:46] But perhaps more than that, I love all of the flavors they have.

[00:00:50] Their sea salt and vinegar ones are my favorite when I'm craving that flavor

[00:00:54] but want to keep it healthy.

[00:00:55] But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

[00:00:57] Wonderful Pistachios come in a variety of flavors,

[00:01:00] like chili roasted, honey roasted, smoky barbecue and jalapeno lime.

[00:01:05] Perfect for enjoying with family and friends

[00:01:08] or taking them with you on the go.

[00:01:10] Whether you're a pistachio purist who loves cracking open every nut

[00:01:14] or you prefer the convenience of no-shells pistachios,

[00:01:18] Wonderful Pistachios has got you covered.

[00:01:20] Grab Wonderful Pistachios and elevate your snacking game today.

[00:01:24] So fill up with a healthy snack when hunger strikes.

[00:01:27] Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more.

[00:01:31] That's wonderfulpistachios.com.

[00:01:35] This is Optimal Health Daily, episode 2591.

[00:01:39] How to Break the Boredom of Your Walk, Run or Ride

[00:01:42] by Mark Bilodeau of fittrend.com and I'm Dr. Neal.

[00:01:47] Hey there, welcome back to Optimal Health Daily.

[00:01:49] This is the podcast where I act as your very own personal narrator

[00:01:53] and read to you from some of the most popular health and fitness blogs online.

[00:01:58] And with that, let's get right to today's post as we optimize your life.

[00:02:06] How to Break the Boredom of Your Walk, Run or Ride

[00:02:10] by Mark Bilodeau of fittrend.com.

[00:02:14] You may love to walk, run or ride your bike.

[00:02:17] However, for one reason or another,

[00:02:19] you're starting to feel bored by doing the same workout every time.

[00:02:23] When you don't look forward to your workouts,

[00:02:25] it's hard to stay motivated, even if you like the activity.

[00:02:29] Unfortunately, boredom and lack of motivation

[00:02:32] are common reasons why people stop exercising.

[00:02:35] Whether you exercise indoors or outdoors,

[00:02:38] here are some tips and tricks to slay boredom,

[00:02:40] keep your workouts fresh

[00:02:42] and help you make progress towards your goals.

[00:02:45] 1. Change your routine

[00:02:48] For those who like to go outside, try a new route.

[00:02:51] If that isn't easy or possible,

[00:02:53] try doing your usual route in reverse.

[00:02:56] Exploring new routes or seeing your regular route from the other direction

[00:03:00] will provide new mental stimulation while you exercise.

[00:03:03] If you use a treadmill,

[00:03:05] try a pre-programmed workout

[00:03:06] that varies the speed and elevation while exercising.

[00:03:10] In fact, many modern treadmills have interactive programs

[00:03:13] that bring different parts of the world to you.

[00:03:16] You'll be able to walk, run or cycle places

[00:03:19] you may never be able to experience physically.

[00:03:22] If you usually exercise in the morning,

[00:03:24] try exercising in the afternoon or evening.

[00:03:27] The same holds true if you typically work out later in the day.

[00:03:31] 2. Listen to something

[00:03:33] If you're in a safe area where you don't have to pay attention to traffic or people,

[00:03:37] listening to something can help break the boredom.

[00:03:40] There are a few options depending on your preference.

[00:03:43] Listening to your favorite songs can keep your tempo up

[00:03:46] and energize you from the beat of the music.

[00:03:49] If you don't want to listen to music,

[00:03:50] you can listen to topics that interest you from a podcast or audiobook.

[00:03:54] If you do most of your workouts inside,

[00:03:57] another option is to catch up on some movies.

[00:03:59] In fact, you may even exercise longer

[00:04:01] because the story from the podcast, audiobook or movie is so good.

[00:04:06] 3. Practice mindfulness

[00:04:09] Mindfulness can help you stay present,

[00:04:11] enhance the experience and improve your mental well-being.

[00:04:15] Not sure how to exercise mindfully?

[00:04:17] Here's how to get started.

[00:04:19] You can begin with your warm-up

[00:04:21] while preparing physically and mentally for your workout.

[00:04:24] Focus on your movement,

[00:04:26] the sensations of your muscles stretching

[00:04:28] and your breath.

[00:04:30] While you exercise,

[00:04:31] pay attention to your breathing when you inhale and exhale.

[00:04:34] Notice any tension in your body

[00:04:36] and focus on releasing tension in your muscles that feel tight.

[00:04:40] Bring your attention to your senses

[00:04:41] and notice your surroundings such as colors,

[00:04:44] sounds and smells.

[00:04:45] Try to immerse yourself in the experience of where you are

[00:04:48] and what you're doing.

[00:04:50] Let thoughts pass through your mind

[00:04:52] instead of getting caught up in them.

[00:04:54] Lastly, express gratitude

[00:04:56] that you can do what you're doing right now

[00:04:58] and where you're doing it at this very moment.

[00:05:01] 4. Make it social

[00:05:04] Although you may prefer solitude while you exercise,

[00:05:06] you may find it refreshing to invite a friend

[00:05:08] or family member to workout with you.

[00:05:11] It's an opportunity to catch up

[00:05:12] and enjoy each other's company.

