That’s why mixing up your routine is so important. It helps overcome the I’m-just-going-through-the-motions ennui that can set in at the gym. And it helps you achieve better overall results to feel healthy and strong.

Which was exactly my thinking when I decided to go to Step class on Sunday morning. I haven’t been to a step class in at least 2 years, probably 3. I thought it would fun to mix it up. Back in the 90s, I absolutely LOVED Step classes. I knew all the routines and it was fun and easy. But do anything 3 times a week more for several years, and of course you’ll get burned out.

So at 9:30 on Sunday morning, I happily bounced into class, set up the equipment (it’s a combination weight training and step class) and eagerly waited for the start of class, ready to recapture my Step glory from years past.  Once I got going and remembered most of the steps (there were a few that were totally perplexing to me), I got into it. And truth be told, it was pretty tough, but at the end I had that fabulous feeling you get when you work out and push yourself and you’re nicely sweaty and pleasantly exhausted.

The only thing is that I forget how sore my calves would be. Sure, they felt great all day Sunday. You know how it is, it doesn’t kick in right away.  It wasn’t until yesterday they started to hurt. And that was nothing compared to today! I swear I could barely get out of bed this morning.

So this is a cautionary tale about easing in slowly (next time I’ll remember to do the first few classes without the risers so my calves don’t hurt so much) even when we think we’re in good shape.  Mixing it up is all about making exercise more interesting and inviting but in a way that won’t have us recovering for more days than we spent at the gym doing the workout! You can best bet I’ll go a little easy the next few days.

What’s your favorite way to mix things up and vary your routine for great results?  How to you ensure that you’re in optimal health?

I believe one of the simplest and most compelling actions we can take to improve our health is to invest in a pedometer, commit to wear it everyday and monitor our steps. Pedometers are inexpensive (you can buy them as cheaply as $5 and on up), easy to use and a great way to get into action.

In fact, research shows that walking is one the simplest and best methods of exercise – it’s easy on your joints, it doesn’t cost much, and almost anyone can do it.  And you can start at a pace that’s right for you and work up. Even if you start with 5 or 10 minutes, you can increase from there, in a moderate fashion. When it comes to weight loss, walking is the way to go and it without having an expensive gym membership. Not to mention the other health benefits you receive – more energy, it suppresses your appetite, you get to be outside in nature, and walking is totally meditative, just to name a few.

I use my pedometer everyday. And I don’t have one of those top of the line, fancy schmancy pedometers. I think I paid about $14 for it several months ago and has some pretty basic features.  But I love it because it’s a serious wake up call for me and reminds me of when I need to get more into action.

Case in point, yesterday I walked about 1000 steps all day. 1000…that is both ridiculous and pathetic! You probably know that we should walk about 10,000 steps each day, or roughly 5 miles. While that may seem like a lot, if you live in a city or do lots of walking for you job, it’s not at all out of the realm of possibility. But yesterday, I barely moved. Just so happened that all my appointments were on the phone and I worked from home. And because I happen to live in a relatively small place there’s just not a lot of space for walking (although that is so not a good excuse when I can step outside and walk!). And I had planned to go to the gym yesterday, but truth be told, I didn’t make it enough of a priority and I let my work get in the way.

But today is a whole other story. Wearing the pedometer and seeing how few steps I walked yesterday has motivated me to go to the gym today and get in sufficient amounts of cardio. In fact, I’m going at lunch time so there’s no temptation to not go. Will I make up for yesterday’s missed steps? Definitely not, but it’s all I needed to get my butt in gear and to stay active the rest of the week. As an aside, I will say that I feel a little better because last Saturday I walked to and from the farmer’s market with my husband Bruce and it was a good 5 miles. And I’m planning to do it again this Saturday too.

So the question I have for you is do you own a pedometer? If so, do you wear it regularly and how does it help you? If you don’t have one, what are you waiting for? And what will inspire you to get one? To give you some easy ideas, check out the website where I bought mine, there are tons to choose from and it’s really just a matter of choosing what features you’re looking for or go to your local sporting goods store and pick one up. But don’t go crazy, start simple, get walking and get in the mode of better health.

When I went to the gym on Saturday, I arrived just in time to go to Spinning class. I haven’t been in months and I have to say it was such a great workout. I loved the intensity, I felt more motivated by being in the class with others, and I really felt like the endorphins kicked in when I was done. I felt relaxed and blissful, a feeling that it’s harder to approximate when I do my usual routine on the cardio machines.

What about you, do you notice a different when you have a more intense workout?