TABLE OF CONTENTS

At Club16 Trevor Linden Fitness and She’s FIT!, our personal trainers believe that whatever gets your body and mind moving towards a wellness routine is a great start to better health.

If you like to walk, walk. If you prefer weights, lift away.

But there are five really great reasons to add variety to your workout routine, and we think they will help you potentially mix your workouts while staying safe and engaged.

REASON ONE: PHYSICAL STIMULATION ALLOWS OUR BODIES TO ADAPT TO DIFFERENT DEMANDS

When you add variety to your workout routine, you allow your body to adapt to imposed demands.

For instance, if you only lift weights, you are going to become strong. If you only run long distances at a slow pace, your body will respond with increased stamina. However, just doing one is not going to make you automatically better at the other.

If you add high-intensity training with weights, or yoga with aerobics, your body will respond to the challenge by becoming physically stimulated, so you do not plateau.

A plateau occurs when the body has become accustomed to doing the same repeated exercises.

Placing new demands on the body will increase the intensity and promote new muscle growth that will allow you to be physically fit from top to bottom, so you can do anything you put your mind to.

REASON TWO: VARIETY HELPS US STAY ENGAGED IN PHYSICAL FITNESS

Workout variety is important for both your physical and mental health because it helps keep you from becoming bored with your existing routine.

Research shows that adding variety to an exercise program helps us adhere to it because we enjoy our workouts more, so we are more inclined to stick with it when mixing it up.

REASON THREE: DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES BURN FAT & BUILD MUSCLE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE BODY

We might be the first to say that weight loss is not everything. Many people – some of our clients included – workout with us to become stronger, not thinner.

The truth is, the human body is a very efficient machine, so if you are doing the same exercises every day, it will adapt and begin burning fewer calories, even if you are doing the same amount of exercise.

Instead, challenge your body to work harder in a different way to get rid of the extra pounds you have been working so hard to shake, or to build muscles in certain areas.

REASON FOUR: VARIETY HELPS PREVENT OVERUSE INJURIES

Repetitive strain injuries occur when someone does the same action every day, which could include running, swimming, or hitting a ball, to name a few. When you mix up your workout, it gives the often-overused muscles a break and allows joints and ligaments to rest and recover.

If you have been injured – or if your knees simply hurt from running every day – performing a different activity that keeps your legs out of the equation will help reduce further risk of injury.

REASON FIVE: PHYSICAL CHALLENGES LEAD TO MENTAL STIMULATION

Working out is designed to help boost your overall health and well-being, which definitely includes your mind. Pushing yourself to new fitness levels using different activities will keep your brain engaged and responding with endorphins that decrease stress while combatting illnesses and disease.

ARE YOU READY TO MIX UP YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE TO INCLUDE AN EXCITING VARIETY?

Our Spring Personal Training Special is on from March 1st to March 31st so that you can benefit from personalized plans, variety, better improvements and much more!

If you are seeking a more focused approach to achieve overall wellness solutions, book a free consultation to learn more about the transformative benefits of partnering with a personal trainer at Club16 Trevor Linden Fitness and She’s FIT!.

(click for larger image)

Quinoa Asparagus Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa (dry)
  • 1 ½ cup water
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups shelled fresh English peas or substitute shelled edamame, radish, cucumber, snow peas or even spring greens
  • 3 scallions- thinly sliced at a diagonal
  • ½ cup fresh dill, chopped
  • ½ cup Italian parsley, more to taste
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional, or sub other nut or seed)

Dressing:

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • Zest from 1 lemon
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse the quinoa and place it in a pot with water and pinch of salt. Bring to boil, cover, lower heat, and allow it to simmer on low heat for 12-15 minutes. Turn off heat, and let sit covered for 5-10 minutes, then uncover, fluff with a fork and let it cool.
  2. While the quinoa is cooking, blanch the peas and asparagus in salted boiling water for just a few minutes, until bright and tender. Rinse under cold water.
  3. Place the cooled quinoa and blanched veggies in a bowl. Add the scallions, dill and almonds and give a toss. Add the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir again.
  4. Serve with optional avocado, feta, goat cheese, sunflower sprouts.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup

Per Serving

  • Calories: 245
  • Sugar: 3.6 g
  • Sodium: 210.8 mg
  • Fat: 14.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24.8 g
  • Fiber: 5.2 g
  • Protein: 7.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Share this article