Make Workout Time Fly

You know those days when you think about how great you'll feel after your workout -- but you still can't get started? Say goodbye to them. These three workout games make time fly by, keeping your mind occupied, and they prevent fitness plateaus by keeping your body stimulated.

1. Change the rules but work the same. Make your workout harder in one way but easier in another, so the amount of work you do stays the same. For instance, if you're using a treadmill, increase the speed and decrease the incline. Then switch, so you're walking more slowly but on an upward slope. Even though your intensity remains steady, the variety makes the workout feel different.

2. “I can do anything for 30 or 60 seconds.” Add high-intensity intervals here and there throughout your workout, but only do them for 30 or 60 seconds each. The time limit creates a doable challenge, and the mini challenges make it fun.

3. The trigger switch. Pick something that happens randomly, and use it as a trigger to change your workout. For instance, if your stationary bike faces a window, you might decide that every time a red car goes by, you'll increase the intensity by one level, until you reach your personal max. When you get there, switch: Use every red car as a signal to reduce the intensity one level, then work your way back up again. On a stair climber, you might use random events to change the way you're stepping -- do baby steps, then deep steps, then step with no hands touching the side rails. Suddenly, you're done!