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Beat "Being Good" Boredom

Although your eating and exercise routine may be healthy, it could be boring you. And if you're bored, you might not stick with it. Here are some ways to add adventure to your healthy lifestyle.

If you're trying your best but having trouble staying on track, it may be a sign that your approach is unrealistic for you or that it's time for a change. "I try to work with people to make them conscious of how they're feeling; that way you can catch a problem before it's full-blown," says Liz Neporent (www.lizzyfit.com). Neporent, a personal trainer and fitness consultant, is a speaker and coauthor of several fitness books, including Fitness for Dummies (Wiley Publishing, 3rd edition, 2005) and The Fat-Free Truth: Real Answers to the Fitness and Weight-Loss Questions You Wonder About Most (Houghton Mifflin, 2005). Here are her suggestions.

Make an honest assessment.
If you're like most, you've stopped eating right and going to the gym because you say you no longer have the time. But let's be honest: It's probably more a case of interest and priority. "Think about the times you did exercise regularly and eat healthfully," says Neporent. "Did you have any more time in your day then than you do now? Probably not. You were just focused on it, and time found itself."

Dump the dull diet.
Spice up your food regimen with small portions of your favorite treats. "I'm a believer that eating should be fun, period," says Neporent. "If you love bacon, you can have a small amount on occasion. Crunch up a crisp bacon strip on a nice healthy salad to blend your fat fix with a healthy one."

Find fun company.
Nothing beats boredom like a good bull session with a buddy. Team up with a friend or a group for a power walk or a bike ride. Or take your dog for a run in the park and try to have as much fun as he's having. The only thing you need to watch out for, cautions Neporent, is that you don't pick a partner who holds you back or isn't reliable.

Try the unexpected.
The possibilities for mixing fun with fitness are as wild as you want to make them. Take a trapeze class, or try horseback riding. "There are a lot of choices," says Neporent. "You aren't locked in. If you usually take yoga, try Pilates or kickboxing. If you typically use the treadmill, try the elliptical."

Get out of your rut.
The time goes faster when you mix up the pace and play games. Try interval training-alternating the pace between difficult and easy during cardio or weight training. If you're running or walking, pick someone ahead of you to be the "rabbit," then spend your time trying to narrow the distance between you.

Have goals at all times.
"It's much harder to stay focused if you don't know why you're doing it," says Neporent. Even if you're not ready for a full-out marathon, consider signing up for an event, such as a 10-mile skate or a 5-K charity run, that can help give you an incentive to train.