5 Ways to Bust that rut

Ever get in a fitness funk? I do, and it can be a major setback mentally and physically. It always seems to happen after a few weeks of serious dedication, when I've got momentum on my side and I'm starting to see results. One minute I'm in the groove, the next, I'm phoning in my last few reps. Before I know it, I'm abandoning entire workouts in favor of, well, just about anything else. Does this ever happen to you?

It happened to me while I was prepping for my photoshoot for Fat Loss and it was so disheartening to watch that momentum - and my weight loss - come to a screeching halt. But my trainer, and Oxygen, helped me discover the culprit to my crashing motivation. My routine was becoming repetetive and both my mind and my muscles were getting bored. I was in a rut.

We're all guilty of getting too comfortable in our daily routines now and then. As creatures of habit, we tend to fall back on what's familiar, as it brings order to our sometimes chaotic lives. But when it comes to fitness, getting too comfortable in a routine means the muscles start to adapt, and cease to make progress.

Now, I've learned to beat boredom by shaking things up now and then. Every couple of weeks I'll toss something new into the mix to keep my mind interested and my muscles guessing.

Here are five of my favorite ways to change the game. Try them for yourself!

1. Take a class
I love zumba for recharging my motivation. The dancing is so fun I barely notice that I'm burning hundreds of calories and the contagious positive energy from the group makes me give it my all.

2. Play a sport
Why not grab your pals for a little friendly competition? After all, a workout doesn't have to be in the gym to be a workout. A competitive hour of soccer can burn around 600 calories.

3. Do a whole new workout
I frequently tote a copy of Oxygen to the gym and put our workouts to the test when I'm looking for a change of pace. Really! That's not a plug!

4. Make it a date
I'm a firm believer in the buddy system. Join a friend in the gym or on her run and try out her routine. Next week, challenge her to try your workout. Even if you prefer to train alone, the company and encouragement can be really motivating. And you can spot each other so you can squeeze out a few extra muscle-building reps.

5. Congratulate yourself
Make a list of your accomplishments so far. Compare your progress photos. Take your measurements. For me, a visual reminder than I'm finally doing it was often the push I needed to make me snap out of my slump. Remind yourself how much you kick butt, and get back at it.

Feel free to add to my list! What are your favorite ways to shake up your old routine?