I decided to take a hip hop class and invited a friend to join me. She arrived early and promptly sent me a text: “I’ve just been informed this is a breakdance class. I’m going to kill you.”
We stuck it out and, luckily for us, it was both.
After six classes I decided I like hip hop, but breakdance was not going to be my thing. But there were unexpected benefits. First, I’m pretty proud of myself for learning a six-step! Second, my friend and I kept pace with the rest of the class – several teenage girls. The best outcome was trying something new and figuring out what I like, and don’t.
People often fall into a rut when working towards their health and weight loss goals. That means (according to a Google search) “a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change.”
The difference between productive and unproductive habits is simple: if what you’re doing is consistently getting you the results you want, then you’ve got good habits in place. If not, you need to break out of your rut by trying new things and shaking up your routine. (Do you know how many people tell me they exercise almost daily and still don’t see results?!)
Recently, a new client told me she didn’t like the gym but after a few weeks decided she wanted to check out her local club. Soon she was doing an hour-long challenging class that a month prior she would never have imagined doing. Another client decided to try a HIIT class and found it was definitely NOT her thing, but something else is. Now both have new options because they experimented.
And that’s the key to breaking the rut: test different exercise opportunities, try a range of recipes and restaurants, research forms of meditation. Just do something different.
It need not be hard. Be adventurous. What would you try if you didn’t have a story made up about why it won’t work or why you won’t like it?
What could be your breakdance class to start you on the way to a better result?