Avoiding Boredom on the Elliptical

Staying healthy, eating well and working out takes a lot of time, energy and dedication; my whole life I have been an athlete so it has always been a way of life for me. However, I will be the first to admit, it is not always easy to stay motivated. Sometimes I slip up and struggle to get back on track. It is common knowledge now a days that HIIT  and interval workouts are a great way to burn calories and get a quick, effective workout in. However, sometimes it is nice to do easier steady-state workouts. Running is my go-to, but I also like to use the elliptical when my body is tired or I want a change. Working out on a machine can become tedious and boring. I use a couple tricks to fight boredom and keep me going long enough to get a good workout in.

5 Tips to Avoid Elliptical Boredom

1. Read your favorite fitness magazine.
I love Women’s Health, Self and Fitness Magazine. Oh, and of course all the great gossip mags. I never have time to sit and read so I take advantage of being able to flip through a magazine while on the elliptical. Reading a magazine can make the time on the elliptical fly by, especially if I read cover to cover! Plus, you get to learn new healthy living tips and tricks!  

2. Watch TV on your iPhone or iPod
Download an app onto your phone that allows you to stream TV shows for free. I have the actual TV networks application on my phone such as ABC and NBC. They have all the old episodes of my favorite shows.  Watching an episode will keep you engaged for the entire show, making the workout go by fast and easy. You may even want to watch another episode afterwards!

3. Watch live TV

Even better than watching TV on your phone, watch live TV! Plan your work out around when your favorite show airs on regular TV. Obviously, you need to have a TV in your gym and the ability to change the channels. If you can, I highly recommend doing this. You would most likely watch it anyways, so this way you are getting exercise while you watch, instead of just sitting on the couch.

3. Intervals
Intervals always make the time go by quick because the work out is broken into small periods of time that eventually add up. I typically do 5 minutes moving forward, 5 minutes in reverse. Not only does this keep my feet from going numb, but it also works different muscle groups so you get more bang for your buck! If you do those intervals 3 times, that is a 30 minute workout. Bam, done!

4. Switch cardio machines every 15 minutes.
If you really can not handle the elliptical switch up machines. Do a machine of choice every 15 minutes. Go from the elliptical to the bike to the treadmill. 15 minutes on each, gets you a good 45 minute workout and definitely helps to prevent boredom!

Do you get bored on the elliptical? How do you stay entertained on the elliptical?

This is a guest post by Mattie.

Mattie is the author behind the healthy living blog Comfy & Confident, which follows her interests in living a balanced life of health, happiness, fitness, food, friends and family. She has always been into fitness, sports, health and nutrition; and in her blog she writes openly about trying to find a place where you can be comfortable and confident in the person you are. Besides her blog, you can also find Mattie on Twitter and Pinterest.