Back to Basics : How to get back in the workout groove

The past few weeks have been a little crazy for my workout routine. At first my excuse was that I was getting back in the groove following vacation. Then a weekend visit to a friend meant no long run. Then it was DST & back to dark in the mornings. I quickly felt myself slipping into a funk of sorts.

I've been there before & it's a little spiral of half marathon doom. One day you've done all your workouts & just a few days later you skipped your speed workout, made a halfhearted promise to yourself that you would make it up this week. Now the streak is broken & it's downhill from there. Before I let myself get out of control & miss too many workouts I got back to basics, as I like to say, to get myself off the fast track to a workout funk & back to my usual self.

Here are my "Back to Basics", I would love to hear yours, what reminders or tips you have for snapping out of a workout slump before it gets serious.

{do what you love}

I love to run & I love to lift weights. When I am feeling a funk coming on I'll slow down on the cross training & get outside for a run with no purpose other than enjoyment. Or I'll head to the weight room with no plan in mind & I'll do whatever exercises strike me. While it never ends up being the most efficient use of my time, I always enjoy myself. Which is why I workout in the first place.

{no time commitment}

It's easy to get bogged down when you have a 6 mile run here, an hour of spinning there, etc. When I feel myself slipping into a funk I forget the plan. My goal is to get myself to the gym, or out on the road with my shoes laced up. If I run all my miles, great. If I don't, well, I got out there. Which brings me to my next point..

{some is better than none}

AKA fake it til you make it

Some running is better than no running when you're in a funk. If I enjoy myself for 3 miles, then I'll run 3 miles. Part of getting back to basics is snapping out of it so I can get to a place where I want to do it all, run all the miles, lift all the weights, etc.

{workout with friends}

I love to meet up with a local running group on Saturday mornings for my long run. Pace groups help keep me in check & there's always someone to chat with to make the miles fly by. I was dreading running 12 miles this past Saturday, I wasn't even sure I could do it. Instead, I did 13 & had a blast chit chatting with everyone. I always meet someone knew & run a route through the city I wouldn't have on my own.

{tell someone your plan}

As someone who thrives on outward success it can seem easy to skip a workout if no one would know. But I don't want to appear like a failure. For me this usually means telling the BF or another friend that I am getting up early to go to the gym. I don't want to have to explain later that I didn't go, so you best believe my ass will be out of bed in the morning.

{schedule a reward}

 I work well with goals in mind. Sometimes a goal of a half marathon several months away is too far off to keep me motivated every week. I like to have small rewards to keep myself on track each week. While many people disagree with using food as a reward, we are people, not dogs afterall. I disagree. If promising myself Chipotle after my long run (because I know it's near our start // finish) is going to help me complete all my workouts that week then so be it. I am not above bribing myself.

Tell it to me Tuesdays x Twinkly Tuesday x Turn it up Tuesday x Marcia x Patty x Erika