Fitness doesn't have to be painful, a burden, or inconvenient. In fact, boredom can kill a good fitness routine so don’t let it plague you. If you ever feel like you’re about to fall into a rut, think of new ways to keep your relationship with fitness fresh and flashy. Stick to your fitness goals, by keeping it fun. If necessity is the mother of invention, then fun is consistency's eccentric aunt.

Here are 5 ways to help keep fitness fun

Switch your playlist

I used to do hill sprints without music because I thought you had to just embrace the burn and welcome the energy output. Essentially, I tried to just tough it out. Then, I started to do sprints with music and I thought to myself, ‘Ah! This is way more fun'.  Whether you listen to music, a podcast, a guided meditation, or the news, auditory stimulation can be incredibly empowering and incredibly fun. Try freshening up what you listen to see if that makes your exercise sessions more fun.

Find a partner

As a physique competitor, former wrestler, and martial artist, I used to train and exercise all by myself. Even now, that personal drive and dedication continues to fuel my exercise program. But once I found the right training partner, it took my workouts to a new level. Ideally, your partner is should be ahead of your fitness goals so they can motivate you to improve but they don't have to be. Helping someone progress and accomplish their fitness goals can also be extremely inspirational and motivating as well.

And what if you don’t have any friends that want to work out with you?  Use Fitdeck cards as your coach. Although you don’t have the human element to push you, the novelty of not knowing what is coming next in the deck can be really fun. Just put on your favorite playlist, shuffle the cards and get after it!

Redefine your goals

Have you ever done a Spartan race? Me either. But I plan on doing one soon and having that goal in front of me helps to keep my workouts fun. Whether it's body fat reduction, strength gains, endurance, coordination, or consistency, redefining your fitness goals every few months will help to keep your workouts fresh, fun, and exciting. If you are having trouble thinking of new goals then allow a Fitness app to help you redefine those goals. Some apps will give you and option to customize your routines to meet your needs. Workout for Women, Adaptiv, All Trails, 7 Minute Workout, PEAR, Daily Yoga, CycleCast, and PocketYoga are touted to be super fun.  I can’t wait to try them all!

Try a class

A friend of mine recently tried Zumba and after 2 classes she was absolutely addicted. Let’s face it, the traditional strength training programs can get a little tedious and boring. So take the plunge and try something different. Zumba, Soul Cycle, Orange Theory, Spin, swim class, all have the potential to not only make workouts fun and exciting but the extra level of encouragement and accountability from your peers could push your fitness goals to a new level.

Petxercise

As veterinarians, we have dedicated our lives to keeping pets and animals healthy. But we need to stay healthy in order to do that. Why not combine the two? I have heard beautiful stories of fitness when the pets and humans rendezvous with exercise. When exercising with your pet, instead of same walk, try a new route around the block. Or try hiking with your pet in different terrain. Instead of having your dog chase the ball, toss it a short distance and then race him for it. Play a game with your cat where you place a few treats at the top of the cat climbing tree and every time your cat climbs up to get one, you can do a short exercise routine. (50 jumping jacks, 20 pushups and 30 crunches, 10 squats). There are a myriad of ways we can incorporate the pets we love into our personal workouts. Keeping it fun for you and for your pet while you both get into shape, is a win-win.