Have you been doing the same type of exercise day after day? If so, it is likely that your body has become used to that activity. This results in decreased calorie burn and a plateau in weight loss. If you do not feel like your body is being challenged and the exercise has become easy for you, it is time to shake things up a bit. You do not have to give up your favorite activity, but you should add something new to your exercise regimen. Cross-training is simply an exercise regimen that involves different types of exercises. Cross-training offers several benefits, including increases in caloric burn and muscle conditioning, prevention of injury from overuse of the same muscles and joints, and increased interest and dedication to exercise.

Athletes often learn the importance of cross-training the hard way. They tend to focus only on their competitive sport, which can result in over-training and injuries. Cross-training can help them to prevent these injuries, as well as improve their performance. For example, a runner may run everyday, logging heavy mileage and stressing their bones and joints with constant high-impact activity. Two excellent cross-training activities for running are cycling and resistance training. Cycling offers them another form of cardio-vascular exercise without the impact, and resistance training allows them to strengthen the often-neglected upper body. The same rule applies to beginning and intermediate runners.

Cross-training can also help prevent beginning exercisers from losing interest and discontinuing their exercise program. Whether you are working out at home, outside or in a gym, you can incorporate different types of exercise. Can you imagine using the same fitness video every single day at home? This is the same thing as going to the same type of aerobic class or working out on the same piece of equipment everyday. It will get old and you will get bored. Starting a cross-training regimen is easy. Simply choose a few different activities you like and alternate them on different days.

Here are a few examples:
1.If you like group fitness classes, try doing a step class 2 days a week, a kickboxing class 2 days a week and a sculpting class 2 days a week.
2.If you like to use equipment try alternating the treadmill, Stairmaster and bike. Then throw in weight-training every few days.
3.If you prefer the great outdoors, alternate run/walk, biking and swimming. Every few miles stop to throw in some lunges, squats, push-ups and abdominal exercises.
4.If you like to exercise at home, alternate kickboxing, yoga, and sculpting videos with your treadmill.

Challenge your body and spice up your exercise routine with Cross-training. "Variety is the Spice of Life!"

Author: Kelli Hairston, RD, LD

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