{"id":43183,"date":"2018-07-12T03:00:10","date_gmt":"2018-07-12T01:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/evofitness.at\/uncategorized\/working-out-boring\/"},"modified":"2018-07-12T03:00:10","modified_gmt":"2018-07-12T01:00:10","slug":"working-out-boring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/evofitness.at\/en\/blog\/discover\/working-out-boring\/","title":{"rendered":"Exercise is boring? Here\u2019s how to distract your brain while you sweat"},"content":{"rendered":"

When was the last time a workout flew by? Five minutes working out on a treadmill<\/a><\/span> can feel like forever when you\u2019re bored. The stats speak volumes: less than 5% of adults do the daily minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity<\/strong>, according to the US Department of Health & Human Services<\/a><\/span>. But exercise doesn\u2019t have to be a drag. If it is, you\u2019re doing it wrong. With these three science-backed tactics under your belt, you\u2019ll soon be working out without realizing it.<\/p>\n

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3 WAYS HOW TO MAKE WORKING OUT MORE INTERESTING<\/h2>\n

1. Exercise your brain while you are working out<\/h3>\n

Physical exercise can help your brain work better<\/strong>, especially memory and thinking skills. But engaging your brain during a workout can also help you keep going for longer<\/strong>. In a study published by the University of Florida<\/a>, researchers gave male and female participants 12 different cognitive tasks while they were cycling. These included naming colors, saying \u201cgo\u201d whenever a blue star appeared on screen, repeating long lists of numbers backwards and solving math problems.<\/p>\n

Apart from the most difficult task (math) participants actually cycled 25% faster – some even doubled their speed unknowingly. If something is too demanding, it can actually slow you down, so engage in some kind of brain training that\u2019s easy, fast-paced and engaging<\/strong>, such as a fun mobile game or a storytelling podcast (a murder mystery, perhaps?). It shouldn\u2019t be too simple, though – watching your favorite TV show doesn\u2019t count.<\/p>\n

2. Grab a buddy – or lots of buddies<\/h3>\n

Unless you\u2019re the kind of person who can throw yourself out of bed at 5am, lace up your trainers<\/a><\/span> and dash out for a run in the rain, chances are that getting motivated<\/a><\/span> to exercise is tricky. Staying motivated, once you\u2019re exercising, can be even harder. Finding a workout buddy not only means you\u2019re accountable to turn up<\/strong>, they can make sure you don\u2019t throw in the towel prematurely.<\/p>\n

Friends fully-booked?<\/strong> There are plenty of groups you can join and take advantage of in your local area, from hiking enthusiasts to park runners<\/strong>. Even better, get a professional buddy. Our personal trainers<\/a><\/span> can design a personalized program<\/strong> for you that boosts your physical and mental well-being. And with our functional fitness philosophy<\/a><\/span>, you won\u2019t be stuck looking at a blank wall running on a treadmill for 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

3. Crank up the tunes<\/h3>\n

Music can be thought of as \u201ca type of legal performance-enhancing drug\u201d<\/strong> according to Costas Karageorghis, a world-leading expert on the psychology of exercise music at <\/u>Brunel University in London<\/a>. Pumping out the beats can help runners<\/a><\/span> run further, cyclists<\/a><\/span> ride for longer and swimmers<\/a><\/span> go faster. It\u2019s the perfect distraction – some apps<\/a><\/span> can even be linked to your Spotify account and will play tracks according to your heart rate.<\/p>\n

But the psychology of effective workout music is more than simply picking out some high-energy tunes and pumping some iron. Choosing songs that evoke memories and emotions – tracks that you actually feel<\/em> <\/strong>– is crucial for getting into the zone and turning exercise boredom on its head.<\/p>\n

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Now as you know how to make working out more fun, try it out with some of our EVO workouts:<\/strong><\/p>\n