[00:05:14] If you're not in a chatty mood and you have a dog,

[00:05:17] you could take them along instead.

[00:05:19] Another option is to join a local walking,

[00:05:21] running or cycling group.

[00:05:23] Not only will it be a change in scenery,

[00:05:25] but you'll also be able to meet new people

[00:05:27] and be in the company of others

[00:05:29] who are motivated and excited to exercise.

[00:05:32] Working out with others can help keep your workouts fresh

[00:05:35] as the conversations can be interesting.

[00:05:37] Additionally, it can help you stay accountable

[00:05:39] and consistent,

[00:05:40] a cornerstone of any successful workout routine.

[00:05:44] And 5. Gamify your workouts

[00:05:47] Playing games can be fun and exciting.

[00:05:50] Why not fight that boredom

[00:05:51] by making a game out of your workout?

[00:05:54] Research suggests that competition

[00:05:55] can help you work harder and stay motivated.

[00:05:59] For example, you could create a 30-day challenge

[00:06:01] or set out to beat your time

[00:06:03] or distance total every week.

[00:06:05] Challenges may be more fun

[00:06:06] if you include your friends and family

[00:06:08] where everyone can help each other

[00:06:10] stay active and engaged.

[00:06:12] Fitness trackers have many different features

[00:06:15] that track your workouts.

[00:06:16] Many apps can combine all that data

[00:06:18] to show your progress over time.

[00:06:21] Although tracking your progress

[00:06:22] can help you achieve your goals,

[00:06:24] watching your distance or total time per week,

[00:06:26] month, year and all time can be motivating.

[00:06:31] The takeaway

[00:06:33] No matter how much you like your workouts,

[00:06:35] it can be difficult to stay motivated

[00:06:36] and keep boredom at bay.

[00:06:38] However, you can mix things up by changing your routine,

[00:06:42] listening to something interesting,

[00:06:44] exercising with friends

[00:06:45] or making a game out of your workouts.

[00:06:48] Finding ways to keep your workouts fun

[00:06:50] will help you maintain your quality of life as you age.

[00:06:58] You just listened to the post titled

[00:06:59] How to Break the Boredom of Your Walk, Run or Ride

[00:07:03] by Mark Bilodeau of fittrend.com

[00:07:06] and I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:07:08] When you're hiring,

[00:07:09] it feels amazing to finally close out a job search.

[00:07:13] But what if you could get rid of the search

[00:07:14] and just match?

[00:07:16] You can with Indeed.

[00:07:18] Indeed is your matching and hiring platform

[00:07:20] with over 350 million global monthly visitors

[00:07:24] and a matching engine

[00:07:26] that helps you find quality candidates fast.

[00:07:29] Ditch the busy work,

[00:07:30] use Indeed for scheduling, screening and messaging.

[00:07:33] 93% of employers agree

[00:07:36] Indeed delivers the highest quality matches

[00:07:38] compared to other job sites.

[00:07:40] One of the things I love about Indeed

[00:07:41] is that it filters out incompatible applicants.

[00:07:45] So when you're hiring,

[00:07:45] the process is much faster

[00:07:47] and you only have to consider applicants

[00:07:49] that are already likely to be a great fit.

[00:07:52] And listeners of this show

[00:07:53] will get a $75 sponsored job credit

[00:07:57] to get your jobs more visibility at indeed.com slash health.

[00:08:02] Just go to indeed.com slash health right now

[00:08:06] and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed

[00:08:09] on this podcast.

[00:08:10] Indeed.com slash health, terms and conditions apply.

[00:08:15] Need to hire?

[00:08:16] You need Indeed.

[00:08:18] Dr. Neil here for my commentary.

[00:08:21] I wanna go back to today's author Mark's second suggestion,

[00:08:24] listening to music during workouts.

[00:08:27] This is one of my favorite suggestions.

[00:08:29] I make sure that my workouts

[00:08:31] are the only times I get to listen to my favorite music.

[00:08:34] It makes me look forward to them that much more.

[00:08:37] But Mark said that we may even exercise longer

[00:08:40] when we listen to music, for example.

[00:08:43] And research shows that this may be a real thing.

[00:08:46] Scientists have found

[00:08:47] that when we listen to music during a workout,

[00:08:49] we tend to find the workout less intense.

[00:08:52] And because it feels less intense,

[00:08:54] we're able to work out longer.

[00:08:57] Now, the original theory was that music

[00:08:58] simply served as a distraction for us

[00:09:01] so we wouldn't constantly be thinking

[00:09:03] about how difficult the workout is.

[00:09:05] But other scientists found that music

[00:09:07] isn't just a distraction,

[00:09:09] that somehow the body responds to music

[00:09:11] in a way that goes beyond

[00:09:13] just getting our minds off of the workout itself.

[00:09:16] I guess time will tell as they continue to study this.

[00:09:19] But for now, if you find yourself bored during a workout

[00:09:22] and haven't given music a try,

[00:09:25] now there's all the more reason to.

[00:09:27] All right, that'll do it for today.

[00:09:29] I hope you have a great rest of your weekend.

[00:09:31] Thank you so much for listening.

[00:09:32] And I'll be back here tomorrow as usual.

[00:09:34] So I'll see you there where your optimal life awaits.