Your Boredom-Proof Workout

Don't do the same old thing week after week. Cut your chances of boredom and improve results with these six strategies.

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(Image credit: Don Flood)

1. Change the order of the moves, but keep alternating upper- and lower-body exercises.

2. Change the speed of the repetitions.

3. Alternate days of heavier (five- to eight-pound) versus lighter (three- to five-pound) dumbbells.

4. Change the time increments: Do 30 seconds of each move on one day and two minutes of each on another.

5. Combine two moves into one. For instance, do a squat with an overhead shoulder press, or a reverse lunge with a bicep curl. This is great for a more intense workout or if you're really crunched for time.

6. Split your workouts. Concentrate only on your upper body two days each week; work only your lower body for the other two days.

Why Your Last Workout Program Didn't Work (and What to Do About It)

The problem: No time.

The fix: Some women are taking business clients to workout parties, organized by gyms or personal trainers. NYC trainer and nutritionist Jennifer Cassetta has also attended dinners after the session to help clients navigate restaurant menus.

The problem: Tracking workouts is a drag.

The fix: Let Bones in Motion do it for you. Download the BiM Active software onto Motorola's KRZR phone (or certain Verizon and Sprint/Nextel models; see bimactive.com), and you get a device that plays music and continuously monitors cycling and running speed, distance, calories, pace, and route with GPS. Hit "save," and your data appears on your personal Website. (Phone $199 with 2-year Verizon contract. BiM Active, $9.99 per month.)

From RealAge.com: Build a Better Body With a Personalized Workout Plan

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